(Reuters) - Influential U.S. magazine Consumer Reports said on Wednesday that it now recommended Tesla Inc's <TSLA.O> Model 3 after its testers found that a recent firmware update improved the car's braking distance by nearly 20 feet.
An initial review by the magazine a week back said that despite many positives, Model 3 had "big flaws," including braking slower than a full-sized pickup truck.
"I've been at CR for 19 years and tested more than 1,000 cars, and I have never seen a car that could improve its track performance with an over-the-air update," said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' director of automotive testing.
Improved braking distances raised the Model 3's overall score enough for a recommendation, said Consumer Reports, which had also flagged other concerns including the car's wind noise, stiff ride and uncomfortable rear seat.
"Really appreciate the high quality critical feedback from @ConsumerReports. Road noise & ride comfort already addressed too. UI improvements coming via remote software update later this month," Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said in a tweet in response to the report.
Musk had acknowledged the brake issue last week, saying that the magazine's tests had used two early versions of the car before improvements had been made and that a firmware update could improve braking distance beyond initial specs.
Tesla shares, which were hit after the initial review last week, rose 2.7 percent to $291.73 (219.6 pounds) on Wednesday after the report.
(Reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Anil D'Silva)
