2025 Tesla Model S

Scored on the dual-motor Model S All-Wheel Drive, the volume configuration of a two-trim 2025 lineup; the tri-motor Plaid is a low-volume halo. At 670 hp the base car is already above the top of the sedan band (130–520 hp), so the item clamps to 100.

Combined peak torque of the two permanent-magnet motors, available from zero rpm. Well above the top of the sedan band either way. Confidence is LOW because Tesla publishes no US torque rating and third-party figures disagree.

Tesla's quoted 0–60 mph time for the volume AWD trim is quicker than the base version of every full-size luxury rival: EQS 450+ 5.9 s, BMW i7 xDrive60 4.5 s, Lucid Air Pure 4.5 s. That puts it 0.1 s off the quick end of the sedan band.

Thrust is instant, silent and linear, with no lag, no gear steps and no engine handoffs, and there is big reserve for passing. It sits a notch below the e-tron GT and EQS because motor whine is audible under hard acceleration and the accelerator/regen tip-in is more abrupt than in the best-isolated German EVs.

A single-speed reduction gear on each axle leaves nothing to hunt, shift or drone, so power is uninterrupted from a stop to top speed. It is held short of the i7 because regeneration strength is no longer selectable, so the one-pedal calibration is fixed.

All-wheel drive is standard across the 2025 lineup, with independent front and rear motors splitting torque electronically. The Plaid adds rear torque vectoring through its two rear motors. It scores below the e-tron GT because there are no terrain modes, low range or locking hardware.

The lineup is battery-electric only, with two configurations on one battery pack and no gas, hybrid or PHEV alternative. Unlike the Model 3, there is no cheaper single-motor rung: the choice is the AWD car or the Plaid.

27 kWh/100 mi from a ~4,900 lb full-size luxury sedan is near the top of the EV field, thanks mainly to the very low-drag body. Early-2025 builds sold under the carryover certification were rated 122 MPGe.

City driving is easy for an EV: regeneration recovers stop-and-go energy and there is no idle draw. The city-to-highway gap is narrower than on lighter EVs because of the large pack and the car's mass.

The low drag coefficient keeps efficiency high at speed: the highway figure is only about 12% below city, where a tall electric SUV usually loses far more. Highway is what decides road-trip range.

410 miles easily clears the practical road-trip threshold, and the gain over 402 mi came from the mid-2025 refresh's aero wheels and bodywork rather than a bigger pack. The band ceiling is set by the Lucid Air's long-range trims.

250 kW is quick in absolute terms but is the ceiling of Tesla's 400V Model S architecture. The 800V Lucid Air, Porsche Taycan and Hyundai/Kia rivals accept 320–350 kW.

This is the practical cost of a big pack on a 400V bus. About 67 kWh has to go in to cover 10–80%, and the curve tapers early, so the session averages only ~129 kW.

About $600 a year at home-charging rates, roughly a quarter of the fuel bill for the premium-fuel V8 and turbo-six sedans in this class. Owners who rely on Superchargers will pay two to three times that.

There is no fuel grade to worry about, and the car has the best US public-charging access: a native NACS port with Plug and Charge on the Supercharger network, plus navigation-linked battery preconditioning. It is held below the ceiling because a ~31 min road-trip stop and the ~100 kWh pack make public charging slower and pricier than on 800V rivals.

NHTSA has not crash-tested the 2021-onward refreshed Model S, so the 2025 car carries no overall, frontal or side star rating — only the calculated 5-star rollover figure. Per the framework definition, 0 means never rated; the earlier 5-star overall result belongs to the pre-2021 car and is not carried over (same handling as the 2025 C-Class).

IIHS has published no crashworthiness ratings for the current refreshed Model S and it earned no 2025 TSP/TSP+, while the Model 3 and Cybertruck did. The nameplate's only IIHS data is the 2017 car — mostly Good but Acceptable in driver small overlap — so it sits just above the Lucid Air and below untested-but-clean rivals like the A8.

Nothing is trim-gated: Autopilot (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control plus Autosteer), AEB, forward collision warning, lane departure avoidance, emergency lane departure avoidance and blind-spot warning are standard on both the AWD and Plaid. Held at 80 because rear cross-traffic braking and safe-exit warning — standard on the German rivals — are absent.

The HW4 Model S runs Tesla Vision (with an HD radar fitted on S/X), and the nameplate scored Superior in IIHS's legacy front crash prevention test, but there is no result under IIHS's current vehicle-to-vehicle or pedestrian protocols. Phantom braking complaints and open NHTSA investigations into Tesla driver-assistance behaviour keep it below rated rivals.

Camera-based blind-spot warning is standard and the side repeater feed appears on the screen with the turn signal, but it is alert-only, with no rear cross-traffic alert/braking or safe-exit warning — the thinnest cross-traffic package among full-size luxury sedans.

Autosteer is standard and remains among the smoothest lane-centering systems sold, holding the lane centre through highway curves without ping-ponging. Docked only for abrupt hand-backs where lane markings degrade.

Full-speed-range Traffic-Aware Cruise Control with stop-and-go, merged with Autosteer into one coherent Autopilot mode, is standard. Phantom braking remains a documented failure mode, and automatic lane changes require the paid Enhanced Autopilot or FSD.

FSD (Supervised), sold as an option or subscription, runs on highways and surface streets with cabin-camera attention monitoring that permits hands-off driving with eyes on the road — far broader coverage than geofenced Super Cruise or BlueCruise. Not higher because it is a paid extra, remains supervised, and draws ongoing regulatory scrutiny.

One adaptive matrix LED unit with automatic high beams is fitted across both trims, and the June 2025 refresh added adaptive-beam glare reduction. But IIHS has not rated the refreshed car's headlights, and the only rating the nameplate ever received (2017) was Poor, so the improvement is unverified.

Forward sightlines are good thanks to a low cowl and large glass roof, but the raked liftback glass and thick C-pillars leave a big rear blind zone. Camera help is partial: rear and side repeater cameras, plus a washer-equipped front bumper camera only on post-June-2025 refresh builds, and no true 360° bird's-eye view.

A flat rear floor, wide doors and generous legroom make car-seat fitting easier than in most rivals, but the lower anchors are buried in the seat bight, there is no centre LATCH position, and the sloping roofline crowds tall rear-facing seats.

The 2025 Model S seats five in a 2+3 layout with a 60/40 folding rear bench on both trims; no third-row option.

Generous for a low fastback — the fixed glass roof has no sunroof cassette eating into the header.

Competitive front legroom on a flat floor, but not class-leading for a full-size luxury sedan.

Rear headroom is fine — Consumer Reports notes 'decent headroom' in back — despite the sloping liftback roof.

The Model S's packaging weak spot: 35.5 in is compact-sedan rear legroom in a 197.7-in car, and the low cushion gives poor thigh support.

A liftback hatch with a deep underfloor well gives far more cargo room than any conventional sedan trunk; the frunk adds more.

Standout for a sedan: liftback opening, underfloor sub-trunk, fold-flat 60/40 bench, a front trunk, and a deep center console with wireless charging pads.

Front seats earn praise for support and adjustment, but the low, short rear cushion with tight legroom keeps this out of the top band for a full-size luxury car; no massage option.

Standard adaptive air suspension gives a firm but comfortable ride on 19-in wheels, and the June 2025 refresh added new bushings for a smoother ride; the optional 21s firm it up.

No engine, laminated glass, and the mid-2025 refresh specifically added insulation and improved active noise cancellation; just short of the EQS benchmark.

Rich and standard: ventilated and heated front seats, heated rear seats, heated wheel, an 8-in rear screen for rear climate, and app preconditioning — no trim gating.

The 2025 Model S opened the model year at $79,990 for the All-Wheel Drive car, then the June 2025 refresh (the configuration the rest of this scorecard describes, 410-mile EPA range) raised both trims by $5,000 to $84,990 / $99,990. With destination the refreshed entry car is $86,380 — far above the $55,000 sedan band ceiling, so the item floors at 0 either way.

All-Wheel Drive is the volume trim by a wide margin; Plaid is a low-volume halo. A typical refreshed 2025 build adds a premium paint (~$2,000; only Stealth Grey is no-cost) to the $86,380 delivered price, landing near $88,400 before Full Self-Driving. From mid-August 2025 Tesla instead sold the car at $94,990 with FSD, free Supercharging, Premium Connectivity and 4-year Premium Service bundled; either figure is well beyond the $58,000 sedan ceiling.

No scheduled service interval, no oil or transmission service, and regenerative braking spares the pads, so routine spend is cabin filters, brake fluid, tires and alignment. Against that, staggered tires on a ~4,600 lb car wear quickly and out-of-warranty failures (air suspension, door handles, MCU) carry luxury-tier parts prices. Industry estimates disagree sharply, so a mid-point between CarEdge's maintenance-heavy figure and Edmunds' repair-loaded projection is used.

The Model S is among the steepest-depreciating nameplates sold in the US, driven by repeated Tesla price cuts that reprice the used fleet, rapid hardware obsolescence on a long-running platform, and non-transferable perks (free Supercharging) that new buyers get but used buyers don't. At ~39% retention an $88,000 car loses roughly $54,000 in five years — the dominant cost of owning one.

Tesla's Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty runs 4 years or 50,000 miles — level with BMW, Mercedes and Audi, short of Genesis's 5 years / 60,000 miles.

Model S gets Tesla's longest battery-and-drive-unit coverage — 8 years or 150,000 miles, 50,000 miles more than the Model 3/Y — with an explicit 70% capacity-retention floor, which addresses the main long-term worry about an EV.

What a 2025 buyer got depends on when they bought. The base terms include no prepaid scheduled maintenance — only 4-year/50,000-mile roadside assistance, a Premium Connectivity trial and OTA updates — which on its own would sit at the bottom of the 50–79 band. But for much of the 2025 model year Tesla attached real perks: free lifetime Supercharging on new Model S inventory in early 2025, and from August 2025 the standard Luxe Package added lifetime free Supercharging, Premium Connectivity and 4-year Premium Service (tire/windshield protection, alignments, rotations, filters). Those perks are tied to the original owner and the Luxe bundle was paid for with a $10,000 price rise, so the score lands mid-band rather than in the 80s.

$88,380 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (39% retained, or about $34,468) leaves about $53,912 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $58,412 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the 2025 Model S well below average on predicted reliability, with owner-reported trouble in in-car electronics, the drive system and power equipment, and calls it less reliable than other 2025 models. The low-volume S is far behind the Model 3, which CR named the most reliable EV. That puts it in the below-average band. The drivetrain fundamentals are sound, which keeps it off the floor.

The signals conflict. In CR's 2025 brand ranking Tesla rose eight places to 9th (score 50), driven mostly by the Model 3. J.D. Power's 2025 VDS still has Tesla slightly worse than the industry average, and long-term used-car surveys put it last. The brand sits in the lower part of mid-pack, and the multi-year record is weaker than the latest snapshot suggests.

The 2025 model year itself has had little recall activity: CR counts two NHTSA recalls. The main one is the 25V-002 rearview-camera campaign, a reverse current at startup that can short the computer board. It is shared fleet-wide with the 3, X and Y. The 2012-onward generation still carries a long hardware campaign record (MCU eMMC, suspension links, seat belts, power-steering assist, hood latch), and the 25V-172 horn-pad airbag recall covered the 2021-2024 S. Recall activity is typical, with no systemic drivetrain or fire defect, but the generation's history holds the score near mid-band.

The Model S has the longest high-mileage record of any US EV. Large-pack cars routinely pass 200k miles with modest battery degradation, and there is no multi-speed transmission. Early-generation (2012-2016) drive-unit replacements and CR's drive-system complaints on recent model years keep it below the top band.

The Palladium-era cabin is pleasant and well equipped: a wood-trimmed dash, 17-inch landscape screen, rear screen, ventilated seats and premium audio. Graded against six-figure full-size luxury rivals (S-Class, 7 Series/i7, A8), though, its minimalist, screen-dependent design has sparse switchgear and limited material richness for the money.

Fremont's mature, low-volume Model S line builds better than Tesla's ramp-era cars, and CR reports that Tesla's body-hardware and paint/trim problem rates have fallen substantially. Paint, panel-alignment and rattle complaints still appear on delivery, though, and that weighs more at this price.

Tesla's mobile service and app-based scheduling resolve many jobs without a shop visit. Its company-owned network is still far sparser than franchised luxury dealer networks outside major metros, and appointment and body-shop waits are widely reported. Coverage is adequate, with a mixed service reputation.

Low production volume means thin parts stocking and a small aftermarket. Collision parts run through Tesla-controlled distribution and are prone to backorders. The S adds costly hardware such as air suspension and a large high-voltage pack. Minimal routine maintenance (no oil service, long brake life from regen) only partly offsets this.

One of the largest center screens in any sedan, standard on both trims.

The software is fast and polished, but burying mirrors, vents and gear selection in the screen and putting turn signals/wipers on touch buttons costs daily usability.

Not offered in any form, wired or wireless — a deliberate Tesla decision.

Native navigation is the EV benchmark, with automatic Supercharger routing and preconditioning; the Grok assistant arrived via OTA in July 2025 for AMD-equipped cars, though car-control voice commands remain the legacy system.

A 22-speaker, 960-watt system with active noise reduction is standard on every trim — no upgrade to buy — and is well regarded, though there's no branded premium option.

Unlike the Model 3/Y, the Model S keeps a 12.3-in digital driver display standard; configurability is limited.

Tesla defines this item — whole-vehicle OTA updates on a roughly monthly cadence, regularly adding features (e.g. Grok in 2025).

The Tesla app is the reference: phone-as-key, remote climate, charge control, Sentry Mode view, Summon and service scheduling, mostly free.

Wireless pads front and rear plus USB-C in the console and rear; no 120 V outlet.

Phone-as-key by default, with key card and fob, auto-presenting handles, walk-away lock and a power liftgate; no start button needed.

No ultrasonic sensors — Tesla Vision estimates distances from cameras — though the June 2025 refresh added a front bumper camera that improves low-speed visibility.

No head-up display at any trim or as an option, a conspicuous gap against EQS, i7 and S-Class.

The liftback swallows strollers easily and there's a frunk, but tight 35.5-in rear legroom makes rear-facing seats a squeeze, and there are only two outboard LATCH positions.

Autopilot, AEB and lane-keeping are standard on every trim, but NHTSA did not issue a 2025 overall rating (frontal and side Not Rated) and IIHS has no current rating, so the crash-test credentials families look for are missing.

Rear passengers get their own 8-in screen, heated seats and rear wireless charging, and luggage space is huge, but rear legroom and the low cushion limit adult comfort over hours.

Instant smooth torque, good one-pedal driving, air suspension and a quiet cabin make it relaxing, but stalk-less touch-button turn signals and on-screen gear selection add daily friction.

At 124 MPGe combined the AWD Model S costs about $600 a year in electricity — very cheap per mile for a car this quick.

A 197.7-in, wide car with a 40-ft turning circle, no rear steer and no ultrasonic sensors; the new front bumper camera helps but parking takes care.

Not a work vehicle: no North American tow rating or factory hitch, no bed; only the large liftback cargo area.

The powertrain has a strong high-mileage record, but this is a luxury liftback with air suspension and delicate interior surfaces, not built for abuse.

No 120 V outlet or vehicle-to-load, no hitch and no upfit ecosystem.

A superb mile-eater: 410-mile EPA range, Supercharger access with automatic routing, a quiet refreshed cabin and capable Autopilot; rear-seat room is the only real limit.

Standard AWD and adjustable air-suspension ride height help on a gravel track, and Camp Mode suits car camping, but ground clearance is low and there's no tow rating.

The best gear hauler among luxury sedans: a full hatch opening, 25 cu ft behind the seats, 61.4 cu ft folded, and a frunk.

Quick turn-in, ample grip and hardly any body roll; CR's 58.0-mph avoidance maneuver run is very strong for a full-size sedan.

Quick and accurate, but numb; the optional yoke is widely criticized and slips in hand-over-hand turns.

Strong hardware and smooth one-pedal regen; carbon-ceramics available on Plaid. No 2025 instrumented 70-0 figure was found, so this is calibrated from reviewer commentary.

Single-speed dual-motor drive with immediate yet progressive tip-in and no shifts or vibration — 3.2 s to 60 in CR testing.

Near-silent motors, and the mid-2025 refresh added insulation and better active noise cancellation.

A long 116.5-in wheelbase and no rear steer give the Model S a wide turning circle for a sedan.

The seat and forward view are very good, but no stalks, touch-button turn signals and wipers, and on-screen mirror/vent/gear controls make for a scattered control layout.

Acceleration is a real event and handling is sharper than the size suggests, but numb steering and a near-silent drivetrain limit the character.

The Model S is effectively one specification level: the All-Wheel Drive car includes the 17-in center screen, rear touchscreen, 22-speaker audio, adaptive air suspension, dual-motor AWD, heated/ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and wheel, HEPA filtration, glass roof and Autopilot, with the June 2025 refresh adding adaptive headlights, a front bumper camera and ambient lighting at no option cost. From August 2025 the Luxe Package made FSD, free Supercharging, Premium Connectivity and 4-year Premium Service standard too. It stops short of the top of the band because the class list it competes with is longer: no head-up display, no massage seats, no executive rear package, and before Luxe both FSD ($8,000) and Premium Connectivity were extras.

On measurable capability per dollar the Model S is among the strongest full-size luxury cases: $79,990–$84,990 buys 670 hp, a ~3.1-second 0–60, a 410-mile EPA range and native Supercharger access, undercutting the BMW i7 and Mercedes EQS by $20,000+ while beating both on range and pace. Held below a bargain verdict by a cabin that reads thin against S-Class and 7 Series rivals and compact-sedan rear headroom in a car cross-shopped against limousines.

Two trims — All-Wheel Drive and Plaid — on one battery pack and one body, with no rear-drive or standard-range entry, no long wheelbase and no hybrid or combustion alternative. Options are paint, wheels, interior colour and (before August 2025) FSD. The $15,000 step to Plaid is at least a meaningful one (1,020 hp), which keeps it just off the bottom of the band, but this is a take-it-or-leave-it lineup.

The Model S still likely outsells the EQS Sedan, i7 and Lucid Air in the US, but it is a sharply declining nameplate: Tesla folds it into an 'other models' line with the Model X whose combined global deliveries fell further in 2025, and the company had to raise prices while bundling free Supercharging and FSD to move cars. The registry records production ending in 2026, so 2025 is the penultimate year of a fading flagship.

Tesla keeps durable assets — owner loyalty, the Supercharger halo, software reputation, and the Model S/Plaid nameplate's cachet — but 2025 was the low point of brand polarisation, with consideration surveys showing defection among the affluent buyers an $85,000 sedan depends on. Against S-Class, i7 and EQS badges it is a relative liability, roughly level with Genesis and Lucid.

Scored on buyer benefit. Direct sales mean no dealer markup and transparent pricing, and because the Model S was slow-moving Tesla leaned on factory incentives through 2025 — free lifetime Supercharging on new inventory early in the year, inventory/demo discounts, and later the Luxe bundle that effectively folded ~$8,000 of FSD plus Supercharging and service into the price. Capped below EQS/i7 levels because there is no negotiation, the federal clean-vehicle credit never applied (MSRP far above the $55,000 sedan cap) and the credit itself ended on Sept 30, 2025.

2025 brought a genuine mid-cycle update (June 2025: revised fascia, front camera, adaptive headlights, quieter cabin, suspension tweaks, range to 410 mi), and OTA software keeps the interface current. But the car still rides on the original 2012 generation — 14 model years old — with a 400V architecture, ~250 kW charging and no HUD while rivals move to 800V platforms, and production ends with the 2026 model year with no announced successor.

Historically one of the most decorated cars of its era (MotorTrend Car of the Year 2013, multiple 10Best nods, a record Consumer Reports road-test score), and 2025 reviewers still praise range, efficiency, charging access and straight-line pace. But it no longer wins comparisons — the Lucid Air and German flagships take them — and critics cite rear space, interior quality for the money, the yoke/stalk-less controls, no CarPlay and below-average reliability. Coverage of the June 2025 refresh focused on the price rise as the biggest change. Squarely 'well-reviewed, rarely the pick'.