Tesla Fixes Model 3 Brakes To Secure Consumer Reports Recommendation

A little more than a week after denying Tesla Inc TSLA a Model 3 recommendation, Consumer Reports reversed its judgment.

What Happened

“Consumer Reports now recommends the Tesla Model 3, after our testers found a recent over-the-air update improved the car's braking distance by nearly 20 feet,” the product reviewer wrote in a Wednesday report.

Tesla updated its software after Consumer Reports first documented stopping distances far longer than those of comparable vehicles. CEO Elon Musk said after the original publication that he would make the requisite fix over Memorial Weekend.

The simple process seemed to impress Consumer Reports. Tesla's stock traded near $291.16 at time of publication after opening around the $284 level.

Why It's Important

“I’ve been at CR for 19 years and tested more than 1,000 cars, and I’ve never seen a car that could improve its track performance with an over-the-air update,” Jake Fisher, director of auto testing, said in the latest report.

Consumer Reports didn't confirm whether Tesla made progress to improve other flagged issues, including control complexity and ride comfort, but the braking upgrade, alone, was enough to merit recommendation.

This is the second instance in which Consumer Reports inspired quick improvements at Tesla. In 2016, the automaker reacted to a critical product summary by upgrading its “Summon” mode system enabling the moving or parking of vehicles without a driver in the car.

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