Tesla is the least-trusted car brand in America, survey finds

Tesla's reputation among American consumers continues to decline, as reflected in the latest Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report. This report, which polls thousands of individuals each month, assesses consumer attitudes towards electric vehicle adoption, autonomous driving, and the automotive brands involved in these advancements. Toyota, a newcomer to the electric vehicle market, has surprisingly emerged with the highest net-positive score and view intensity score in the survey. This score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of consumers with a negative view of a brand from those with a positive one, despite Toyota's limited electric vehicle offerings so far. In stark contrast, Tesla's popularity has plummeted. Only 26% of respondents expressed a somewhat or very positive view of the brand, while 39% reported having a somewhat or very negative perception. This results in a net positive view of -13. Additionally, Tesla's view intensity score has deteriorated to -16, indicating that a significantly higher number of people feel strongly negative about the company compared to those who feel positively. The trend appears to be worsening, as Tesla's net positive view was at -7 just a few months ago. The demographic breakdown shows that Tesla ranks as the least positively viewed car manufacturer across all income brackets, with the most pronounced negativity among those earning under $75,000. The discontent is also evident geographically, particularly among suburban residents and individuals aged 65 and older. Vinfast, the Vietnamese automaker, is the only other brand to share a negative net-positive view and view intensity score, but a staggering 92% of survey participants reported being unfamiliar with the brand or having no opinion at all. In terms of trust, Tesla and Vinfast both have negative net trust scores, with Tesla facing the lowest “trust integrity score” of -19, reflecting a significant gap between those who trust and those who distrust the brand.