TÜV 2025 reliability report: Tesla Model Y tops Germany’s defect list for 2–3-year-old cars
Germany’s TÜV 2025 report names Tesla Model Y the most defect-prone 2–3‑year‑old car; Model 3 close behind. See reliability leaders and rising failure rates.
Germany’s TÜV has released its 2025 report — and it handed Tesla another unwanted record. The Model Y emerged as the most trouble-prone 2–3-year-old car in the country, with serious defects found on 17.3% of vehicles. That’s an even higher rate than the Model 3, which had been the worst performer for two years running. Inspectors most often pointed to the suspension, the braking system, and the lighting equipment.
SPEEDME.RU notes that the overall statistics have deteriorated as well: almost every fifth car now fails the inspection on the first try. In the older age brackets, the BMW 5 Series and 6 Series, the Dacia Duster, and the Renault Clio fall into the risk zone.
The reliability leaders, however, paint a far brighter picture. Among cars older than four years, the Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan, T-Roc, and Touareg dominate. The Mazda CX-3, Mercedes B-Class, and Fiat 500e also earned solid marks. In the 2–3-year cohort, the standouts were the Mazda 2, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes C-Class, and VW T-Roc.
A separate long-term quality award went to Mercedes for the first time: only 18.5% of vehicles older than ten years showed serious defects — a rate comparable to that of nearly new Tesla models. Audi and Toyota followed.