Tesla Responds To Consumer Reports Model S Story, Highlights Customer Service Rating

Tesla Motors Inc TSLA stock is down nearly 11 percent after Consumer Reports pulled its Model S recommendation. The firm, first reported by the L.A. Times, surveyed 1,400 Model S owners and found "an array of detailed and complicated maladies" in the car.

The revised report labeled the Model S with a "worse-than-average" rating.

In a comment to Benzinga, a Tesla spokesperson highlighted another aspect of the Consumer Reports data: customer service.

The full comment:

"Consumer Reports also found that customers rate Tesla service and loyalty as the best in the world. Close communication with our customers enables Tesla to receive input, proactively address issues, and quickly fix problems. Over-the-air software updates allow Tesla to diagnose and fix most bugs without the need to come in for service. In instances when hardware needs to be fixed, we strive to make it painless."

Of note, Tesla did not outwardly dispute the L.A. Times story or the revised Model S rating.

Consumer Reports also commented on Tesla satisfaction and customer service:

"Despite the problems, our data show that Tesla owner satisfaction is still very high: Ninety-seven percent of owners said they would definitely buy their car again. It appears that Tesla has been responsive to replacing faulty motors, differentials, brakes, and infotainment systems, all with a minimum of fuss to owners. And Tesla¹s attention to customer service has been effective. Almost every survey respondent made note of Tesla’s rapid response and repair time, despite the lack of a traditional dealer service network. For its early adopters, Tesla has made a practice of overdelivering on service problems under the factory warranty."