Marques Brownlee, known as MKBHD, revealed that Tesla has ceased responding to his messages, prompting him to obtain a vehicle from a local dealership for his latest review. This development follows his past criticisms of Tesla products, including the Cybertruck and Roadster. Despite the rift, his recent review of the Model Y Performance remains largely positive.
Marques Brownlee, the YouTuber known as MKBHD with 20.8 million subscribers, stated in a recent TikTok video that Tesla has stopped communicating with him. Filmed while picking up a Model Y Performance from New Jersey EV dealer George Saliba, Brownlee said, "Tesla stopped talking to me." He clarified, "It's not cause I gave them a negative review."
Automakers commonly provide loan vehicles to influencers like Brownlee for reviews, and Tesla had done so previously. In 2022, he praised the Model S Plaid as the "best overall car of the last decade." However, tensions arose in 2023 after the Cybertruck launch event. Brownlee criticized the reveal as "straight up not delivering" on promises, noting Elon Musk's initial claims of a 500-mile range and under $40,000 starting price, contrasted with the actual 300-plus miles and $70,000 price. Brownlee took delivery of a Cybertruck but sold it after eight months, opting for the rival Rivian R1T.
In September 2025, he canceled his $50,000 deposit for two Tesla Roadsters, commenting on his "Waveform Podcast," "Tesla has been sitting with my 50 grand for eight years and hasn't done anything with it, obviously."
For his January review, Brownlee sourced the refreshed Model Y Performance— a dual-motor SUV with about 460 horsepower and a starting price of $59,130—from Saliba's dealership, as the vehicle hit dealerships in September. He highlighted Tesla's strengths, calling the center display the automotive "gold standard," praising ride improvements, rear design, and regenerative braking as best in class. Brownlee noted, "The thing about testing one and actually driving a Tesla for a while, you start to remember all of the ways that Tesla is still ahead of the competition."
Criticisms included a desire for more physical controls and no significant sharpening of steering in sport mode. He observed that Tesla's lead is less commanding amid competition from Lucid, Rivian, and General Motors.
This is not Brownlee's first time sourcing from Saliba; in 2024, he reviewed a Fisker Ocean from the same lot, deeming it the "worst car I've ever reviewed," after which Fisker filed for bankruptcy three months later. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
