Tesla Model Y branded the decade’s least reliable car by Germany’s TÜV
Tesla likes to talk about innovation and over the air software updates. Germany’s TÜV SÜD chose a very different theme this time. Its latest inspection report pushed the Model Y to the bottom of the table, not only within its age group but across all cars assessed in the past ten years. The result lands like a cold shower for a brand that once traded on the aura of a technological trailblazer.
Unlike customer satisfaction surveys, the TÜV report is built on physical checks. Inspectors do not rely on owners’ opinions, they examine each car’s actual condition. This year they looked at 9.5 million vehicles. Among cars aged two to three years, the Model Y finished in last place. One in five failed its inspection. The precise figure was 17.3 percent and TÜV noted that many of the faults were serious enough to cause an immediate fail.
The average defect rate for the same age group sits at 6.5 percent. The Mini Cooper SE stood out for the right reasons with just 3.5 percent. Audi’s Q4 e tron followed at 4 percent. The Model Y delivered a much darker kind of headline. The report also showed that the Model 3 did only slightly better, with critical defects in 13.1 percent of inspected cars.
Most faults were linked to the suspension. According to experts, control arm bushings wear out quickly. Brake discs rust because they do little work on an electric car yet still require regular attention. Lighting issues appeared too. It is not the sort of list any manufacturer wants, especially one that likes to place itself in the front row of the tech world.
Europe’s electric car market has reached a stage where maintenance costs and reliability matter as much as range and price. Established manufacturers have been improving quality step by step. Tesla relies heavily on software updates, although the mechanical side seems to need a deeper rethink. TÜV’s verdict casts an awkward light on Tesla’s position in Europe. In Germany, where quality expectations remain particularly high, a report like this can influence sales over the coming years.
The broader picture is striking. The electric car revolution is no longer just about software and rapid charging. It also turns on a very old question, how well a car stands up to everyday life.
