Tesla rose eight spots in Consumer Reports‘ new car brand rankings, the largest rise of any brand, to become the top US brand at 11th place out of 33. This is largely due to improved reliability with the Model 3 and Model S.

The Tesla Model 3 also gained Consumer Reports‘ “Top Pick” designation as the best electric car, according to the publication.

Consumer Reports‘ annual brand rankings take into account their own road tests, reliability data, and owner satisfaction ratings from CR subscribers.

Tesla’s “predicted reliability” has been its weak spot in these rankings, with a below-average score. This rating is mostly dragged down by the Model X, which has had more problems than average, largely due to its complicated door design.

In the past, Consumer Reports has declined to give their “recommended” rating to various Tesla vehicles based on reliability data. CR requires at least average reliability, according to the way their surveys work, or else a car can’t get their recommendation.

Tesla’s eight-place improvement comes as a result of increased reliability on the Model 3 and Model S, which both re-earned Consumer Reports‘ recommendation in November.

Beyond the reliability scores, Tesla scores phenomenally well on both Consumer Reports‘ road test and in owner satisfaction ratings.

The Tesla Model S famously broke Consumer Reports‘ rating system in 2015, scoring a 103 out of a maximum 100 points. This was due to the way CR balances their tests, and the Model S did so well in multiple categories that it scored a higher score than the scale could handle.

In the updated rankings, Tesla scored fifth best in “road test” scores behind Porsche, BMW, Audi, and Subaru.

Owner satisfaction has always been Tesla’s biggest strength in these rankings, with Tesla topping CR‘s list, as it has done consistently for several years.

Tesla is the only all-electric brand on the list, so we won’t go over every other change in rankings.

Tesla Model 3 also earned a “top pick” recommendation from CR. The list includes the 10 cars that they consider the best on the market right now in various categories. The categories change from year to year.

The Model 3 was picked as CR‘s top electric car. The other categories were based on price range (under $25k, $25-35k, $35-45k, and $45k+), and a category for “best sports car.”

This is the first time Tesla has earned a “top pick” designation. In 2018, the Chevy Bolt won “best green car,” and in 2019, the Toyota Prius won “best hybrid/electric car.”

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.