2022 Tesla Model S

Manufacturer-rated combined peak output for the volume Long Range dual-motor AWD trim, unchanged from the June 2021 refresh carried into MY2022.

Combined peak torque for the Long Range dual-motor powertrain, corroborated across multiple spec aggregators for the 2021-2024 unchanged drivetrain.

Manufacturer-quoted 0-60 time for the Long Range dual-motor AWD trim, consistent with independent instrumented tests in the low-3-second range.

Instant, linear single-speed electric power delivery with no turbo lag or hybrid-transition harshness; reviewers consistently cite the Model S's throttle response as among the most immediate in the class.

Single-speed reduction-gear transmission on each motor; no shifting, hunting, or drone of any kind, with smooth power modulation across the full speed range.

Dual-motor AWD is standard on the volume Long Range trim (no FWD/RWD option on the car), and the top Plaid trim adds a third rear motor with independent torque vectoring between the rear wheels.

The entire Model S lineup is battery-electric; Tesla offers no gas, hybrid, or PHEV variant of any kind, and the only choice within the EV powertrain is motor count/output (Long Range dual-motor vs. Plaid tri-motor), not a distinct propulsion type.

EPA combined efficiency rating for the 2022 Model S Long Range on the standard 19-inch wheel/tire package (the volume configuration); 21-inch wheels reduce this slightly.

EPA city efficiency rating for the 19-inch-wheel Long Range configuration.

EPA highway efficiency rating for the 19-inch-wheel Long Range configuration; lower than city MPGe, typical of EVs due to reduced regenerative braking at speed.

EPA-rated full-charge range for the Long Range trim on its standard 19-inch wheels, the volume configuration; the optional 21-inch wheels drop range to 375 miles.

Tesla's Long Range battery pack peaks at 250 kW on a V3 Supercharger stall (V2 stalls are capped lower and shared pair-wise); this is the manufacturer-rated ceiling for the pack, not the sustained rate.

Independently measured 10-80% charge time on a V3 Supercharger stall for the Long Range pack; Tesla does not publish an official 10-80% figure, instead quoting miles added per minute, so this is a corroborated third-party measurement rather than a manufacturer spec.

EPA's standard-assumption annual energy cost estimate for the 19-inch-wheel Long Range configuration.

Runs entirely on grid electricity with no gasoline requirement of any kind; home charging is inexpensive, especially off-peak, and Tesla's own dense Supercharger network (250 kW V3 stalls) makes road-trip charging unusually convenient versus other EVs on third-party networks.

NHTSA's own SafetyRatings API returns "Not Rated" for overall, frontal and side crash categories on the current-generation (2021+) Model S that the 2022 model year belongs to — only the rollover test (5 stars, 5.7% tip risk) and ESC/FCW/LDW standard-equipment flags are populated. Tesla's low annual volume means NHTSA has not prioritized retesting the refreshed structure.

The current-generation Model S was not an IIHS 2022 Top Safety Pick/Pick+ winner (only Model 3 and Model Y made that list) and IIHS has not published small overlap, moderate overlap, side, roof-strength or head-restraint results for the 2021+ body — the only published crashworthiness-adjacent data is a Poor headlight rating, carried unchanged into the refreshed car, and a Superior vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention score.

Tesla's base Autopilot — automatic emergency braking, traffic-aware (adaptive) cruise control, Autosteer lane keeping, blind-spot collision warning, forward collision warning and rear cross-traffic alert — ships standard on every 2022 Model S trim (base AWD and Plaid) with no paywall; only the extra-cost FSD Capability package (Navigate on Autopilot, auto lane change, Smart Summon, auto park) sits above it.

IIHS rates the standard AEB system Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention, avoiding collisions in both the 12 mph and 25 mph test scenarios, but IIHS has not published a pedestrian (day/night) front crash prevention rating for this generation of Model S, so the day/night pedestrian half of the item can't be confirmed at the same level.

Blind Spot Collision Warning and rear cross-traffic alert are standard across the Model S range via the car's camera/sensor suite, and Autopilot will decline a lane change into an occupied blind spot, but the system is fundamentally alert-based rather than an actively intervening/braking blind-spot system, and owners report the side cameras leave some coverage gaps versus dedicated radar-based rivals.

Autosteer lane centering is widely reviewed as class-leading and holds the car confidently centered on most highways, but multiple 2022-era owner reports describe an intermittent "ping-pong" lateral micro-correction on very straight roads that a human driver wouldn't produce, keeping it just short of flawless.

Standard Traffic-Aware Cruise Control covers the full speed range including stop-and-go traffic and is well regarded for smoothness; Navigate on Autopilot adds highway interchange/lane-change assistance but sits behind the paid FSD Capability option rather than being bundled with the base adaptive cruise system.

In model year 2022 both Autopilot and FSD Beta require the driver's hands on the wheel (torque-sensing nag), with no eyes-off or hands-off highway mode; Tesla did not ship true hands-free driving on refreshed Model S hardware until the FSD v12.4 software update in 2024, well after this model year.

IIHS rates the Model S's headlights Poor across the board — both the standard LED reflector units and the curve-adapting matrix units earn Poor marks for low-beam glare and inadequate illumination in curve tests — on the same current-generation body sold for 2022.

A tilted-up beltline, large glass area and standard glass roof give good forward sightlines and headroom, but reviewers note a thick A-pillar-to-door junction blind spot and a narrow, shallow rear window (worsened by rear headrests) that compromises the view directly behind the car.

The Model S has two sets of lower LATCH anchors and three top-tether anchors, but the anchors sit behind tight-clearance flaps that are difficult to access, the heavily bolstered rear seat cushion complicates car-seat installation, and the small rear door opening — a consequence of frameless doors and the fastback roofline — makes loading a seated child or maneuvering a convertible seat's rigid connectors noticeably harder than in a conventional sedan.

The refreshed (2021+) Model S that the 2022 model year belongs to is a standard 5-seater; Tesla publicly confirmed a 7-seat configuration was planned but it was not an orderable option during the 2022 model year.

Front headroom figure for the refreshed-generation Model S (2021+), carried unchanged into 2022; not independently republished on Tesla's own spec sheet but consistent across multiple data aggregators for this generation.

Front legroom figure for the refreshed-generation Model S (2021+), carried unchanged into 2022.

Second-row headroom for the refreshed-generation Model S, applicable since the volume configuration seats 5 (above the minSeats 4 gate).

Second-row legroom is on the tighter side for a full-size luxury sedan — the low, battery-pack-raised seating position and sloping roofline eat into rear knee room versus rivals like the Genesis G90 or Mercedes EQS despite the car's long overall footprint.

Rear trunk volume behind the second row for the refreshed-generation liftback-trunk Model S; the front trunk is additional and not part of the sedan trunk-volume definition for this item.

The Model S pairs its rear trunk with a genuinely usable front trunk (frunk), a deep, flat-floored center console bin (no transmission tunnel to work around), and two wireless charging pads plus USB-C ports built into that console — a clear standout versus ICE full-size luxury sedans.

Owner and press reviews describe the refreshed Model S's front seats as supportive and well-adjustable (heated/ventilated, multi-way power) but somewhat firmer than class norms, with rear seat comfort hurt more by the tight legroom than by cushioning itself.

Standard adaptive air suspension gives a controlled, well-damped ride that stays composed on broken pavement; reviewers note the ride firms up noticeably on the larger optional wheel/tire packages but the base setup rides comfortably for the segment.

As an EV with no engine noise and acoustic glass carried over from the pre-refresh car, the Model S is consistently rated among the quieter cabins in its class at highway speed, with wind noise around the large side mirrors and frameless doors the main residual intrusion.

2022 Model S ships standard with heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, and automatic climate control with a rear zone; the companion app adds remote pre-conditioning ("Defrost"/climate-on-the-go), a feature set that rivals or beats most of the segment as standard equipment rather than a paid option.

Entry trim for the 2022 model year is the Long Range; the Model S Plus/Performance/Plaid+ sub-trims from 2021 were discontinued by 2022.

Long Range is the higher-volume of the two 2022 trims (vs. the $135,990 Plaid); typical equipment adds little beyond paint/wheel options since Autopilot and premium interior are standard.

Estimates vary widely by source and model year (CarEdge projects a much lower ~$1,561 at 60k miles; Edmunds' True Cost to Own shows $7,012 for the 2020 model and $4,962 for 2023), so a 2022 figure is interpolated between those; EVs skip oil/fluid services but Tesla tire wear and service-center labor rates run high.

Multiple depreciation trackers for the Model S cluster around 60–71% five-year depreciation (29–39% retention); used the midpoint, weighted toward the higher-depreciation estimates since 2022 Model S values have since been pressured by Tesla's own 2023 price cuts and a 2024 facelift making pre-refresh cars look dated.

Tesla's Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty was unchanged for the 2022 model year.

Tesla's Model S battery and drive unit warranty was 8 years/150,000 miles across trims for 2022, with a minimum 70% capacity retention guarantee.

Tesla offers no complimentary scheduled maintenance in the US — routine service (tire rotation, alignment, cabin filter) is paid out of pocket. The only included benefit is roadside assistance (lockout help, flat-tire service, towing up to 50 miles) bundled into the basic warranty term, with no multi-year maintenance plan or ongoing charging credits by 2022 (the old referral free-Supercharging perk had already been phased down).

$104,990 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (33% retained, or about $34,647) leaves about $70,343 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,800 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $76,143 in total.

Consumer Reports' own 2022-model-year verdict puts predicted reliability squarely in the below-average band, with complaints concentrated in electronics, driver-assist systems, build quality and body hardware rather than the drive unit or battery. A clearly below-average figure, not a mixed-signal one.

J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study placed Tesla 28th of 35 brands at 226 problems per 100 vehicles, well above the industry average (Tesla remains ineligible for an award since it withholds owner data in opt-in states, but the measured score stands). Consumer Reports' brand rankings over the same period place Tesla in the bottom third as well, so this sits below mid-pack rather than merely average.

The 2022 model year alone carries roughly 17-19 NHTSA campaigns for Model S, several at fleet-wide scale: the FSD Beta software recall (22V-045, ~817k vehicles), the pedestrian-warning-sound recall (22V-063, ~578k), a passenger-airbag mis-deploy fix (22V-526), and a power-window pinch/FMVSS-118 non-compliance recall (22V-702, over 1M vehicles across Model S/X). Most are OTA-remedied software actions rather than physical repairs, which keeps this off the bottom of the band, but the sheer volume and the hardware-adjacent airbag/window items push it below typical.

By 2022 the Model S drive-unit and battery-pack family has a decade of volume production and well-documented high-mileage fleet data, with no conventional transmission to wear out. Held short of the best EV scores because the early-generation (2012-2016) drive-unit replacement history still colors the nameplate, and the 2022 Plaid's tri-motor unit is low-volume and less proven than the dual-motor Long Range powertrain.

The 2022 Model S carries the 2021 Palladium-refresh cabin: full-width wood-finish dash, 17-inch landscape touchscreen, a standard rear screen, ventilated seats and premium audio — a genuine step up from the pre-refresh car. Graded against Full-Size Luxury Sedan money, though, it still reads minimalist and screen-dependent next to S-Class/7 Series/LS rivals, with sparse switchgear and some hard plastic in lower touch zones.

Owner and reviewer reports on 2022-build cars describe inconsistent panel gaps, misaligned trunk/door panels, crooked interior trim, bubbled door-seal moldings and glass-roof installation issues causing wind noise. J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study has Tesla well above (worse than) the industry-average problem rate over this period. Some owners report few issues, but the complaint pattern is wide enough to sit below typical for the segment.

Tesla's company-owned service footprint and mobile-service fleet give reasonable baseline coverage, but 2022 was a documented low point for turnaround: reports of multi-month waits just to get a service appointment and certified body shops holding cars 5-7+ months for backordered parts. For a six-figure flagship competing with franchised luxury service networks, this is a real shortfall rather than merely mixed.

Parts backorders were a well-documented 2022 problem, and the Model S's air suspension and structural design make meaningful repairs expensive: air-suspension replacement runs roughly $4,000 (outlier quotes into five figures), and typical collision repairs on Model S/X run $7,000-$15,000, with corner hits involving suspension components commonly $5,000-$12,000. Partly offset by minimal routine maintenance (no oil service, regenerative-braking-extended pad life) and an emerging third-party air-suspension aftermarket.

The refreshed-generation Model S carried into 2022 uses a single 17-inch horizontally-oriented center touchscreen, up from the pre-refresh car's vertical 17-inch unit, standard on every trim.

The refresh's AMD Ryzen-based infotainment computer (replacing the prior Intel Atom unit) gives the UI console-grade graphics performance and near-instant app switching, and the software is consistently rated among the fastest and most capable in the industry, though the near-total absence of physical controls pushes basic functions like mirror/wheel adjustment and glovebox access into the touchscreen.

Tesla does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any form, wired or wireless, on any trim — a deliberate product decision in favor of its own native infotainment stack, not a feature gap being closed over time.

Native navigation is a strength — real-time Supercharger-aware trip planning that automatically routes and times charging stops is widely praised as best-in-class for an EV — but the voice assistant is a narrower vehicle-command recognizer rather than a conversational assistant, and owner reports describe inconsistent recognition for media and contacts.

The 2022 Model S ships standard with a 22-speaker, 960-watt audio system including active noise cancellation and a dedicated subwoofer/amplifier — a genuinely premium setup standard on every trim rather than a paid upgrade.

The refreshed Model S retains a dedicated, configurable digital instrument display behind the steering control (speed, Autopilot visualization, trip data) rather than moving everything to the center screen, but the yoke's flattened top blocks part of that display in certain steering positions — a documented complaint in refresh coverage — keeping it short of the cleanest implementations in the class.

Tesla pioneered whole-vehicle over-the-air updates that add real functionality — not just maps or infotainment patches — covering performance, UI, ADAS behavior and new features, delivered on a regular cadence; this remains the clearest category leader of any item in this framework for Tesla.

The Tesla app is consistently rated the most capable companion app in the industry: phone-as-key, remote climate pre-conditioning, charge management, Sentry Mode viewing, and vehicle location, included at no subscription cost for core functions in 2022.

The 2022 refresh interior carries USB-C ports front and rear (five total) alongside two built-in wireless charging pads in the center console — ahead of most rivals still mixing in legacy USB-A in 2022.

Standard phone-as-key via Bluetooth plus a key card (and NFC) means no physical key fob is required day-to-day; proximity walk-up unlock and remote start/climate from the app round out a full keyless package standard on every trim.

A composite surround-view rendering (built from the car's camera suite) plus front/rear ultrasonic parking sensors is standard on the 2022 Model S and well-reviewed for visibility, though it stops short of a true automated self-parking feature on the volume configuration.

Tesla has never offered a head-up display on any Model S trim, including the 2022 model year — all speed and driving information is shown on the digital instrument display and/or the center touchscreen instead.

LATCH anchors are present in the outboard rear seats and the low beltline helps visibility, but the low, battery-raised rear seating position makes lifting a child into a rear-facing seat more awkward than in a taller-riding rival, and the limited rear legroom leaves little slack once a car seat is installed.

Standard Autopilot (AEB, forward collision warning, blind-spot warning, lane keeping) ships on every 2022 trim with no paywall, and IIHS rates the car's standard front crash prevention Superior, giving family buyers a strong ADAS floor even on the base configuration — the main blemish is IIHS's Poor headlight rating carried over from the pre-refresh car.

A standard rear touchscreen with media/climate control, rear USB-C charging, heated rear seats and a quiet, smooth-riding cabin make multi-hour trips pleasant for rear occupants, offset by legroom that's merely average for the segment and only a 25 cu ft trunk once a stroller and bags compete for space (the frunk helps but doesn't fully offset it).

Single-pedal regenerative driving, instant and linear torque, and a quiet cabin make stop-and-go traffic genuinely relaxing, but the yoke steering wheel and stalk-free touch controls for turn signals/wipers impose a real learning curve that reviewers (including Consumer Reports) flagged as adding friction to everyday low-speed maneuvers.

As a long-range EV, per-mile energy cost is a fraction of any gas or hybrid rival in this segment, and there's no oil-change or spark-plug consumable schedule to budget for; home charging on off-peak electricity makes daily commuting costs very low even accounting for the car's price class.

A nearly 198-inch length and a wide ~40.3 ft turning circle (see 9.3.1) make the Model S noticeably less nimble threading through tight urban parking than compact or mid-size rivals, though the standard surround-camera visualization and parking sensors meaningfully ease the process.

The 2022 Model S has no factory tow hitch option and Tesla does not publish a towing capacity for it (unlike the Model X), and its trunk-and-frunk cargo format is sedan-style rather than work-utility-oriented — it is not meaningfully positioned for towing or hauling work loads.

The Model S is engineered and marketed as a luxury performance sedan rather than a fleet/work vehicle, with no commercial-use track record or fleet-duty reputation to draw on, and its low ride height and premium interior materials are mismatched to hard-use work contexts.

No tie-downs, no bed, no rack/upfit ecosystem, and a frunk/trunk pairing that is not designed around tools or jobsite gear — the Model S has essentially no work-oriented provisions.

The Long Range configuration's EPA-rated 412-mile range is class-leading for an EV sedan, paired with a quiet, well-damped highway ride and Autopilot's standard adaptive cruise/lane centering to reduce fatigue — the main limiter on long trips is charging-stop planning rather than cabin comfort.

Dual-motor AWD grip and standard adaptive air suspension help on gravel or wet unpaved roads, but low ground clearance, no tow rating, and no roof-rack mounting system (unlike the Model X/Y) leave it with little genuine outdoor/adventure capability beyond paved-road all-weather traction.

The combination of a 25 cu ft rear trunk, a separate 3.1 cu ft frunk, and 60/40 folding rear seats (expanding to 61.4 cu ft with seats down) gives real flexibility for luggage and mid-size gear, even without a roof rack for bulkier items like bikes or rooftop boxes.

A floor-mounted battery pack gives the Model S a very low center of gravity, and the Long Range dual-motor configuration is widely reviewed as composed and grippy through corners for a nearly two-ton sedan, feeling more agile than its size suggests even if it can't match a dedicated sport sedan's playfulness.

Steering is quick and accurate but numb — a longstanding Tesla characteristic — and the yoke's unconventional geometry and lack of a consistent 12-o'clock hand reference add an extra adjustment layer on top of the already light, feedback-light tune.

Strong, fade-resistant braking performance with well-blended regenerative-to-friction transition is a consistent theme in Model S reviews, and IIHS's Superior front-crash-prevention rating corroborates confident, consistent stopping behavior at both test speeds.

A dual-motor EV powertrain with no gear changes, no engine stop/start cycling, and near-instant torque delivery gives the Long Range Model S exceptionally smooth, linear response — one of the car's most consistently praised traits regardless of trim.

Electric motor whine is present under hard acceleration but is mild and widely described as unobtrusive or even pleasant, with essentially no vibration transmitted through the controls — a clear advantage over any combustion rival in this segment.

The refreshed-generation Model S's turning diameter grew to roughly 40.3 ft versus the pre-refresh car's narrower circle, at or beyond the top of the sedan normalization band — a real tradeoff of the car's long wheelbase and full-size footprint.

Seat and wheel adjustability is generous and the low cowl gives a good forward sightline, but the yoke's flattened top/bottom and touch-sensitive stalk-replacement buttons were widely criticized (including by Consumer Reports) for requiring drivers to look down during maneuvers like three-point turns where a round wheel would normally be operated by feel.

The Long Range model's genuine quickness (3.1 sec 0-60), instant torque and low-slung handling make it enjoyable to drive briskly, but it leans toward effortless-fast rather than engaging/characterful, and the yoke/control layout works against the kind of unhurried, tactile fun that a traditional sport sedan offers.

The 2022 Model S Long Range comes standard with Autopilot, the 17-inch center touchscreen, dual-motor AWD, air suspension, HEPA cabin filtration, a glass roof and 19-inch wheels at a price well below rivals like the Mercedes EQS or BMW i7 that charge extra for comparable driver-assist and performance hardware, though Enhanced Autopilot and FSD remain costly options.

Both trims deliver outsized performance and range per dollar — the Plaid's 1,020 hp and sub-2.5s 0-60 undercut gas and EV rivals costing far more (contemporary Porsche Taycan Turbo S), and the Long Range's class-leading EPA range beat every EV sedan rival at the time.

By 2022 the lineup had been cut to just two trims (Long Range, Plaid) after Tesla discontinued the Long Range Plus, Performance and Plaid+ variants — a take-it-or-leave-it range with no body style, drivetrain-layout or value-tier choices beyond wheels/paint/interior color and FSD.

2022 was a weak sales year for the Model S — combined Model S/X US deliveries were roughly 66,700 for the year, well down from prior peaks, as Tesla prioritized Model 3/Y production and Model S/X faced line changes and softening demand ahead of the 2021 refresh settling in; multiple outlets specifically flagged poor 2022 Model S/X demand.

Tesla remained an aspirational, high-mindshare brand through 2022 with strong EV-buyer loyalty and the flagship Model S retaining prestige as the brand's original halo car, even as broader public sentiment around Tesla/Musk began to polarize later in the year.

Tesla did not meaningfully discount the Model S during 2022 — list prices held or rose through most of the year, and the Model S/X were priced well above the IRA federal EV tax credit's $55,000 sedan cap so buyers got no credit; Tesla's first real Model S price cuts didn't arrive until early-to-mid 2023.

2022 is the second model year of the late-2021 facelift (new yoke-equipped interior, horizontal touchscreen, AMD Ryzen infotainment SoC, Plaid tri-motor powertrain) within a first generation dating to 2012 — current and recently updated inside, but the underlying platform is a decade old with newer EV-native rivals (Lucid Air, Mercedes EQS) arriving on fresher architectures.

Reviewers praised class-leading range and the Plaid's extraordinary performance, but 2022 Model S coverage consistently dinged interior material quality, fit-and-finish, the yoke steering wheel, and the lack of CarPlay/Android Auto; it did not win a major 2022 award (MotorTrend's 2022 Car of the Year went to the Lucid Air), a step down from the Model S's earlier COTY wins.