2023 Tesla Model S Review

Name: 2023 Tesla Model S
Brand: Tesla

Price: $45,990

Tesla Model S Plaid Sedan Exterior Shown

The 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid is the Usain Bolt of the car world. Line it up at a drag strip and it'll outsprint pretty much anything on the road today. The Model S' hatchback practicality and access to Tesla's Supercharger network are big pluses too. Unfortunately, the Model S also has some big drawbacks, such as a frustrating interface (the steering yoke, specifically) and disappointing fit and finish.

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2023 Tesla Model S Review

by the Edmunds Experts

1/31/2023

What's new

A traditional round steering wheel returns as a no-cost option
Part of the first Model S generation introduced for 2012

What is the Model S?

The current popularity of EVs can arguably be traced back to the original Tesla Model S, which debuted in 2012. It was impressive not only as an electric vehicle but also as a luxury sedan, and Tesla has continually evolved the Model S to maintain its dominant position in the ever-growing EV segment. Currently, the Model S boasts nearly 350 miles of range, and in its Plaid configuration, over 1,000 horsepower.

Due to the somewhat erratic lifespans of Tesla's trim levels, it's a bit difficult to predict what the Model S may or may not offer in 2023. With the most recent refresh in 2021, it's fair to say that the interior, and its controversial yoke-type steering wheel, will likely remain unchanged for 2023. Where we might see the most significant changes are to the various battery and range offerings, as well as performance enhancements, mainly (hopefully) in the braking department. During our testing and subsequent review, the Plaid's mind-bending speed exposed the braking system as woefully inadequate for something so fast. Spy photos have shown a Model S testing at the famed Nürburgring fitted with carbon-ceramic brakes, so we've got our fingers crossed that equipment makes it to production.

Other luxury EVs currently or soon to be on the market to rival the Model S include the Lucid Air, the Mercedes-Benz EQS and the Porsche Taycan. These three, along with other luxury EVs, will likely undergo change in both features and battery range by the 2023 model year. To stay on top of these changes, check out our EV range leaderboard.

Edmunds says

While we don't have all the details on the 2023 Tesla Model S, it's unlikely Tesla will do anything to change the recipe of one of the most successful and influential electric cars. Because of that, if you're interested in a Model S, we don't see any reason to hold off on ordering one today.

2023 Tesla Model S EV Insights

Trim:

Model S Base

Estimated Range Based on Age

390 miles

EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 390 miles.

Estimated range mapfrom

Charging

NACS

Plug Type

15 hrs

240V Home Charging

28 min

DC Fast Charging

edmunds TESTED

EV batteries should be kept at 30-80% charged to extend battery life.

When can I use NACS/Tesla charging stations?

EV Battery Warranty

8 yrs or 150,000 miles

According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.

Estimated battery warranty remaining is 6 years or 122,000 miles for this car.

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

$4,125

Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

Restrictions:
Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer. Not every version of the vehicle models will necessarily qualify. Please check with the dealer/seller to determine the eligibility of your specific vehicle.

For the vehicle to qualify:
- Price cannot exceed $25,000.
- Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
- Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased.
- Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted.
- Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.
For individuals to qualify:
- Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status.
- Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle.
- Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle.
- Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.
To learn more, visit https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/used-clean-vehicle-credit
Restrictions:
Dominion Energy offers EV owners a rebate of up to $125 towards the cost of a Level 2 charging station.
To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements:
- Receive electricity from Dominion Energy.
- Have an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
- Networked/Smart charging capabilities to program the station to off-peak periods and respond to managed charging events
- You also earn a $40 e-gift card on the anniversary of your enrollment every year you remain enrolled.
To learn more, visit https://www.chargingrewards.com/faqs/dominion-ev/

See All EV incentives

Cost to Drive

$54/mo

Model S

$195/mo

Car Avg.

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work
If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station
Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more

Learn more about EV charging

See All EV Insights

See Edmunds pricing data

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#1 out of 1 among Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicles

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$823/yr

vs. $823/yr
for Average Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Frequency

0.36x/yr

vs. 0.4x/yr
for Average Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Severity

15.2%

vs. 15.2%
for Average Luxury Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Tesla Model S Owner Reviews

3.1

38 reviews

5(37%)

4(13%)

3(5%)

2(16%)

1(29%)

See all 38 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Service needs help

j Chana, 10/25/2021

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

The car itself is amazing….BUT there are ALOTTT OF little things that need work. The way Tesla delivers 145k cars/suvs is very very poor at best. Service is worse in all auto industry, my plaid broke down on me 3rd day…yes 3rd day. Took them 3 days to get it towed due to my location, and I didn’t have a car for 2 weeks. Broke down for the 2nd time and when I was talking with the service …

Great design horrible build

Adam in Colorado, 12/04/2021

2021 Tesla Model S Long Range 4dr Sedan AWD w/Prod. End 11/21 (electric DD)

The design of this car is amazing. Auto pilot is great on the highway though it requires that you jiggle the steering wheel (yoke) to know you are there which is kind of annoying as my hand is on the wheel just not torquing it enough. The build quality however is miserable. Panel gaps are all over the place, they actually have a tool to know if things are bad enough to fix so they …

Chicago Model S Longrange

Vince D, 07/06/2023

2022 Tesla Model S 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

I purchased this Model S in August 2022. The Model S is white with cream interior looks very nice. The white which is free has sparkles in paint and looks great. The cream interior looks so good and the vegan leather feels and looks good and clean easily. The 19" standard tires run well and with the plastic covers off the rims look very good I get many complements. I added caps and … a center cap to clean up the mags. The Model S is so fast I but I prefer the vehicle on standard which a bit slower but still fast and I set the drive to comfort for a nice smooth ride vs the sport ride. The electronics takes a bit of time to get comfortable with but eventually I'm fine with making custom changes to fit my driving needs. The yoke steering takes a while to get comfortable with and some won't like that. I'm good with it as I like the look and the handling is acceptable to me. Making turns can be an issue if you buy you might be better off with the round standard wheel. I like the navigation and voice system and the sound system all work well. I also think the a/c settings for the air direction works very well although there should be the ability to shutdown passenger air if desired. All the controls on the yoke are fine except the horn needs some improvement, way to small an area. I like the idea of all the controls on the yoke and no stalks or other buttons except for what you can do on the screen electronically. The space in this model S is tremendous, the trunk lower level is deep and stores huge amounts of stuff the trunk itself is large and if you drop the 2 back seats it's incredible what you fit in the back area. The fronk is nice but I don't use it much but it's there. This model S long-range is so fast and the regenerative breaks work well and once you get into them you can drive very long distances and never use the break pad. The technolgy in the Model S takes some time to get comfortable with but if you're a techy you will love it and if not you won't. The battery is close to capacity ratings as long as you're not in cold weather (freezing), speeds above 70, and stop and go traffic. Cold weather really drops the range by 10-20%. If you run heaters, heated seats and drive hard the model S battery is easily down 20% in range. This is not Tesla but EV's. But the model S does get up to 405 miles and that range is accurate before driving experience delivers actual. I've charged on Tesla charging at super high speeds and it is very fast charging maybe 1/2 hour to 200 + miles. They need to continue to work on build quality mine had 2 small issues and I've not had the model S back to Tesla but that one time for the fixes. Tesla maintenance did a great job I have no issue with their technical people and they were very friendly and helpful. I like the look I like the drive, I like the technology and I like the saving fuel costs as well as the environment. Great EV and vehicle the latest pricing seems more in line should be below $90,000.

Great car, terrible service and buggy software

Venky, 06/07/2021

2021 Tesla Model S Long Range 4dr Sedan AWD w/Prod. End 11/21 (electric DD)

I bought a Tesla Model S long range in December 2020 to replace an old but trusty Lexus. I can say with confidence that this is the best car I have ever driven. It accelerates faster than a Porsche, handles curves better than a BMW, rides smoother than a Lexus. Of course, the benefits of an all-electric car that can be charged at home are well known by now. However, once the thrill of …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Tesla Model S, so we've included reviews for other years of the Model S since its last redesign.

See all 38 reviews of the Tesla Model S

Write a vehicle review

2023 Tesla Model S video

U-DRAG RACE: Lucid Air Sapphire vs. Tesla Model S Plaid | Quarter Mile, Handling & More

Welcome back to Edmunds U-Drags, our series of down-and-back drag races that incorporate a standing quarter mile, handling, and a rolling start all in one race! This particular race is one we’ve been itching to run for some time: the Lucid Air Sapphire takes on the Tesla Model S Plaid with the Track Pack in the ultimate battle of electrons.

2023 Model S Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$74,990
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,125 Based on income
Engine Type	Electric
EPA Electric Range	405 miles
Cost to Drive	$54/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	15.0 hours
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	28.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
EV Battery Warranty	8 years / 150,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Model S models:

Autopilot: Uses four cameras and a dozen sensors to monitor and improve safety and provide semi-automated operation in various driving situations.
Automatic Emergency Braking: Determines if a front collision is imminent and can brake to prevent or mitigate a crash if you take no action.
Lane Departure Warning: Warns you of an unintended lane change or drifting from the lane. Optional automated steering can steer the car back into the lane.

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2023 Tesla Model S Review

Price & Payment

2023 Tesla Model S Review

What's new

What is the Model S?

Edmunds says

2023 Tesla Model S EV Insights

Estimated Range Based on Age

Charging

EV Battery Warranty

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

Cost to Drive

Am I Ready for an EV?

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Tesla Model S Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Service needs help

Great design horrible build

Chicago Model S Longrange

Great car, terrible service and buggy software

2023 Tesla Model S video

U-DRAG RACE: Lucid Air Sapphire vs. Tesla Model S Plaid | Quarter Mile, Handling & More

2023 Model S Highlights

Safety

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