Mark Ruffalo: Kia feels like a true luxury car compared to Tesla

Mark Ruffalo, best known for playing Bruce Banner (the Hulk) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has launched a sharp critique against Tesla. He shared an Autoblog article regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) preliminary investigation into Elon Musk’s electric vehicles.

"I mean... they're poorly made cars," the actor wrote.

Comparing his personal driving experience, Ruffalo favored the Korean brand, which originally built its reputation as a maker of budget-friendly cars: "Having driven a Kia EV and tried a Tesla, I gotta say, Kia is hands down a better car and feels like a true luxury car compared to a Tesla."

Ruffalo has a long history with the electric car brand:

Back in 2012, the actor proudly announced that he had put down a deposit for a Model S and was number 6,345 on the waiting list, Business Insider reports.

In 2014, he supported the company on social media when New York state authorities considered banning Tesla sales over its direct-to-consumer sales model.

However, over time, Ruffalo’s attitude toward Tesla CEO Elon Musk changed dramatically. The tension between them surfaced in 2022 when the actor publicly stated that Musk was trashing his reputation after acquiring Twitter.

Later, political differences only intensified: in 2024, Ruffalo actively campaigned for Kamala Harris in the US presidential election, while Elon Musk spent at least $270 million supporting Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Details of the NHTSA Investigation

The trigger for the actor's sharp remarks was regulators' attention to the safety of Tesla electric vehicles.

The NHTSA’s preliminary investigation covers nearly 1.2 million Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The agency reported receiving 156 complaints regarding the detachment of front suspension components.

At the time the investigation was opened, there were no reports of related crashes, injuries, or fatalities, and no official vehicle recall has been announced yet.