This Car Brand Has Consumer Reports' Highest Customer Satisfaction Score For Driving

If you are someone looking to get yourself a new vehicle, a good place to start is with the automakers themselves. Some brands have better reputation than others when it comes to reliability, comfort, driving experience, and more, and if actual owners generally agree about a brand across all of its vehicles, clearly that brand is doing something very right to get that kind of consensus. A great resource for this is Consumer Reports, which surveys actual owners of vehicles for their experiences with the vehicle they drive, and it breaks up these findings into specific categories.

For some people, the most important thing about a car is how well it drives. This accounts for things like how well it handles on the road and how fast the vehicle can accelerate to a given speed. According to those surveyed by Consumer Reports, the one brand that stands at the top of the list in this respect is Tesla. Considering that Tesla exclusively builds electric vehicles, this placement should not be all that surprising. Before you get behind the wheel of Tesla, it is important to know that EVs famously reach high speeds very quickly, with a Tesla Model 3 getting from 0-60 mph in just three seconds. You actually need to be careful when pressing down on the accelerator, and since you aren't feeling or hearing the kick of an engine when gaining speed, you may end up driving far faster than you think you are. The turning of the steering wheel is equally smooth, as it is not mechanically connected to an axle but uses wiring for connection instead. It totally makes sense why Tesla tops this list.

Although Tesla was able to claim the top spot from Consumer Reports for driving experience, there was another automotive brand focused on electric vehicles that was nipping at its heels: Rivian. This was the second-place finisher when judged on handling and acceleration, and because this is another EV company, it is only natural why it would rank so highly. Perhaps it came in just below Tesla because Rivian typically deals in larger SUVs, like the beloved Rivian R1T, and some may find that a touch more difficult to deal with handling-wise than a Tesla sedan or sports car.

Those surveyed by Consumer Reports are much bigger fans of Rivian than Tesla on the whole. The handling and acceleration of Teslas may be top-notch, but for overall comfort — including ride smoothness and cabin noise — Tesla does not even crack the top six. Meanwhile, Rivian sits at the top of that list, showing that it is the brand that has the true overall package for how it feels to drive the vehicle. Rivian also topped the list for how easy it is to use all of its various features, like the infotainment system or climate controls. Add all of these together, plus a top two placement for ownership cost and a top five for cabin storage, and you have a car brand the truly squashes the competition for overall customer satisfaction from Consumer Reports. Tesla still finished in a respectable fourth place on that list, but it is a somewhat distant fourth. That company may have the edge for driving experience, but Rivian is the brand that is truly loved as a whole.