2013 Tesla Model S

Best car I have ever owned or driven

By Silicon Valley guy (CA) on Thursday, May 23, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 4,500

Pros: "Luxury sports car for the whole family"

Cons: "3G reception on winding mountain roads you seek"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"An all electric car that doesn't look like an electric car, is fun to drive and makes you feel good while looking great! The acceleration is breathtaking. Forget 0 to 60 on which this car will leave others in the dust. The consistent smoothness of going from 60 to 90 without any delay changes the way you will drive. No waiting for the passing gear to kick in it feels more like a modern roller coaster getting going than any car I've ever driven. Maintenance is non- existent with no gas, oil or radiator fluids to monitor, in fact the only user maintained feature is the windshield washer reservoir. The direct drive dual induction motors on the rear wheels smoothly take energy out of the 85kWh battery when pressing the accelerator and put it back in when you take your foot off. Software upgrades add new features to the car automatically overnight while charging. You will need to put a 240v 30 to 60 amp service in your garage to recharge from a days driving using power companies low time of use rate plans. It will cost you about $2 for 100 miles of charge on the PG&E EV rate schedule overnight. With gas at $4 per gallon that is equivalent to 200 mpg on a cost basis. The superchargers are very impressive recharging a car in 30 to 60 minutes for free. The low center of gravity makes the car perform very well on cornering. This car defines a new category as luxury sports car for the family. The interior is spacious and comfortable with ample seating and storage where the engine and trunk are on regular cars. Some luxury features are missing like back up alerts and vanity mirror lights but these are quickly overlooked based on the overall enjoyment of the drive. The car is entirely drive by wire with all the controls, information and entertainment provided through a central 17" flat screen tablet display built into the console. Intuitive transfer of relative data from the infotainment display to the dashboard is amazing. Turn by turn directions that include number of turning lanes and a picture of the exit sign are delightful. I bought the car because I felt that 100% electric is the way to go. I'm pleased that it performs so well and looks so cool!"

9 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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Awesome car

By JB (NJ) on Saturday, May 04, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 300

Pros: "Efficiency, touch controls and a joy to drive"

Cons: "Too few cup holders, missing a couple features"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I've driven lots of nice cars, from BMW's to Porsche's, and my Model S is the best car I've ever owned or driven. To be able to combine the performance of an exceptional sports car with comfort of a luxury car AND the efficiency better than any hybrid is what I find to be most remarkable. Range is the biggest compromise, but my range so far has been close to rated (200+ miles on regular charge with the 85kw battery and limited use of climate control), which is fine for me 95% of the time (will swap with my wife's car for longer trips where I don't want to worry about it). Also, love the touch screen center stack...definitely ahead of its time and it works great. The car has a feel of quality. Yes, it's missing some features (parking sensors, blind spot monitor, etc), but the sum of the car more than makes up for the lack of a couple missing options. I have also had a couple minor hiccups -- defective 3G antenna needed to be replaced and waiting on a fix to the tire pressure warning that keeps popping up, but overall, I love the car. Best advise for anyone doubting the performance or otherwise on the fence is to drive the car."

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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