2021 Tesla Model S Review

Name: 2021 Tesla Model S Review
Brand: Tesla

Price Range: $34,590 - $55,428

2019 Tesla Model S Performance Sedan Exterior Shown

The 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid is the Usain Bolt of the car world. Line it up at a drag strip and it'll outsprint pretty much anything on the road today. The Model S' hatchback practicality and access to Tesla's Supercharger network are big pluses too. Unfortunately, the Model S also has some big drawbacks, such as a frustrating interface (the steering yoke, specifically) and disappointing fit and finish.

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Price & Payment

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Appraise My 2021 Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S model years

Tesla Model S for Sale

Tesla Model S types

Sedan
Plaid

2021 Tesla Model S Review

by the Edmunds Experts

9/7/2021

What's new

Revised model lineup
New ultra-performance Plaid version
Updated interior with horizontal-oriented touchscreen
New driver information display and rear-passenger entertainment display
Part of the first Model S generation introduced for 2012

What is the Model S?

The 2021 Tesla Model S is an all-electric sedan that sits at the top of the automaker's lineup alongside the Model X SUV. The Model S wasn't Tesla's first vehicle, but it's the car that really put the automaker on people's radar. The Model S, in its Long Range Plus version, offers an EPA-estimated 402 miles of all-electric range, more than any other EV on sale today.

Tesla generally makes rolling updates to vehicles throughout the year, so we really never know what exactly is coming out. But Tesla has recently boosted the Performance version's range from 348 miles to 387 miles. We expect the increase will be effective for the 2021 Model S.

There's also the upcoming Tesla Model S Plaid. Yep, that's its name. Only Tesla would name one of its cars based on a movie reference (Spaceballs, in fact.) The Plaid, Tesla says, will gain an additional electric motor, for a total of three. The automaker is touting an output of more than 1,000 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of less than 2 seconds. While you can place an order right now, we don't expect it to come out until late in 2021.

Edmunds says

The Model S may be the oldest vehicle Tesla currently sells, but it's still highly competitive. It offers a good dose of practicality, some of the most advanced driver aids available today, and access to its vast Supercharger network. While it lacks the top-notch refinement of most other luxury vehicles, the S remains one of the best EVs around. Check out Edmunds' review of the 2020 Tesla Model S.

2021 Tesla Model S EV Insights

Trim:

Model S Long Range Plus

Estimated Range Based on Age

Not available

Charging

No charging time information available

EV Battery Warranty

8 yrs or 150,000 miles

According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.

Estimated battery warranty remaining is 4 years or 94,000 miles for this car.

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

$11,600

Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

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Cost to Drive

Not EPA Tested

Model S

$270/mo

Car Avg.

Monthly estimates based on costs in California

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge at home (240V outlet)
Adding a home charging system is estimated to cost $1,616 in
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#1 out of 1 among Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicles

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$823/yr

vs. $823/yr
for Average Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Frequency

0.36x/yr

vs. 0.4x/yr
for Average Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Severity

15.2%

vs. 15.2%
for Average Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Tesla Model S Owner Reviews

3.2

30 reviews

5(40%)

4(10%)

3(3%)

2(20%)

1(27%)

See all 30 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Simply Awesome Vehicle

NorskeEV, 09/02/2020

2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

I drive 30-40 miles per day, and with the wall charger in my garage it takes less than one hour and costs about one dollar to top off the battery, saving me about $1,500 per year in gasoline compared to my performance sedan - and this car performs better. The low center of gravity provides great handling, and the acceleration is breathtaking - literally. No oil changes, no transmission …

Service needs help

j Chana, 10/25/2021

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

The car itself is amazing….BUT there are ALOTTT OF little things that need work. The way Tesla delivers 145k cars/suvs is very very poor at best. Service is worse in all auto industry, my plaid broke down on me 3rd day…yes 3rd day. Took them 3 days to get it towed due to my location, and I didn’t have a car for 2 weeks. Broke down for the 2nd time and when I was talking with the service …

Great design horrible build

Adam in Colorado, 12/04/2021

2021 Tesla Model S Long Range 4dr Sedan AWD w/Prod. End 11/21 (electric DD)

The design of this car is amazing. Auto pilot is great on the highway though it requires that you jiggle the steering wheel (yoke) to know you are there which is kind of annoying as my hand is on the wheel just not torquing it enough. The build quality however is miserable. Panel gaps are all over the place, they actually have a tool to know if things are bad enough to fix so they …

LOVE IT-But know what you're getting yourself into

Kevin, 05/20/2021

2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

I have an Oct 2020 build Model S Long Range Plus (non-performance). I've had it for about 9 months and have put 10k miles on. I've done mostly weekly commutes to work about an hour away and back on a single charge and a couple multi-state roadtrips that required Supercharging. Most of the negative reviews you will read are from people who didn't quite know what they're getting into or do … enough research. This review won't be helpful to those who have owned other EVs, there are other Tesla forums for debating build quality and everything else in the Elonverse. This review is for those who, like me, have never owned an electric car before. This is a complete re-think in how you drive. If you treat public charging like you would buy gas you'll be in for disappointment. The idea is to charge at home most of the time, and use the Supercharging network for road trips. Supercharging is still slower than filling a gas tank although it's getting better. Be prepared for lines in big cities like LA. The Supercharger network is well-laid out and covers most places you'll need to go, but certain areas lack coverage. Non-Tesla public charging is hit and mess although there are apps that can help. Bottom line, you must plan ahead for road trips. Home charging (depending on your setup and how low your car's battery is) will generally take between 8 and 14 hours to charge the car to 90%. Usually you will charge overnight. The car has intelligence to charge during off-peak hours if your utility has that, and can do a "scheduled departure" to have the car ready to go for you in the morning if you have a usual commute time. Next, just because your car has a range of 404 miles (which mine does) you will generally only charge to 80-90% capacity for everyday use. Charging to 100% all the time will significantly degrade the battery and is not recommended. Regenerative braking takes a little bit to get used to but you'll learn to love it. When the car slows it recaptures energy. Also saves on brake maintenance. Autopilot is a name, not a function. It's still BETA - not production! It's glitchy and doesn't always make good choices. If you buy this car thinking the future is here and you can take a nap while the car drives, you're going to be disappointed and will probably wind up on the news following your fiery death. You must pay attention while driving and you will have to intervene at least once almost every time Autopilot is engaged. For me it's fun to watch the technology progress and be a part of the improvement in the technology. Everytime the car makes a decision I think is stupid (really, we're going to slow from 75 to 55 on the interstate behind this semi before deciding to change lanes to pass when there's nobody behind me for 3 miles!?) I know that the AI is learning from it. The car does not have an engine. While that seems obvious, that means no heat is generated from burning fuel and there is no belt turning an A/C compressor. The car must use electricity for heat and cooling which will impact your range. If you prefer to drive in subzero temperatures with the heat blasting at 82 degrees or drive through the desert with the A/C on 62, your range will significantly drop! Goes back to the whole planning ahead thing. The performance is fantastic. The instant torque of the electric motors is amazing compared to every gas car I've ever driven. Left my buddy's 'Vette in the dust. The zero to sixty time gave my mother a whole new reason to fear for her life when riding with me :) The car improves every 2-3 weeks by downloading new updates from Telsa using its built in LTE connection and new features and improvements are regular. The car has profiles which you can save for each driver that records seat, wheel, and mirror positions. I love that the navigation is built on Google Maps and not some obscure crap system. So now at long last the things I wish were better - no multipoint navigation. I can't tell the car to take me to a destination and back home. The car does a good job of calculating charging stops on road trips, but you must account for the turnaround, you can't tell it take me to XYZ and back and have it plan accordingly (again, use third party apps for that). The car has built-in streaming but only a couple services. No Apple or Amazon Music. Sometimes the software glitches and the display needs rebooted. Usually at the most inopportune times. No basic cruise control. The cruise control is adaptive and adaptive only. So if the front cameras or sensors are blocked, then no cruise at all. It'd be nice to have an option for basic dumb cruise. The cameras often get blinded or blocked during nighttime driving or bad weather which disables Autopilot. The biggest one is depending on where you live you may be several hours away from the closest service center. Mobile service is great for things that can be fixed that way. Bottom line: I love this car and have no plans to replace it anytime soon.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Tesla Model S, so we've included reviews for other years of the Model S since its last redesign.

See all 30 reviews of the Tesla Model S

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2021 Tesla Model S videos

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Review | The Fastest Tesla Money Can Buy — Our Full Instrumented Test | Price, Range, 0-60 & More

2021 Model S Highlights

Type:

Sedan

Trim:

Long Range Plus

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$69,420
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$11,600 Based on income
Engine Type	Electric
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	28.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
EV Battery Warranty	8 years / 150,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Model S models:

Autopilot: Uses four cameras and a dozen sensors to monitor and improve safety and provide semi-automated operation in various driving situations.
Automatic Emergency Braking: Determines if a front collision is imminent and can initiate braking to prevent or mitigate a crash if the driver takes no action.
Lane Departure Warning: Warns the driver of an unintended lane change or drifting from the lane. Optional automated steering can steer the car back into the lane.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover5.7%

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2021 Tesla Model S Review

Price & Payment

2021 Tesla Model S Review

What's new

What is the Model S?

Edmunds says

2021 Tesla Model S EV Insights

Estimated Range Based on Age

Charging

EV Battery Warranty

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

Cost to Drive

Am I Ready for an EV?

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Tesla Model S Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Simply Awesome Vehicle

Service needs help

Great design horrible build

LOVE IT-But know what you're getting yourself into

2021 Tesla Model S videos

2021 Model S Highlights

Safety

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