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Tesla Model S Plaid — US review

Tesla Model S Plaid Review (2025–)

Three Motors, Two Seconds, One Yoke

Tesla US review Since 2025 By the True Motion Auto editorial team

With 1,020 hp from three motors and a 0–60 of 1.99 seconds, the 2025 Tesla Model S Plaid is the quickest production sedan ever made — wrapped in a quietly luxurious 5-seater that goes 359 miles on a charge.

Vehicle Overview

Vehicle SegmentSedan
Body StyleFull-size luxury sedan
Release Year2025
Trim/Variant ReviewedPlaid
Available TrimsLong Range, Plaid

Key Specifications (Tesla Model S Plaid)

MotorTri-motor (1 front + 2 rear) carbon-sleeved rotors producing 1020 hp and 1420 Nm
TransmissionSingle-speed automatic
Battery99 kWh lithium-ion
EPA Range359 miles
DC Fast ChargingUp to 250 kW
DrivetrainAWD

0–60 mph: 1.99s

Top speed200 mph
Dimensions197.7" L × 78.2" W × 56.9" H
Curb weight4,828 lb
Cargo28 cu ft
Seats5

Exterior Design

Sleek, low-drag silhouette (Cd 0.208) almost unchanged since 2012 — and still ages well

Standard 19" Tempest wheels; optional 21" Arachnid forged wheels

Active rear spoiler raises automatically above 60 mph

Available in Pearl White, Solid Black, Stealth Grey, Deep Blue Metallic, Ultra Red

Interior, Comfort & Materials

17" landscape touchscreen plus 8" rear-seat display and digital driver display

Heated and ventilated front seats; heated rear seats standard

Genuine wood trim (Black Ash or Carbon Fiber on Plaid) — material quality vastly improved

Tri-zone climate; HEPA-filtered Bioweapon Defense Mode

Rear-seat 8" touchscreen with gaming and streaming

Features & Infotainment

17" main touchscreen runs an integrated AAA-class GPU game console

Premium 22-speaker, 960W audio system with active noise cancellation

Tesla Appremote climate, summon, scheduled departure, location tracking

Optional Full Self-Driving (Supervised)

Yoke steering option (now optional, traditional round wheel standard from 2023 refresh)

Safety & Ratings

Autopilot standard with traffic-aware cruise + Autosteer

Automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, side collision avoidance

360° camera coverage and cabin overheat protection

IIHSTop Safety Pick
NHTSA5-star overall rating

Driving Performance & Handling

Plaid does 0–60 in 1.99 seconds with rollout subtracted, 2.4 seconds without — both numbers are among the quickest cars ever timed.

Carbon-sleeved rotor motors enable sustained high-speed performance without thermal derating.

Top speed of 200 mph (with Track Package) makes this the world's fastest sedan.

Air suspension, adaptive damping, and rear-axle torque vectoring deliver surprising agility for the size.

EV Range & Charging

EPA Range359 miles
Real-world Range~290 miles mixed
DC Fast Charging (peak)250 kW

10–80% DC charging: approximately 28 minutes

AC Charging (Level 2)11.5 kW
Efficiency3.6 mi/kWh

Practicality & Everyday Usability

28 cu ft total cargo (frunk + trunk + sub-trunk)

Excellent rear legroom for a high-performance sedan

Heated/ventilated front and heated rear seats standard

Cabin filtration and pre-conditioning make it a year-round comfort piece

Warranty & Maintenance

Basic warranty4 years / 50,000 miles
Powertrain warranty8 years / 150,000 miles
EV battery warranty8 years / 150,000 miles, 70% capacity retention

On-Road Price & Value for Money

Starting MSRP$89,990

Considering its competition and equipment level, the 2025 Tesla Model S offers competitive value for the segment.

Comparison with Rivals

Key competitors include the Lucid Air Sapphire, Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Mercedes-AMG EQS and BMW i7 M70.

The Lucid Air Sapphire is the only sedan that genuinely beats the Plaid on numbers (and price), but the Tesla's Supercharger network and tighter dimensions make it the more usable choice. The Taycan Turbo S has better steering feel; the i7 M70 has more luxury but is much heavier and slower.

Pros & Cons

Pros

1.99-second 0–60 — among the quickest production cars ever

359-mile EPA range despite the supercar performance

Unmatched Supercharger network for cross-country travel

Cavernous interior and frunk + trunk practicality

Constant OTA improvements over ownership

Cons

Cabin material quality good but trails German rivals at this price

Yoke (when optioned) compromises low-speed maneuvering

Touchscreen-centric controls remain divisive

Air suspension can feel firm on broken city pavement

Overall Rating

4.4 / 5 — based on segment expectations, value, performance, and practicality.

Final Verdict

The 2025 Model S Plaid remains a category of one — a 5-seat, 7-foot-long luxury sedan that does 0–60 in under 2 seconds and goes 359 miles between Superchargers. If you can stomach the Tesla cabin minimalism and want the world's most capable EV sedan, this is the answer.

Specifications, prices and equipment were current at publication and vary by model year, trim and market. Verify final details with a franchised dealer before ordering. Read how we review cars and our editorial policy.