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Tesla gains in 2026 Consumer Reports’ auto brand rankings
Refreshed versions of the Tesla Model Y are shown outside a Tesla store in San Diego, California, U.S. October 21, 2025.
Mike Blake | Reuters
DETROIT — U.S. electric vehicle sales leader Tesla made notable strides in Consumer Reports’ influential annual auto brand rankings, cracking the top 10 overall for the U.S.
The EV manufacturer jumped from No. 18 on last year’s list of more than 30 automotive brands to 10th on the 2026 Consumer Reports Brand Report Card, which was released Thursday.
“They definitely have their struggles, but by continuing to refine and not make huge changes in their models, they’re able to make more reliable vehicles, and they’ve moved up our rankings,” Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, told CNBC.
The annual auto brand report card is based on Consumer Reports’ testing as well as reliability, safety and overall customer satisfaction according to owner surveys.
The surveys do not reflect broader consumer sentiment about the models or automakers ranked by CR outside of customer satisfaction. Tesla has faced a consumer backlash against CEO Elon Musk in response to his work with the Trump administration and endorsements of far-right politicians and personalities around the world, including Germany’s extreme anti-immigrant party AfD.
Fisher said Tesla’s gain occurred as its vehicles have become more reliable over time, especially as the company hasn’t made significant design changes to many of its vehicles like traditional automakers tend to do.
Tesla instead relies on remote, or over-the-air, updates to revise many features on the vehicles. Its powertrain reliability remains a standout among EVs, according to Consumer Reports.
The only Tesla model to have a below-average score is the Cybertruck, its newest model that features a host of new technologies such as a 48-volt architecture system and “steer by wire.”
A Tesla Cybertruck in front of a graffiti mural on Aug. 28, 2024 in Detroit.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
“They’re definitely improving by keeping with things and refining, but if you look at their 5- to 10-year-old models that are out there, when it comes to reliability, they’re dead last of all the brands,” Fisher said. “They’re able to improve the reliability if they don’t make major changes.”
On the other end of report card, Rivian Automotive moved up five spots to No. 26 but remains near the bottom of the rankings. Fisher said Rivian models are the lowest in reliability.
Despite Rivian’s reliability issues, the brand has the highest owner satisfaction, according to Consumer Reports. Fisher during an Automotive Press Association webinar Thursday said its owners are largely early adopters that are willing to deal with some growing pains likely more than more mainstream consumers would.
Brands with good reliability tend to perform well in the overall rankings. Reliability for new 2026 models is predicted based on each model’s overall reliability for the past three years, provided that the model hasn’t been redesigned during that time.
Subaru topped the overall 2026 brand list, followed by BMW, Porsche, Honda and Toyota to round out the top five brands. At the bottom of the rankings were Jeep, Land Rover, GMC, Dodge and Alfa Romeo.
Ford Motor’s Lincoln, the highest-ranked domestic brand, made the biggest jump in this year’s rankings, climbing 17 positions to No. 7 due to its reliability scores. Audi dropped the most from last year, falling back 10 spots to No. 16.
Traditional U.S. automakers, specifically Stellantis brands, struggled compared with their Asian competition in Consumer Reports’ annual brand reliability rankings.
Of note, the Ford brand ranked No. 18 in the report card but saw improvement in reliability. The automaker, which has struggled with quality issues and recalls, had its Ford brand rank No. 11 in reliability — its best position in 15 years.
GM’s top-ranked brand was Cadillac at No. 17, followed by Buick at No. 20, Chevrolet at No. 24 and GMC at 29th.
Consumer Reports said hybrid vehicles, which are growing in popularity, continue to stand out over other “electrified” vehicles, as well as traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Of approximately 30 hybrids analyzed by Consumer Reports, only the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and Mazda CX-50 Hybrid have below-average predicted reliability scores.
The cost of travelling on the London Underground, the Overground and the Elizabeth line is set to rise by 5.8% next year, the mayor of London has confirmed.
The increase is 1% above the rate of inflation and will come into force in March.
The freeze in national rail fares announced last month will not apply to Transport for London services.
Sir Sadiq Khan says he proposes to freeze the price of Travelcards until March 2027 which means the weekly and daily caps will not change, and fares on London buses and trams will not rise.
The mayor said a rise – equivalent to one percentage point above the RPI rate of inflation – was a condition of the £2.2bn capital funding deal that TfL agreed with central government in the spending review in June.
He said the freeze on bus and tram fares until July 2026 was “an emergency cost-of-living measure” funded by City Hall.
Sir Sadiq added: “This is the seventh time I’ve been able to freeze bus and tram fares, and it will particularly benefit those on the lowest incomes in our city.
“The plans would mean that only fares on Tube and TfL rail services would now increase from March 2026.
“I also plan to ensure that increases to pay-as-you-go fares on the Tube will be capped at 20p, with many only rising by just 10p.”
City Hall Conservatives criticised the announcement.
In a statement, they said: “Whilst the rest of the country enjoys a fare freeze, Sadiq Khan has burdened Londoners with cost increases that are disproportionately going to affect the young professionals that are the backbone of our city’s economy, as well the other millions of passengers who use these services.”
The Liberal Democrats said the mayor had “failed to make this case to his ‘mates’ in government like he promised he would, he’s now expecting working Londoners to stump up the costs instead”.
The fare rises will apply to all TfL-run rail services, including the Docklands Light Railway.
The mayor said the increase would mean an off-peak pay-as-you-go Tube fare from Tottenham Court Road in Zone 1 to Edgware in Zone 5 would rise from £3.60 to £3.80.
Pay-as-you-go fares on Tube and TfL rail services within Zone 1 only will rise from £2.90 to £3.10 in the peak, and from £2.80 to £3.00 during off-peak and weekends.
A peak-time journey from Upminster in Zone 6 to Cannon Street in Zone 1 will increase from £5.80 to £5.90.
The government capital funding deal is expected to help to replace aging fleets, upgrade signalling technology and improve buses.
The fare rises will be subject to a final decision by the mayor.
Business
EPFO Offers Low-Penalty Route For Employers To Enrol Left-Out Employees, Check How To Do It
Last Updated:
EPFO launches a six-month window for employers to declare left-out employees under Employees Enrolment Scheme 2025.
Under existing rules, all employees earning up to Rs 15,000 in basic pay must be enrolled in EPFO schemes.
The Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced a six-month window for employers to declare left-out employees between July 01, 2017 and October 31, 2025. It will help them to regularise past compliance. It has the option to avail benefits under the Employees’ Enrolment Scheme 2025. The special six-month window is open between November 01, 2025 and April 30, 2026.
The regulator is offering several benefits to employers for declaring left-out employees under the scheme. One of the key benefits is a nominal penalty of Rs 100 per establishment for declaring left-out employees. Moreover, there will be no suo moto action during the scheme period against employers.
There is a provision to waive the employee share if not deducted.
All establishments, whether already covered or not covered under the
EPF & MP Act, 1952, are eligible to participate in the Employees’
Enrolment Campaign, 2025.
The objective of the EEC–2025 is to:
a. Facilitate voluntary compliance by employers in enrolling all eligible
employees left out of EPF coverage;
b. Enable employers to regularize past defaults with minimal penal
consequences; and
c. Broaden the social security coverage under the EPF & MP Act, 1952.
How Can They Declare?
Declarations can be filed online only through the EPFO Portal.
Employers will generate a Face Authentication–based UAN for
each declared employee using the UMANG App.
Contributions will be remitted using Electronic Challan-cum-Return
(ECR) linked to a Temporary Return Reference Number (TRRN)
generated during the declaration process.
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Transport giant FirstGroup has expanded into sightseeing buses after snapping up an operator in London and Bath.
The FTSE 250 company told shareholders it has acquired the UK sightseeing operations of French firm RATP Developpement SA for about £17 million.
It said the deal will help to grow and diversify its operations across key markets.
The acquired business runs under the Tootbus brand and runs 63 buses, 42 in London and 21 in Bath.
The Tootbus business also includes a large freehold depot in Wandsworth, southwest London, and a leased depot in Keynsham, Bath.
It said the London depot will help the group manage its operations in the capital and allow it to bid for additional Transport for London red bus route contracts.
The business, which also runs the Airdecker service from Bath to Bristol airport, employs about 190 people across its operations.
Tootbus’s UK operations reported revenues of £15.9 million in 2023 and delivered a roughly £600,000 operating loss for the year, the company said.
Graham Sutherland, FirstGroup chief executive, said: “The acquisition of the bus operations in London and Bath, in line with our UK-focused growth and diversification strategy, will allow us to further diversify and expand our footprint in two of our key markets.
“The integration of the businesses will also create material operational and cost synergies and the opportunity to grow our London route portfolio over time.”
Shares in FirstGroup were 1.5% higher on Thursday.
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