TÜV Report 2026 ranks Tesla Model Y last in Germany

Electrek’s Fred Lambert reports the TÜV Report 2026 puts Tesla Model Y last for 2–3-year reliability in Germany, citing top defect areas. Read the details.

Germany has delivered a very concrete blow to Tesla’s image: in the latest TUV Report 2026, the Model Y ranked dead last for reliability in the 2–3-year-old vehicle category based on mandatory safety inspections.

These are not owner surveys or perception-based rankings. The TUV’s results come from real-world inspections that vehicles must pass to remain road-legal. The report analyses 9.5 million inspections carried out between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

Within that dataset, 17.3% of inspected Model Y vehicles in the 2–3-year bracket recorded significant or dangerous defects. In other words, close to one in five failed on issues serious enough to be flagged at the first mandatory inspection. The Model 3 did not perform much better, posting a 13.1% defect rate and landing near the bottom of the same category.

So what is driving the numbers? The recurring problem areas are familiar: suspension/axle components, brake discs, and lighting. Brakes come with a particular EV twist. Because regenerative braking does much of the slowing down, friction brakes are used less often. The TUV has highlighted that this can make brake-disc defects more common in battery-electric cars and can reduce braking effectiveness, which is why it advises drivers to use the brakes regularly rather than relying solely on regen.

Still, the broader takeaway goes beyond brakes. The contrast with other EVs in the same age group is stark: the Mini Cooper SE recorded a 3.5% defect rate, the Audi Q4 e-tron came in at 4.0%, and the Fiat 500e at 4.2%. That comparison makes it difficult to frame the result as an “EV problem” in general; under the same inspection regime, other electric models are performing far better.

There is nuance here. A high share of inspection failures does not automatically mean the car will leave its driver stranded. But the scale of the result—and the fact that it applies to relatively new vehicles—puts pressure squarely on Tesla: if a large share of 2–3-year-old Model Ys are picking up serious defects at their first mandatory inspection, scrutiny of suspension condition, brake health, and lighting integrity is unlikely to fade any time soon.