Skip advert
Advertisement

Tesla Model S review – design

Some will say the Model S looks a little conservative, but we like that Tesla has avoided trying too hard

Evo rating
RRP
from £79,980
  • Remarkable and addictive acceleration, low running costs
  • Regenerative brakes make it difficult to really connect with the car

Is the Model S’s styling a little generic? Perhaps, though that could be deliberate. It looks imposing and expensive, and Tesla has resisted the temptation to adopt the weirdness that makes some other electric vehicles look like they’re trying too hard. However, without a big petrol engine the Model S doesn’t need to be the same shape as a conventional saloon and it seems like a missed opportunity not to have taken advantage of the more flexible nature of the drivetrain. There's almost no indication of the car's outrageous performance; even the top-spec Plaid model looks sedate and unassuming. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Model S has coined the family look for Tesla and its most recent car, the Model 3, shares many of the Model S's features – albeit less attractively proportioned. That also applies to the recent Model X SUV.

Where the Model S looks more individual than regular executive cars is the closed-off front ‘grille’ – cooling demands of electric cars are less than that of internal combustion ones – and in its details. Sturdy metal door handles glide out to meet you as you walk up to the car with a key in your pocket, and the car’s charging port is hidden behind an unobtrusive door forming part of the rear light cluster units. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

VW Golf GTI Clubsport for £6k off – Akrapovic exhaust effectively thrown in free
Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport deal
News

VW Golf GTI Clubsport for £6k off – Akrapovic exhaust effectively thrown in free

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport in Mk8.5 guise makes for a tempting prospect at the right price
3 Jul 2025
New Alpine A290 Rallye is an electric car we actually want, but there's a catch
Alpine A290 Rallye
News

New Alpine A290 Rallye is an electric car we actually want, but there's a catch

The A290 has proven to be one of the best performance EVs yet, and now Alpine's taking it one step further with a rally variant
3 Jul 2025
Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI
Cheap sports cars
Best cars

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI

With the sun shining and fuel prices palatable, now is the time to indulge your used sports car desires
1 Jul 2025