Tesla Model S 75D All-Wheel Drive auto 5d Owner Review

75D All-Wheel Drive auto 5d
Tesla Model S review (2023)

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In their own words

I've always liked the idea of going green but range has always been a concern. Not so with the Tesla. Our previous car was a Porsche Cayenne Turbo and I can honestly say this car feels like a rocket in comparison. The pickup is extreme like a rollercoaster, and it's there whenever you want it such as overtaking at 80MPH. Just put your foot down and it goes. No waiting for gear drop downs or rev ups. It just comes instantly. Not only that, the lack of vibration and noise from an engine make this car the smoothest ride achievable. The only noise you hear is the other cars outside. I've had a few minor issues as described above but nothing out of the ordinary for a new car. From what I understand with other car manufacturers, new cars often have minor issues that need to be tweaked. Tesla could do with a better end of line finesse check, but overall quality is great especially in the Premium package which I think is the only essential add on in addition to AWD. Compared to the Porsche Cayenne premium: Cayenne seats more comfortable, Tesla entertainment system second to non, Speaker systems marginally better in Porsche but to most people's ears you won't know the difference, tesla park assist and driver assist superior in Tesla, minimalist interior superior in Tesla (why do Porsche think we want more buttons!), boot capacity superior in Tesla compared to Cayenne. Range: if you drive for 5 miles and then stop for more than 1hr, you'll get the equivalent of 450Wh/m - the car has to heat the battery. This gives you real world range of about 160Miles (30 short trips) in a 75D. Drive on motorways no faster than 80MPH and you'll get 200+ miles of range from a complete charge. We drove to Megeve and back with the kids and it was a pleasure with auto pilot and when you stop every 2 hours for a 30min pee and coffee break the cars charged and ready to go again at 85MPH. I was unsure about taking the plunge, but, like the smartphone I have, there's no going back to a petrol engine. I will never need to stand in a rainy, cold, oily forecourt to get my fuel.

How reliable do you find the car?

Driver side trim out by 3mm. They've ordered replacements to be fitted. Screen washer fluid sensor fault. Item on order to be replaced. Occasionally left side mirror doesn't fully extend - usually after a cold night - can be extended manually. Mirror mechanism will be replaced when I book it in. Driver side speaker started to rattle. Will be tightened when next in.
  • How they rated it

  • Reliability: 4 out of 5 4.0
  • Meets Expectations: 5 out of 5 5.0
  • Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 5.0
  • John Durcan recommends this car

About their car

  • Fuel type Electric
  • When purchased December 2016
  • Condition when bought New
  • Current Mileage 5,000 miles
  • Average range on full charge 217 miles