I don’t have a favorable opinion of Elon Musk or the Tesla Cybertruck, and that probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me. While the Model S is undoubtedly a significant car of our time, I can’t say the same for Musk and his Cybertruck. At Jalopnik, we’re not afraid to share our personal views and acknowledge our biases, unlike Consumer Reports, which aims for objectivity. So, what does Consumer Reports think of the Cybertruck?
Although Consumer Reports hasn’t completed all of its more than 50 tests on the Cybertruck yet, the truck they ordered in December 2019 for $102,000 has finally arrived. After driving 2,000 miles, their team has formed some initial impressions. They’ve highlighted some positive aspects like the truck’s ability to conceal its size on the highway and in tight corners, its acceleration and braking, visibility, bed storage, motorized tonneau cover, and comfortable seats. However, they’ve also noted several drawbacks such as poor visibility, challenging steering, variable steering response, and camera issues. They’ve criticized the windshield wiper, motor noise, washing limitations, ride quality, missing features, delivery process, and the attention the Cybertruck attracts.
Being a Tesla vehicle, the Cybertruck shares some common issues with other Teslas, including the unconventional steering yoke, controls integrated into the infotainment system, and the absence of traditional turn signal stalks and door handles. Consumer Reports has already encountered some problems with the Cybertruck, such as a steering alignment error code, regenerative braking failure, and erratic windshield wiper behavior. Additionally, they had to locate their Cybertruck on the lot, charge it, wash it, and update its software upon delivery.
While we eagerly await Consumer Reports’ final assessment after their long-term testing, this initial review gives us a glimpse of what to expect. If you’re interested, you can also watch the video below for more insights.
