Tesla, SpaceX reputations crater in new Axios Harris Poll 100
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Tesla Motors and SpaceX saw their brand reputations crater in the past year, according to new Axios Harris Poll 100 survey results.
Why it matters: Elon Musk's polarizing political activism appears to have come at the expense of his largest companies, as Republicans expressed more favorable opinions than did Democrats.
By the numbers: Tesla was in 8th place in the 2021 reputation ranking of America's 100 most visible companies, but last year tumbled to 63rd and now is near the very bottom at 95th.
- It placed dead last in "character," while placing near the bottom in areas like "ethics" and "citizenship."
- Six other automakers place higher, with the highest being Toyota at No. 4 and the lowest being Ford at No. 60.
- Tesla did not immediately respond to an email for comment.
Zoom in: SpaceX experienced a similar reputation quotient score decline between 2024 and 2025.
- On the one hand, SpaceX may care less than Tesla does, because it's not consumer-facing.
- On the other, the 28.7% difference between Republicans and Democrats could foretell procurement problems were there to be a political power shift.
Last, but not least: The company formerly known as Twitter also scored poorly, although that's been true since even before Musk's ownership.
Go deeper: The Axios Harris Poll 100's methodology
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to note Toyota ranked 4 (not 6) and Ford 60 (not 62).
