Thanks to its unparalleled energy efficiency, amazing acceleration time, and excellent safety ratings, the Tesla Model S is widely regarded as the best all-electric vehicle of all, and better than many mass-production gasoline-powered vehicles. That is why it should come as no surprise that it was named the best overall vehicle by Consumer Reports for two consecutive years, which is an amazing feat for a vehicle that was introduced to the market a couple of years ago. The luxury electric sedan scored 99 points in 2013, when it topped Consumer Reports’ list for the first time, which was the highest score awarded to a vehicle by the country’s largest independent consumer publication.
Now, as if the record-breaking 99 points scored by the Model S weren’t a good enough verification of the car’s quality and reliability, Consumer Reports has announced that the highest-performance version of the sedan has earned an overall score of 103 points, which means that it basically broke the magazine’s rating system, considering that it rates vehicles on a 100-point scale. The Tesla Model S P85D was awarded 103 points after being tested on public roads and racing tracks, which forced the magazine to make some adjustment to its scoring system and bring the car’s final score down to 100, and prevent other vehicles from receiving more than 100 points in the future.
The all-electric sedan’s incredible acceleration time is one of the main reasons why it received such a high score by Consumer Reports’ testers. The high-performance version can go from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, which is almost 2 seconds quicker than the base version, and quicker than every other car that has ever been tested by Consumer Reports. These performances are an amazing feat for the Model S, given that it is only powered by an electric motor.
Additionally, the Model S P85D has a great driving range going in its favor. Powered by a 85-kWh battery pack, it is capable of traveling up to 250 miles before it needs to be recharged, delivering an equivalent of 87 miles per gallon, according to the EPA. This makes it superior to every other electric car on the market when it comes to range, which is a huge competitive advantage.
However, Consumer Reports notes that the Model S P85D should not be considered to be a perfect vehicle, despite awarding it a “perfect” score of 100 points.
“To be clear, the Tesla’s 100 score doesn’t make the P85D a perfect car—even at $127,820. It has imperfections. The interior materials aren’t as opulent as other high-ticket automobiles, and its ride is firmer and louder than the base Model S,” said the magazine in a statement.
Be that as it may, even if Consumer Reports is quick to say that the Model S is not perfect, the 100-point score should be indication enough that it is at least better than all other cars that are currently available for purchase.