by German Car Reliability Report
The German vehicle technical supervision organization published the results of a reliability study, and Tesla once again found itself at the bottom of the ranking. The 2026 TÜV report, which covered the annual roadworthiness inspections of approximately 9.5 million vehicles from July 2024 to June 2025, showed that Tesla electric vehicles occupied the last two positions in the table.
Problems with Tesla Models
The Model 3, which had been the worst car for the two previous years, had a defect rate of 13.1 percent, meaning that every one in seven or eight cars in the two-to-three-year age group failed the Hauptuntersuchung safety inspection.
But the Model Y showed even worse results. Its defect rate was 17.3 percent, compared to 3.5 percent for the Mini Cooper SE, making it the worst car TÜV has seen in this age group in the last decade. The main reasons for defects were the axle, suspension, brakes, and lighting.
Overall Picture for All Vehicles
As reported by ADAC, considering the overall picture for vehicles of all age groups, 21.5 percent, or one in five cars, failed the inspection due to a “significant” or “dangerous” defect, which is 0.9 percent more than last year. The proportion of cars with minor defects increased by 0.8 percent to 12.3 percent.
Among other unreliable models were the BMW 5 Series and 6 Series in the 4-5 year and 8-9 year age groups, the Dacia Duster in the 6-7 and 10-11 year groups, and the Renault Clio among cars aged 12-13 years.
Electric Vehicle Defect Rating
Electric vehicles aged 2-3 years show varying levels of defects, confirming that not all EVs are created equal in terms of quality.
Reliability Winners
But every list of underdogs has its list of winners, and for cars that have passed their fourth year, it was led by Volkswagen.
The VW Golf Sportsvan and T-Roc showed good results in the 4-7 year categories, and the manufacturer’s Touareg was the best among older models. The Mazda CX-3 and Mercedes B-Class also received high marks.
In the 2-3 year group, the Fiat 500e led the small car category, proving to Tesla that electric cars can be reliable. The Mazda 2 and BMW 1 Series were the best in the small car and compact car categories, respectively, and the C-Class received the award in the midsize car segment.
The T-Roc appeared again to become the best crossover, and the B-Class won in the category of the most reliable minivans that have been in circulation recently.
Rate of Serious Defects During Inspection
Data indicates that as cars age, the likelihood of discovering serious malfunctions increases, affecting overall road traffic safety.
New Long-Term Quality Award
An important change in this year’s study was the introduction of the Long-Term Quality Award, which was given to brands whose vehicles aged 10+ years show the lowest average rate of safety-related defects and embody quality, durability, and good maintenance.
Mercedes received the gold with a defect rate of 18.5 percent — almost like the 2-3-year-old Model Y. Audi took second place with 19.2 percent, and Toyota made it to the last step of the podium with a defect rate of 22 percent.
Segment Winners Aged 2-3 Years
| Class | Winner |
| Mini Cars | Fiat 500e |
| Small Cars | Mazda 2 |
| Compact Cars | BMW 1 Series |
| Midsize Class | Mercedes C-Class |
| Crossover | VW T-Roc |
| Minivan | Mercedes B-Class |
Winners in Other Age Groups
| Age | Winner |
| 4–5 years | VW Golf Sportsvan, VW T-Roc |
| 6–7 years | VW T-Roc |
| 8–9 years | Mazda CX-3 |
| 10–11 years | Mercedes B-Class |
| 12–13 years | VW Touareg |
These results highlight how important regular technical inspections are for maintaining road safety. The high proportion of defects in certain models, especially among young cars, may indicate quality control issues at the production stage. For consumers, such ratings become a key guide when choosing a new or used car, demonstrating that a brand’s reputation does not always correlate with the actual reliability of its products.
