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Video: How Does Tesla Fit & Finish Compare To A German Car?

Tesla has had fit and finish issues in the past. Some of those concerns were valid, while others were unsubstantiated claims made by Tesla detractors. What's the truth at this point?

Video: How Does Tesla Fit & Finish Compare To A German Car?

Steven Loveday Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Jan 15, 2019 at 11:05am ET

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Have nitpickers, shorters, and haters plagued Tesla with invalid claims when it comes to fit and finish?

We at InsideEVs agree that Tesla vehicle's fit and finish was certainly problematic, especially early on. This comes as no surprise due to the automaker's "newness" in comparison to most of the competition. For years, automotive reviewers called out Kia for similar issues. However, over time, the company corrected the problem. This seems true of Tesla as well. In addition, there are a barrage of short sellers, Tesla haters, and negative press alerting people and checking out Tesla fit and finish with a fine-tooth comb, while overlooking the same concerns on competing models.

Related Tesla Fit and Finish Content:

We've talked to plenty of Tesla owners, read a multitude of articles, and watched our fair share of videos related to Tesla's fit and finish. We'd be lying if we said there were never any negatives. However, we'd also be lying if we didn't tell you that many others have proven that most rivals' models show similar, minor panel gap discrepancies. The problem is, without a plethora of press about an automaker's finishing concerns, people aren't looking.

So, Trevor Page from Model 3 Owners Group took a deep dive into Tesla's finish issues to paint a more realistic picture. He did so since negative press related to the issue irritated him. He compares his Tesla Model X to a loaner Mercedes CLA250 4MATIC.

As it turns out, just like any Tesla car, a quick look shows that there are really no obvious concerns. But, if you check out a German luxury vehicle with a fine-tooth comb, you'll see that it's teeming with fit and finish problems inside and out.

Wow! Tesla is not the only premium automaker with some small panel gap problems and marginally misaligned trim? Not to mention all the other issues. We can't say we're a bit surprised.

Check out the video and let us know your thoughts and concerns in the comment section below.

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Video Description via Model 3 Owners Club on YouTube:

Is fit and finish on a German car better than Tesla?

I can't stand how people online nitpick about Tesla's fit and finish so let's have a look at a German car to compare how it stacks up. The results may surprise you...

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