Now five years young, the Tesla Model S remains one of the most revolutionary cars on the market. It’s still a fascinating blend of efficiency, performance, and cutting-edge technology.
What's New for 2018
Tesla tends to roll out updates year-round. Recent updates have included reshuffling powertrains so that the base battery is now a 75-kiloWatt-hour battery and the upper trims get a 100-kWh unit. Autopilot hardware continues to improve, although the functionality is still optional. Unlimited supercharging is no longer free; after 400-kWh in a year, drivers will have to pay their own way.
Choosing Your Tesla Model S
The Model S begins with its battery, which sits underneath the floor of the passenger cabin. The two options are a smaller 75-kWh unit or the premium 100-kWh option. Both are paired to a fixed-speed transmission, and while Tesla doesn’t provide exact horsepower or torque figures, expect both to be impressive. Obviously no Tesla runs on gas, but the EPA estimates energy usage as roughly equivalent to 90 mpg. All Tesla Model S cars are now all-wheel drive.
Tesla prides itself on the level of sophistication and technology in its cars, and the Model S is a fine example. All Model S cars come with suspension memory settings, GPS-enabled Homelink, and a rearview camera. Because of both front and rear trunks, cargo capacity is also a respectable 31.6 cubic feet.
Front and center on the interior is Tesla’s 17-inch touchscreen display, which controls almost everything in the car. Maps and navigation are standard, and there are two USB ports. Tesla updates its safety technology frequently via over-the-air updates, but all Model S trims feature collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking.
Models are divided by battery and performance into three trims: 75D, 100D, and P100D.
Choosing a trim doesn’t change the features in the Model S, so only upgrade if you need the extra range. If you want to experience the closest a sedan has ever come to a rocket ship, make sure to check out the P100D.