2025 Tesla Model S

Name: 2025 Tesla Model S Review
Brand: Tesla

Release Date: Fall 2024

Estimated Price: $75,000

The 2025 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.Read full review

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2025 Tesla Model S Review

byMichael Cantu^{Correspondent
Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.}

rating written byJonathan Elfalan^{Director, Vehicle Testing
Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at Edmunds, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.}

Pros

Electric range is impressive
Very quick acceleration across the board
Liftback design affords abundant cargo space
Access to Tesla's extensive Supercharger network

Cons

Interior isn't as refined as cabins of similarly priced sedans
No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration
Limited array of paint colors or personalization options from the factory

What's new

The Model S will likely carry over into the 2025 model year mostly unchanged
Part of the first Model S generation launched for 2012

Overview

The 2025 Model S might not be Tesla's best-selling car, but it is easily its most iconic. On sale since 2012, the Model S has seen two major face-lifts and hundreds of tweaks to its software over the years. Tesla hasn't seen fit to redesign the Model S in more than a decade, likely because it's been able to update the battery and electric motor technology around that aging body. As a result, the Model S feels about as up-to-date as much of its competition. You can expect a few software tweaks, but in terms of appearance, battery tech, power outputs and range estimates, we don't see much change in the short term for the Model S. That said, we wouldn't count Tesla out for anything.

Edmunds spotlight: The Plaid's a bargain

When it comes to speed, nothing delivers like an overpowered EV. When it launched, the Model S Plaid set the world into a spiral. Its acceleration figures were nothing short of sensational, and silly steering yoke aside, the Plaid was a huge leap forward for the Model S. Now a few years after its launch, the Model S Plaid faces off against high-power rivals from BMW's M division, Mercedes' AMG department and the Lucid Air Sapphire. Considering its lower price compared to these cars, the Plaid is a bona fide performance bargain.

Competitors to consider

The Model S has been around for a while, so it doesn't exactly shy away from the competition that's recently come its way. BMW has the i7, Lucid offers the Air, and Mercedes-Benz has the EQS. The BMW is significantly more luxurious, the Lucid is better to drive, and the Mercedes offers exceptional range. What you want likely comes down to what you desire from your EV experience, but there's no denying that Tesla has been the pacesetter for the majority of its life. For our test team's in-depth review, make sure to read the Edmunds Expert Rating below.

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Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Great

8.1

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8/10

How does the Model S drive? The thrust and speed delivered by this tri-motor-powered sedan is nothing short of mind-bending. In Edmunds' testing, the Model S Plaid rocketed from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds and passed the quarter-mile mark in 9.4 seconds at 150.8 mph. This is the quickest vehicle Edmunds has ever tested by a good margin, surpassing the prior Model S Performance (2.9 seconds and 11.1 seconds, respectively) or sport coupes such as the Lamborghini Huracan Evo (2.8 seconds and 10.8 seconds, respectively). The Model S is also as easy to drive as a golf cart, albeit a 1,020-horsepower one.

You might know that Tesla claims 0-60 mph happens in just 1.99 seconds. The difference between our as-tested result and Tesla's likely comes down to the testing surface and number crunching. We do our acceleration tests on regular pavement, not a prepared drag strip. We also publish acceleration without using the drag-racing 1-foot rollout. Applying that calculation would drop our tested 0-60 mph time down to 2.1 seconds.

We're less impressed with the Plaid's ability to stop and turn. While the powertrain will mostly retain its capability to catapult you to irresponsible speeds run after run, the brakes on our test car began to fade after slowing down from a few acceleration blasts. We ended up having to spend some significant time cooling down the brakes to ensure that they still worked. So from a safety standpoint, we lack some confidence in the Plaid's stopping hardware.

Even more disappointing is the Plaid's steering, which always feels too light and lacks a connection to the road. It's exacerbated by the awkward steering yoke that doesn't seem to serve any ergonomic function. The Plaid's tri-motor setup supposedly provides some sort of rear-axle torque vectoring, but the handling feels more muscle car and than sports car. It's not something that feels natural despite the loads of road grip provided by the sticky summer tires.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the Model S? The Model S Plaid's world-beating speed doesn't come at the expense of everyday comfort. This is a car you wouldn't hesitate to take on a road trip, run errands or commute in. Ride comfort is commendable with the standard adaptive air suspension, even with the larger optional 21-inch wheels and their less cushy tire sidewalls. The climate control is tri-zone and works relatively well. The seat ventilation and heaters work well too.

But the seats themselves are nothing special. The cushions are decently soft but lack lateral support considering the Plaid's performance potential, and the adjustments are pretty basic. The rear seatbacks feel a bit upright and the floor sits high so your knees sit closer to your chest than they would in most other luxury sedans. The absence of a gasoline powertrain means a lot less noise entering the cabin, but there is some that comes from the electric motors, and some to a lesser degree from the road and the wind.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? This is one of the few areas where Tesla has taken a step back with the latest Model S. The controversial steering yoke is the largest pain point here, and the decision to remove the traditional column stalks and replace them with touch-sensitive buttons has made simple everyday actions much more distracting. Even changing lanes requires you to take your eyes off the road momentarily to press the correct arrow button. The big 17-inch touchscreen is a little easier to navigate than the previous Model S touchscreen, but learning the menu structure takes a bit of time.

Interior space is decent as far as midsize sedans go, as is the ease of getting in and out. Notably, there is far more space here than in the Model S' closest EV competitor, the Porsche Taycan. The all-glass roof provides lots of headroom. But backseat toe room is a bit tight under the front seats. The floor height is also awkwardly high when you're sitting in back. The Model S is easy to see out of, especially out the front. The Model S' fastback hatch makes for a slightly shorter window view out of the back, but not so short to cause any real obstruction.

Technology

7.5/10

How’s the tech? Having Google Maps built-in continues to be one of the better navigation experiences, but it's not without issues. In areas of spotty service, you'll either have a slow-refreshing map or no map at all. But having the power of Google search in the car is a huge convenience, not to mention it looks great on a 17-inch touchscreen. The Plaid's 22-speaker sound system is also quite awesome and can push out loud-yet-rich sound through the cabin.

Though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration has become pervasive in the industry, Tesla still doesn't offer either system. The Bluetooth system offers just one phone connection at a time, while on some other cars you can connect additional devices. At least there are ample options for keeping your devices charged up with four wireless chargers, four USB-C ports and one USB-A port.

As far as driver aids go, no advanced driving aid system is better known than Tesla's Autopilot. It works great in slow-moving and stop-and-go traffic, but it seems to be more easily spooked or confused on roads that aren't clearly marked or are lined with parked cars on the shoulder. Tesla has a tendency to release new features in beta phase too, making you the guinea pig. This underdeveloped approach feels half-baked.

Storage

8.5/10

How’s the storage? The Tesla Model S is actually a hatchback, and that means there's lots of rear cargo space, plus a bonus front trunk that's easy to access and take advantage of. It features far more cargo space than many rivals, EV or not. The split rear seats fold flat, opening up the space even more. Storage up front is much improved compared to prior years of the Model S. There's a variety of sliding and retracting compartments that better help to organize all your stuff up front. The cupholders still lack an anti-tip design and don't hold drinks all that well, but there are also now door pockets, which means not everything has to go in the center console storage space.

Getting a car seat in and out is relatively easy. The doors open wide, though the anchors seem to be buried a little deeper than usual. The lack of headroom might be a bit of an issue when installing a seat.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Range and Efficiency

8/10

How are the range and efficiency? The 2021 Model S Plaid we tested was equipped with the optional 21-inch wheels, giving it an EPA-estimated range of 348 miles and a consumption rate of 33 kWh/100 miles. In the real-world Edmunds EV Range Test, we came up just a tiny bit short of the EPA estimates, managing 345 miles on a single max battery charge with a slightly more efficient consumption rate of 32.1 kWh/100 miles. That's more range than just about every EVs we've tested except the Model 3 Long Range. The electricity consumption is also impressive given the car's power. A Porsche Taycan 4S we tested, for example, checked in with 32.3 kWh/100 miles.

Value

7.5/10

Is the Model S a good value? Is the Tesla Model S Plaid a good buy for the money at nearly $140,000? Well, that depends on what you value. If you're looking for a vehicle with incredible speed and nearly unassailable bragging rights, there is nothing better for the money. However, we found a number of questionable build quality issues, from the driver's door not being aligned correctly to torn rubber moldings and noticeably crooked interior trim pieces. If these sorts of things are overlooked during production, it makes us a bit uneasy about how the more important hardware has been assembled.

Build quality aside, access to Tesla's vast Supercharger network is one of the best parts of Tesla ownership. It helps relieve range anxiety and can allow you to take the Model S across the country on most major highways without worry. The basic warranty is four years/50,000 miles, which is about average in this luxury EV segment. The powertrain and battery are covered for eight years/120,000 miles.

Wildcard

10/10

Putting aside personal biases of those of us who prefer cars that are fun to drive around corners, the sheer power, speed and the ease of its accessibility make the Model S Plaid incredibly entertaining. It also has a strong sleeper vibe; there's no giant rear wing or other obvious styling element to indicate that you're driving a 1,020-horsepower sedan. We heartily respect understatement. Oh, did we mention that we drag raced this car against two of the fastest production motorcycles in existence? Yeah, we did that. And the Model S won. Handily.

Which Model S does Edmunds recommend?

Tesla hasn't released official information on the 2025 Model S as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Model S we suggest opting for the standard Model S (All-Wheel Drive). Sure, you can step up to the insanely powerful Plaid model, but most don't need one of the quickest production cars in the world. The regular Model S still provides rocket-like acceleration and delivers a longer range than the Plaid. With the money you save on the regular model, you can upgrade the exterior and interior color, get a home charger, and add the Full Self-Driving Capability package.

Tesla Model S models

[Editor's note: The following unofficial information is based on last year's Model S. We expect the 2025 model will have a similar lineup and we'll update this section once we have complete information.] The Tesla Model S is a five-passenger electric luxury sedan available in two trims: Model S and Plaid. Here's what the Model S comes with, but be aware that Tesla updates the Model S on an ongoing basis rather than by model year, so additional changes could occur throughout 2025.

Model S
Standard features include:

EPA-estimated 405 miles of EV range
Touted 0-60 mph acceleration of 3.1 seconds
Dual electric motors produce 670 horsepower combined
19-inch wheels
All-wheel drive
Adaptive air suspension
LED headlights and foglights
Tinted glass roof
Power liftgate
Tri-zone automatic climate control
Heated front- and second-row seats
Ventilated front seats
Satellite radio
22-speaker sound system
Power-adjustable, heated steering wheel or steering yoke
17-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation system
Driver information display
Rear-seat entertainment display with gaming computer
Wireless smartphone charging pads in the front and rear
Wi-Fi hotspot

Every Model S also comes with a suite of safety systems that Tesla calls Autopilot. It includes:

Blind-spot warning (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Tesla and the car in front)
Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Plaid
Tesla's top trim level, the Plaid gets maximum performance via an upgraded battery system and an additional motor. Otherwise it has the same features as the base model. Total output stands at 1,020 horsepower.

Edmunds' testing shows the Plaid can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds, while the EPA says it can provide up to 396 miles of range on a full charge and when equipped with the car's 19-inch wheels. Going with the 21-inch wheels drops that estimate to 348 miles. We've put this latter Model S Plaid through our real-world Edmunds EV Range Test, and it made it 345 miles, which is among the longest distances we've observed.

Tesla's so-called Full Self-Driving Capability option is available on the Model S. This upgrades Autopilot with navigation-following and automatic lane changes, a semi-automated parking system and Smart Summon, which will drive the vehicle to your chosen location. Tesla promises this feature will support fully automated driving, but so far the actual implementation date of this is uncertain.

2025 Tesla Model S videos

U-Drags Race: Porsche Taycan Turbo GT vs. Tesla Model S Plaid | Quarter Mile, Handling & More

NOTE: This video is about the 2024 Tesla Model S, but since the 2025 Tesla Model S is part of the same generation, our earlier analysis still applies.

Welcome back to Edmunds U-Drags, our series of down-and-back drag races that incorporate a standing quarter mile, handling, and a rolling start all in one race! In this episode, it’s a battle of two ultra-quick electric sedans as the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT takes on the Tesla Model S Plaid.

2025 Tesla Model S

2025 Tesla Model S Review

Pros