Tesla Model S 2022 Review

The Tesla Model S is the car that kickstarted the EV revolution we're living through right now. For a while, the Model S didn't have any true rivals because automakers were playing catchup in the electric vehicle market, but now the competition has finally arrived. The Porsche Taycan, Mercedes EQS and Lucid Air want a piece of the market the Model S has owned for the thick end of the decade.

Tesla recently gave the Model S a thorough refresh inside and out, with a massaged look, a new infotainment screen and the much-talked-about steering yoke. Tesla originally claimed that it would make a Plaid+ version with a 520-mile range as well as 1,100 horsepower but has since walked that back. Plaid is as quick as the Model S is going to get for now, but as our testing has shown, it's plenty more than enough.

There are some drawbacks here. Despite constant improvements over the years, the Model S' interior isn't quite as refined as those in similarly priced rivals. Style might also be a turnoff — the Model S' design is now a decade old and doesn't really stand out anymore. Effectively, the competition is well on its way to catching what was once the undisputed king of the EV world. So does the Model S still stack up in 2022? Take a look at our Expert Rating to find out.

Which Model S does MatoCar recommend?

[Editor's note: The following information is based on last year's 2021 Model S. We expect the 2022 model will have a similar lineup and we'll update this section once we have complete information.] The 2022 Tesla Model S is a five-passenger electric luxury sedan currently available in two trims: Long Range and Plaid. Previously, Tesla offered a Performance trim but phased it out in favor of the new Plaid trim. Here's what the Model S comes with, but be aware that Tesla updates the Model S on an ongoing basis rather than by model year, so additional changes may occur throughout 2022.

Long Range Standard features include:

• 405 miles of EV range
• Touted 0-60 mph acceleration of 3.1 seconds
• All-wheel drive
• Adaptive air suspension
• LED headlights and foglights
• Tinted glass roof
• Power liftgate
• Heated front- and second-row seats
• 22-speaker sound system
• Power-adjustable, heated steering wheel
• 17-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation system
• Driver information display
• Rear-seat entertainment display with gaming computer
• Wireless smartphone charging pad

Every Model S also comes with a suite of safety systems that Tesla calls Autopilot. It includes:

• Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
• Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Tesla and the car in front)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Plaid Tesla's top trim level, the Plaid gets maximum performance via an upgraded battery system and an additional motor. Tesla says it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2 seconds and provide 396 miles of range.

Tesla's so-called Full Self-Driving Capability option is available on the Model S. It adds nifty semi-automated driving features, including automated parking and the ability to change lanes simply by flicking the turn signal. It also adds the Summon feature, which Tesla says enables the vehicle to drive unmanned to its owner in a parking lot. Tesla also says the Full Self-Driving Capability feature will gain additional automated driving capabilities in the future via over-the-air updates.

Larger 21-inch wheels are optional, though adding them reduces vehicle range slightly.