- Consumer Reports’ EV ranking categories
- The least reliable EV happens to be American
- Other models among the least reliable EVs
Every year, Consumer Reports (CR) shares its member survey-driven findings about the automotive landscape, ranking the most and least reliable models. And one of the more popular categories for 2022 is electric vehicles. With so many automakers transitioning to offer EVs, and consumers buying them in greater frequency, many potential buyers are interested to see how CR rates these latest models’ reliability.
As you might expect, with more EV models on the road and more EV owners sharing their experiences, there are more problems to report. While some EVs clearly made the cut in reliability and deserve a look, the EV category overall performed low in reliability metrics. And the worst of all in the segment just happens to be an American car.
Chevrolet Bolt EV | General Motors
Consumer Reports’ EV ranking categories
When you’re shopping for a new vehicle, you have a menu of vehicle types from which to choose. From compact sedans and two-door sportscars to behemoth SUVs and family-toting minivans, each segment of vehicle type has its own core benefits. When Consumer Reports set out to evaluate and share its reliability findings for 2022, the team categorized their results within those vehicle segments.
Categories that have been around for decades seemed to rank well in reliability, including the midsize and compact sedan segments. However, electric vehicles, as a category, continue to be poor performers in the reliability study.
Because many of these contenders are new entries, it’s understood that some first-year issues might arise. But also, because there are so many consumers widely adopting EVs, there is a pool of new ownership experiences from which to draw.
Of the 16 vehicle segments out there, EVs ranked 15th in reliability. Only full-size pickup trucks fared worse.
The least reliable EV happens to be American
Within the poor-performing EV segment, there are plenty of electrified vehicle models that were evaluated in the study. Of course, there are a few models that scored well. For example, the Toyota RAV4 Prime and the Toyota Prius Prime rated higher on the list. But the worst offender of them all, in reliability, happens to the Chevy Bolt, an American model.
According to Consumer Reports, reliability metrics are determined by actual vehicle ownership experiences, along with repairs, maintenance costs, and inconveniences. The Chevy Bolt earned dismal predicted reliability with trouble spots that span the car’s electrical system, battery pack, and electric drive system.
Other models among the least reliable EVs
Related
The American-produced Chevy Bolt may have been the worst, but the next worse on the least reliable end of the study was the Hyundai Kona Electric, which is a South Korean automaker.
According to Consumer Reports‘ findings, the Hyundai Kona Electric experienced more problems with its battery pack and charging. Other consumer complaints involved the vehicle’s electric drive system and electrical system. And there were even issues with the in-car electronics and climate systems, too.
Before you consider getting any new vehicle this year, you could consider the findings of this Consumer Reports annual study. Predicted reliability will play a critical role in your decision, especially if you plan to get an EV.
With so many consumers sharing their ownership experiences with their new EVs, you can learn more about problematic models and key inconveniences before you buy. And if you consider yourself a loyalist for owning American, it’s important to know that the worst reliable EV just happens to be a Chevy.
Keyword: The Least Reliable Electric Car of 2022 Is American