2025 Tesla Model S

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.

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.