It’s helpful to rely on car-reviewing websites to see what critics have to say about various makes and models to inform our purchasing decisions. It’s important to know about the potential flaws that may plague vehicles so that we can make educated decisions. At the same time, plenty of vehicles have clear flaws, but owners still love them anyway.

Tesla and Jeep are two brands that don’t produce perfect cars, yet owners feel satisfied with these vehicles. 

Consumer Reports’ list includes only Jeep and Tesla models

Consumer Reports recently released a unique roundup highlighting vehicles whose owners love them despite their glaring flaws. Perhaps the most interesting part about this list is that the only two brands are Jeep and Tesla. Consumer Reports has access to tons of data from owner surveys, and it regularly conducts expert tests, allowing the organization to make reliable conclusions about various makes and models. 

Generally, CR sees that vehicles with high reliability ratings also score well in owner satisfaction. This makes sense: Who would want to buy a car that needs constant maintenance or attention? But interestingly, these headaches don’t seem to bother Jeep and Tesla owners as much. 

Why do people love Jeep and Tesla cars?

Jeep and Tesla routinely score on the low end of the spectrum for reliability from Consumer Reports. For example, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler received a reliability score of just 29 out of 100. Similarly, the Tesla Model X, Model Y, and Model S rank toward the bottom of the list in terms of reliability. So why do they still score so high in owner satisfaction?

Consumer Reports found that owners attributed to their love for their Jeeps with the “Jeep experience.” They even go so far as to say the Jeep experience alone is enough to make them repurchase a Jeep, even if it comes with significant flaws. As for Tesla, CR found that acceleration and handling are enough to keep people coming back to the brand. The all-electric part doesn’t hurt either.

Consumer Reports’ main purpose is to provide an objective assessment of vehicles to help shoppers choose a car that best suits them. CR looks for reliability, handling, and safety features, whereas prospective buyers might not care as much about those things. 

The overall picture

If this list can provide any key takeaways, it’s that owner satisfaction is sometimes more important than qualities such as reliability, performance, and handling. This goes to show that selecting a car comes down to personal preference. Some people may value certain features more than others, leading them to be happy driving a Jeep Wrangler, even if critics can’t stand its handling and awkward ride. 

At the same time, brand loyalty plays a role. Many people choose car brands based on their first car or their parents’ vehicles purely for emotional reasons and nostalgia. They also might like the look and feel of a certain brand (Jeep), or they may want to be on the cutting edge of innovation (Tesla). Most people believe the car they choose says a lot about them, so they regularly choose vehicles that suit their personality over the types of features that critics recommend. Factors such as those can make a person feel more satisfied with a brand and likelier to put up with the headaches and flaws these brands can bring. 

When it comes down to it, Tesla and Jeep have seemingly mastered the art of producing vehicles with high satisfaction rates, despite some glaring and concerning flaws.