A new TÜV report from Germany has identified the Tesla Model Y as the most defective car among two- to three-year-old vehicles, based on 9.5 million inspections. The study highlights rising fault rates across vehicles, with Teslas showing the highest issues in key components. While electric vehicles vary widely in reliability, the findings underscore challenges for Tesla's popular models.
The 2026 TÜV Report, compiled by the German technical inspection agency, analyzed 9.5 million vehicle inspections conducted between July 2024 and June 2025. It revealed that 21.5% of all cars had significant or dangerous defects, an increase of 0.9% from the previous year. Additionally, 12.3% showed minor defects, 66.1% had no faults, and 0.5% were deemed not roadworthy.
For vehicles aged two to three years, the Tesla Model Y recorded the highest defect rate at 17.3%, making it the worst performer in this category over the past decade. The Tesla Model 3 followed with 13.1%, meaning one in every 7.6 Model 3s failed initial safety checks. Common problems for Tesla models included the axle assembly, suspension, brakes, and lighting. Despite these issues, the report noted that both Tesla models had accumulated over 50,000 kilometers in just two to three years, an impressive figure for electric vehicles.
In contrast, reliable performers in the same age group included the Volkswagen T-Roc and Mercedes-Benz B-Class at 3.0% defect rates, and the Mazda 2 at 2.9%. Among electric vehicles, the Mini Cooper SE achieved a low 3.5% rate, while the Fiat 500e led the small car class.
The report extended to older vehicles, with poor showings from models like the BMW 5/6 Series (up to 32.1% in 10- to 11-year-olds) and Dacia Duster (up to 34.2%). For long-term quality in vehicles over 10 years old, Mercedes-Benz earned top honors with an 18.5% defect rate, followed by Audi at 19.2% and Toyota at 22%. Notably, this rate for Mercedes' oldest cars matches the defect level of a two- to three-year-old Model Y.
These findings, covering cars from two to 13 years old, emphasize the importance of part quality and maintenance for both combustion and electric vehicles in Germany.