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I've driven every Tesla model you can buy. Here are my favorite features.
I've driven every Tesla model you can buy. Here are my favorite features.
Matthew DeBordJan 5, 2019, 05:29 IST
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Over the years, I've driven every car Tesla has ever produced.
They've all been good, but features of individual models have stood out.
Here's a rundown of what I love about the Tesla original Roadster, the Model S, and the Model X, and the Model 3.
I wrote my first words about Tesla in January 2008. In the ten years since, the company has gone from selling one car to selling three, and from delivering a few thousand vehicles the early 2010s to 250,000 in 2018.
Each of the vehicles has its particular charms, quirks, and appealing features. I found myself reflecting on them at the beginning of 2019 as we look forward to some new machines from Elon Musk's plucky automaker: the Model Y SUV, a new Roadster, and perhaps even a pickup truck.
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Here are all my favorite features on the Tesla's I've driven:
1. Original Roadster. The first Tesla to hit the road, this straightforward electric sports car captured hearts and changed minds — an EV didn't have to be a glorified golf cart! Now discontinued, the original Roadster can still be picked up used.
It's still my favorite Tesla, although the Model 3 has me rethinking that position. I love it's open-air style.
But what I truly adore is the simple joy of driving it. The speed is electric lightening: 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds. And the feedback-heavy steering is point and shoot. Driving this car of the future is surprisingly old-school.
2. Model S. Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year! I've driven various trim levels, including a P90D that I took on an ill-fated but instructive road trip.
The Model S is luxurious and speedy, as well as a pleasure in long highway cruises. But where it really shines is in its versatility: it can carry as much cargo as a good-sized SUV, thanks to a rear hatch and a front trunk, or "frunk."
The Model S was also my introduction to Tesla's extensive Supercharger network — a fast-charging system that no competitor can really match.
3. Model X. Tesla threw every idea, good and bad, it could into its expensive SUV.
The dramatic falcon-wing doors sounded goofy when I first heard about them, but in the flesh, they're sci-fi cool.
But the best feature about the Model X? Honestly, it was how much my dog loved the vehicle!
But what really got me was the white interior. I first experienced it on the Model X, but in the more compact confines of the Model 3, it was stunning.
I know I said the Roadster is my favorite Tesla of all time. But the Model 3 Performance is probably my new darling. Electric bliss on four wheels!