Tesla Model S review

Overview

The facelift Model S 75D is an older executive car with a large electric drivetrain, not a cheap way to buy the experience of a new Tesla. We cover UK right-hand-drive cars from 2017 and 2018 with the 75D designation and ordinary five-seat layout. It is easy to be attracted by the straight-line response and space, but this is a purchase where charging compatibility, service evidence and a repair reserve should come first. This is a desk-researched used buying assessment, drawing on Tesla's guidance and contemporary UK reviews. It is not based on driving or inspecting a specific car, and it is not a guarantee about an individual battery.

Exterior and interior

The facelift nose and long roofline help distinguish the period from the earlier Model S, but exterior styling is not sufficient to identify the drivetrain. The low-slung cabin is built around a portrait display and a broad centre console area, and the technology makes more sense if you like operating settings from a screen. Inspect the screen in daylight for discolouration, bubbles and response at the edges. With the key present, operate every door from outside and inside and check the tailgate over several cycles. Worn trim is negotiable; an intermittent handle or a failing display needs a diagnosis before you price the car.

Practicality

The rear hatch is a genuine practical advantage over executive saloons with a small boot lid. Bring your cases or dog crate: the usable height under the glass and the slope of the rear seatbacks matter more than a total that may combine front and rear compartments. We do not publish a rear-only volume that cannot be pinned to this configuration. With the front seats set correctly, have your usual rear passengers try the legroom, headroom and low seating position. Measure the width of your garage and try a tight turn near home. The spacious load area does not make it an easy car to park everywhere.

Driving experience

Auto Express's 2018 75D report describes a fast and refined car, while Autocar's used buying advice explains why condition matters once examples have aged. The appeal is quiet, unbroken acceleration and the ability to cover longer stretches without an engine or gearbox intruding. Do not expect the steering and low-speed ride of a lighter sports saloon. Test a rough road at ordinary speeds and listen for clunks that disappear on smoother tarmac. Pay attention to vibration, braking and whether the car follows the road camber unusually. Those symptoms can be caused by wheels, tyres or suspension and should not be accepted without inspection.

Performance

The 75D designation identifies the dual-motor version rather than a Performance model. Its response is much stronger than most people need to join a motorway, but a 75D should not be priced on acceleration or battery numbers copied from a P100D, a later Long Range or a software-modified car. We have not verified a primary UK system power or like-for-like sprint figure for all the build dates in scope, so those are left out of the matcher. Ask for the exact build details and confirm there are no warnings under normal acceleration and regenerative braking. A quiet test drive does not replace a diagnostic inspection of the high-voltage system.

Fuel economy

Electric efficiency changes with temperature, speed, wheel size and the energy used to heat the cabin and battery. A displayed range when you arrive is not a reliable battery-health report. For planning, 8,000 miles at an assumed three miles per kWh uses about 2,670 kWh before any extra charging losses, or roughly £750 at 28p per kWh. Repeat that calculation at the rapid-charging price you expect to pay. Tesla says cars built before May 2019 need a CCS Combo 2 upgrade for its V3 Superchargers. Get the seller to demonstrate the hardware and verify compatible sites on the journeys you actually make.

Reliability

An EV inspection should look at more than capacity. Ask the specialist to check charging faults, battery enclosure damage, suspension wear and the health of low-voltage and cabin systems. Search the service invoices for recurring problems that have been reset but not resolved. Test the retracting handles, screen and charging flap after a longer drive as well as when the car is cold. An MOT is useful history, not a high-voltage health certificate. Tesla warranty terms have changed over time; get the specific remaining terms in writing and budget as if any unclear coverage does not exist. Our confidence is limited, not a measured estimate of failure rates.

Safety

The original Model S has a historical Euro NCAP report from 2014. Do not treat that test as a new assessment of a 2017–18 UK 75D or compare its headline result directly with a modern car tested under a different protocol. Tesla's period manual explains restraints, braking and the limits of driver-assistance functions. Check the airbag and stability warnings at start-up and inspect the actual seat belts and child-restraint anchors. Driver assistance is not unattended driving and equipment varies by build and software. Check recalls using the registration and ask Tesla to confirm any outstanding work using the VIN, especially if the history contains unexplained warning messages.

Technology and features

The centre screen handles many ordinary functions, so a damaged or slow unit affects much more than the radio. Test navigation, Bluetooth, heating, window demisting and camera feed in a single session. Do not assume factory Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and verify any retrofit separately. Parking aids, heated seats and adaptive functions should be tested on the specific vehicle, not inferred from the presence of a camera or a sales listing. Confirm which software features will remain after ownership is transferred, and whether the seller can transfer the car to your Tesla account. A screenshot of the current owner's app is not an entitlement.

Running costs

Use £12,000–£22,000 as a wide buying allowance for the reviewed period, dated 6 November 2026, not as a survey of live stock or an individual valuation. In the home-charging example above, allow about £750 for energy, £200 provisionally for tax and £650–£1,350 for annual servicing, MOT and consumables. That gives roughly £1,600–£2,300 before insurance, finance, depreciation or a substantial repair. Check the actual tax, insurance and charging tariffs. A set of suitable tyres, a suspension job or a battery-related fault can change the economics far more than the electricity saving. Keep the emergency reserve separate from your maximum purchase price.

Advantages and disadvantages