Last week, Consumer Reports announced the Tesla Model 3 wouldn’t be receiving a recommended rating as tests showed the electric vehicle had brakes that were “far worse than any contemporary car we’ve tested.”
The organization noted the Model 3 required 152 feet (46.3 meters) to stop from 60 mph (96 km/h) and this was 7 feet (2.1 meters) longer than the Ford F-150. Tesla initially disputed the claim but CEO Elon Musk promised to fix the problem. He said a firmware update was in the works and “Tesla won’t stop until [the] Model 3 has better braking than any remotely comparable car.”
Fast forward to today and Consumer Reports has revealed the update has significantly improved the situation. After testing a Model 3 with the updated software, the organization discovered the car was now able to stop from 60 mph (96 km/h) in 133 feet (40.5 meters). This is an improvement of 19 feet (5.8 meters) and Consumer Reports says the result is “typical for a compact luxury car.”
Thanks to the improved braking, Consumer Reports raised its overall score for the Tesla Model 3. This enabled the car to receive a recommended rating.
While the Model 3 is now recommended, the magazine still had issues with the vehicle’s ride, wind noise and uncomfortable rear seat. Musk said Tesla has already made changes to address these issues and Consumer Reports will test the updated car to see if the wrinkles are ironed out. Musk also suggested the car’s 15-inch touchscreen display could receive an over-the-air update to make it easier to use.
In a statement, Consumer Reports’ director of auto testing, Jake Fisher, said “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.”
