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If you consider the quality a brand exudes based on recalls, then you better read on. Ford has had a terrible last few years with regard to recalls, and it ranks high as the brand with the most recalls. But it isn’t the car brand expected to be the most recalled in 2023. That unenviable goes to Tesla.

Which Tesla models have the most chances of recalls?

2023 Tesla
2023 Tesla Model Y | Getty

Yes, for the amount of positive media coverage the EV brand has generated over the past dozen years, this goes mostly under most buyers’ radar. But when broken down into separate models, Tesla’s Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X are four of the top five models with the most recalls. But there are other more prestigious brands you wouldn’t expect to land on this dubious list. Porsche is also high on the most recalled list. It also has four models on the recall list. 

The list was compiled by iSeeCars through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s listed recalls from 2014 through this year. It is attempting to be a soothsayer of sorts to determine those brands and models that buyers can expect will file recalls with the NHTSA. It is crunching the numbers to predict over a 30-year period those brands that will file 10 or more recalls. 

How many Tesla recalls are expected over 30 years?

Porsche Panamera
2023 Porsche Panamera sedan | Porsche

An iSeeCars spokesperson told InsideEVs, “Looking through NHTSA’s recall data confirmed a wide spectrum of recall activity between the most and least recalled models. A car like the Lexus NX 300h or Nissan 370Z is projected to have less than one recall over a 30-year lifespan. Conversely, the most recalled cars, including all four Tesla models, a Porsche, and two Volkswagens, are projected to have between 20 and 62 recalls.”

The good news for car buyers considering a Tesla product is that the EV automaker has the ability to handle most recalls with over-the-air software updates. In the recall arena, this is still considered a recall, though it is unnecessary for the car to go back to the dealership for repairs. And other than safety issues, taking time to deal with the dealer back and forth for a recall fix is the worst part of recalls. 

What are the top 10 brands on the recall list?

Tesla dealership
Tesla dealership New York | Getty

So here’s the list of the top 10 likely models to have a higher percentage of recalls:

  1. Tesla Model Y: the expectation of 62.4 recalls
  2. Porsche Panamera: the expectation of 61.8 recalls
  3. Tesla Model 3: the expectation of 56.8 recalls
  4. Tesla Model X: the expectation of 27.3 recalls
  5. Tesla Model S: the expectation of 27.3 recalls
  6. Lincoln Aviator: the expectation of 23 recalls
  7. Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: the expectation of 22.4 recalls
  8. Volkswagen Atlas: the expectation of 20.8 recalls
  9. Ram 1500: the expectation of 20.5 recalls
  10. Ram 1500 Classic: the expectation of 20.5 recalls

What are the brands expected to have the least recalls?

Mini convertible
2023 Mini convertible | BMW

So that’s the bad, but what about the good? Here’s the iSeeCars list of the cars expected to have the least recalls over a 30-year period:

  1. Mini Convertible: 0.2
  2. Lexus NX 300h: 0.3
  3. Lincoln MK2 Hybrid: 0.5
  4. Mercedes-Benz CLA: 0.5
  5. Lexus RX 450h: 0.5
  6. Nissan 370Z: 0.5
  7. Hyundai Elantra GT: 0.6
  8. Mercedes-Benz GLA: 0.6
  9. Mercedes-Benz GLC: 0.7
  10. Lexus IS 300: 0.7
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