If I want to schedule a trip on my car for the next morning without having to go down to my apartment’s garage, I should be able to, it just makes sense. The entire point of scheduling a departure is telling it when you will next be in the car, so why do I need to go down to the car just to tell it I’m going to use it at (insert time)
""
Description
– ISOfix /LATCH anchor points for 3rd row seats Model Y, these exist in MODEL X.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
–
Status
Unknown.
Steering Wheel
At the start of 2021, Tesla introduced a new steering wheel for the Model S and X. While similar to one introduced on the new Roadster in 2018, it’s gotten a lot of positive and negative attention. While we’ve yet to drive a car with the new wheel, we can bust some of the myths and talk about what is known today. (Feb-2021).
Background • Is it Legal? • Safety• Ergonomics • Handling • No Stalks • Sources
Background
Car makers today often buy parts like the steering wheel from an outside supplier, and with badging and minor tweaks, they are all similar. It requires an airbags, a horn button, and various stalks. Newer designs offer some additional buttons and controls on the steering wheel.
It must also meet safety standards for collapsing in a crash. It is easy to just pick the same old design year after year, perhaps with a different shade of wrapping. The shape of the steering wheel has not changed much in 50+ years on cars. It has been a good design, but automakers have been unwilling to look at what could be improved.
Tesla’s new steering wheel offers several benefits but is quite radical to most at first glance. It reminds one of the yokes used in most airplanes for the last 70 years or those used in the fastest race cars.
Is it legal?
In the UK and EU, others have reported there is no issue. For the USA, NHTSA so far has refused to comment on the compliance of the new steering wheel. As far as I can find, there is no requirement for the shape of a steering wheel. It could even be triangular, but that would be uncomfortable!
Now some have pointed out Pennsylvania has an inspection requirement:
The steering wheel, except if specially designed for handicapped drivers, is not circular or equivalent in strength to original equipment or has an outside diameter less than 13 inches.
There is no PA law anyone can find that states it must be circular, and my reading of this inspection requirement is referring to steering wheel replacements. The Tesla steering wheel meets the OEM’s original strength, seeing how it has not been replaced.
Safety
One major reason for this design is to eliminate the dangerous hand positions on circular steering wheels above the centerline. If during a crash, your hands are on the upper part of a conventional steering wheel, the airbag will likely break both of your wrists. It may also cause further harm if the bag pushes a hand into your face.
Ergonomics
This is hard to access without driving a car with the new design, but here are some of the likely factors:
Advantages
- Easier for the driver to get into and out of the car
- Hand positions look comfortable
- Improved visibility to the instrument cluster
- No interference with air vents directed at your face
Disadvantages
- Different than what owners are used to
- Sharp low-speed turns may be harder if a full rotation is needed
Handling
At 65 mph, little input is needed with current Tesla vehicles. I measure about 5 degrees of turn needed for changing lanes, and about 15 degrees for a sharp turn at speed. Going around a cloverleaf at 30 mph required about 180 degrees. As you go slower, you can make sharper turns. The maximum steering wheel turning from the center to lock is about 400 degrees, a little more than one full rotation.
Tesla currently uses speed-sensitive variable-ratio steering, used by many manufacturers for many years. We expect the new system will include this feature. It is possible that the ratio is changed so that less angle of turn is needed for the sharpest low-speed turns.
No Stalks!
The removal of all stalks is another controversial change Tesla has made. Ok, let’s look at each stalk and the Tesla alternative.
Gear Selector Stalk
The prior stalk offers Park, Drive, Neutral, or Reverse selections. The new design implements an AI solution. When you press on the brake, the car automatically sets the selection. In addition, there is a manual override with physical buttons below the phone chargers. The buttons are not shown in any of the first cabin pictures, so it was a late design change.
Turn Signal Stalk
On prior vehicles, there are two modes for each direction. There is a 3-flash mode that stops automatically and continuous blinker mode. The continuous mode stops after the steering wheel is turned or you manually stop the blinker. The turn signal stalk also controls the high beam and wipers.
With the new steering wheel, the blinker and high-beam controls are soft buttons on the left side that you use your thumb to control. Our early guess is the multiple blinker modes are controlled with a short or long-press as done on higher-end motorcycles.
The wiper control is now on a button on the right side. Perhaps a short press turns it on/off, and a long press is used for the washer. Controls likely appear on the display when the wiper is active to make further adjustments.
Autopilot Stalk
We believe this is controlled with the button on the right side, between the horn and wiper button.
Steering Wheel Position Stalk
This is used to set the depth and height of the steering wheel. Our guess is this is activated from the display, and the left scroll wheel is used to control the depth and height.
Sources
Description
Squirt windscreen washer fluid without wiping.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
Useful to flush non-antifreeze washer fluid out before replacing the fluid with antifreeze fluid.
This change might only work when parked via a Controls UI button above the wiper maintenance mode button and via a button in the mobile app. It should also work when wipers are in the maintenance position.
Status
Unknown.
(edited by moderator)
rating;;3,2,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Description
Show compatible non-Tesla charging stations on the car’s navigation screen.
Status
In the USA, some EVvgo locations are now Tesla compatible.
In Europe, charging networks that are Tesla compatible include ENBW, ADAC, Allegro, Fastned, and others.
Status
Unknown.
(edited by moderator)
rating;;4,4,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Description
Currently, the map has 3 viewing options: north-up, heading/guidance, and trip. Change this to remember the user’s map-viewing preference for different activities:
- Car in Park
- Driver searching for destination (i.e. typing or viewing list of destination results).
- Car in gear (or even possibly neutral).
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
Personally, I would configure these to 1)north-up, 2) north-up 3)heading/guidance. It would not require any UI changes.
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;3,2,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Comparisons of the Model S variants for 2021 prior to and after Tesla’s major update. (Feb-2021)
Basic Facts
The New Model S LR and Plaid started production in March 2021. The Model S LR+ and Performance variants ended production in December 2020. All four cars carry the 2021 model year vehicle identification. The Plaid+ is not shown, but is the same as Plaid, but offers over 520+ miles range, a bit faster, uses the new 4680 cells, and costs $20K more.
| Item | Model S New LR |
Model S New Plaid |
Model S Old LR+ |
Model S Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Price | $79,990 |
$119,990 |
$69,420 |
$91,990 |
| Price with every option (see below) | $99,990 |
$140,490 |
$89.840 |
$112,340 |
| EPA Range | 412 mi |
390 mi* |
402 mi |
387 mi |
| EPA Efficiency (w/19" wheels) | 29 kWh/100 mi |
31 kWh/100 mi |
29 kWh/100 mi |
31 kWh/100 mi |
| Battery Power | 100 kWh* |
100 kWh* |
100 kWh |
100 kWh |
| Battery Usable | 95 kWh* |
95 kWh* |
95 kWh* |
95 kWh* |
| Battery Cell Type | 18650 Cell |
18650 Cell |
18650 Cell |
18650 Cell |
| Battery Cell Vendor | Tesla/Panasonic |
Tesla/Panasonic |
Tesla/Panasonic |
Tesla/Panasonic |
| Battery 12V type | Lithium-Ion |
Lithium-Ion |
AGM Lead Acid |
AGM Lead Acid |
| Maximum Speed | 155 mph |
200 mph |
155 mph |
162 mph |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.1 sec |
2.0 sec |
3.7 sec |
2.3 sec |
| Peak Power | 670 hp |
1,020 hp |
557 hp |
778 hp |
| Maximum Regen | 50 kW |
unknown |
50 kW |
50 kW |
| Cargo Space, Seats Up | 28.0 cu ft |
28.0 cu ft |
28.0 cu ft |
28.0 cu ft |
| Cargo Space, Seats Down | 60.2 cu ft |
60.2 cu ft |
60.2 cu ft |
60.2 cu ft |
| Seats (standard/optional) | 5/7 |
5/7 |
5 |
5 |
| Max Charging Rate | 250 kW |
250 kW |
250 kW |
250 kW |
| Max Charging Speed | 800 mi/hour |
800 mi/hour |
800 mi/hour |
800 mi/hour |
| Alternate Charging Rate** | 150 kW |
150 kW |
150 kW |
150 kW |
| Alternate Charging Speed | 483 mi/hour |
483 mi/hour |
483 mi/hour |
483 mi/hour |
| Best AC Charging Rate | 11.25 kW |
11.25 kW |
11.25 kW |
11.25 kW |
| Cd (drag coefficient) | 0.208 |
0.208 |
0.23 |
0.23 |
| Weight | 4,561 lbs |
4,766 lbs |
4,883 lbs |
4,941 lbs |
* Estimated.
Options
This is a price list of all available options.
| Feature | Model S New LR |
Model S New Plaid |
Model S Old LR+ |
Model S Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Fiber Spoiler | n/a |
Included |
n/a |
Included |
| Enhanced Auto-Theft | Included |
Included |
$350 |
$350 |
| Full-Self Driving | $10000 |
$10000 |
$10000 |
$10000 |
| Interior Color White or Cream (Black Std) | $1500 |
n/a |
$1500 |
$1500 |
| Interior Color Black and White | n/a |
$2000 |
n/a |
n/a |
| Paint Black, Silver or Blue (White Std) | $1500 |
$1500 |
$1500 |
$1500 |
| Paint Red Multi-Coat | $2500 |
$2500 |
$2500 |
$2500 |
| Wheels 21" (19" std) | $4500 |
$4500 |
$4500 |
$4500 |
| TOTAL | $20,000 |
$20,500 |
$20,350 |
$20,350 |
Feature Differences
This is a list of feature differences, where one variant offers something different than another.
| Special Features/Options | Model S New LR |
Model S New Plaid |
Model S Old LR+ |
Model S Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Canceling | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| AI Gear Selection | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Air Suspension | Likely* |
Likely* |
Yes |
Yes |
| Audio Peak-Power | 960W |
960W |
560W |
560W |
| Audio Speakers, cabin | 22 |
22 |
12 |
12 |
| Carbon Fiber Decor | n/a |
Yes |
n/a |
Yes |
| Carbon-sleeved Rotors | n/a |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Center screen orientation | Landscape |
Landscape |
Portrait |
Portrait |
| Chrome Delete | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Climate Zones | 3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| Cup holders | 4 |
4 |
6 |
6 |
| Display Control | MCU3 |
MCU3 |
MCU2 |
MCU2 |
| Display Resolution, center | 2200x1300 |
2200x1300 |
1080x1920 |
1080x1920 |
| Displays | 3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| Displays area, combined | 200 sq in.* |
200 sq in.* |
180 sq in. |
180 sq in. |
| Door Pockets | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Door Releases, Electronic | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Enhanced Anti-Theft | Yes |
Yes |
Optional |
Optional |
| Enhanced Battery Cooling | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Heat Pump | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Interior Camera | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Phone Key, Keycards and FOB | Yes |
Yes |
FOB only |
FOB only |
| Rear Fold-down center armrest | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Rear seats electric release | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Rear seats fold flat | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Seats - Perforated, Ventilated front | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Seats - Third Row | Optional* |
Optional* |
n/a |
n/a |
| Steering Wheel Selection Controls | 12 |
12 |
6 |
6 |
| Steering Wheel Stalks | 0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
| Steering Wheel, Racing inspired | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Tilting Center Screen | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Tires, Advanced | Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Torque Vectoring | n/a |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
| Traction Motors | 2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| USB Charging | Fast |
Fast |
Normal |
Normal |
| USB Charging Ports | 5* |
5* |
4 |
4 |
| USB Type | USB-C |
USB-C |
USB-A |
USB-A |
| Ventilation control, Front | Electronic |
Electronic |
Manual |
Manual |
| Wireless phone charging | 4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
* Unconfirmed or estimated
Exterior Changes
The new Model S includes the following exterior changes:
- The front facia has a larger air inlet and is more aerodynamic
- The rear facia is changed to be more aerodynamic
- The standard 19″ rims have inserts to be more aerodynamic
- The front fog light and cornering light is changed
- Most items previously in chrome are now blacked out
- The chrome strip below the doors is gone
Common Features
These are features related to all 2021 Model S variants.
| Charging | Notes |
|---|---|
| Fast Charging up to 250 kW | At V3 Superchargers |
| Includes Mobile Connector | With 120v and J1772 adapters |
| Largest Network of Charge Connections | 23,277 by end of 2020 |
| Plug-in and Charge | Easiest system to use |
| Schedule Charging | Allows home charging at lowest rates |
| Superior Design | Lightweight and compact connectors |
| Full-Self-Driving Option | Notes |
|---|---|
| Auto-Lane Change | When Auto-steer active |
| Autopark | For parallel and perpendicular parking |
| Autosteer | Maintains within a marked lane |
| Location-to-Location Self Driving | Future feature |
| Navigate on Autopilot | Navigates from on-ramp to off-ramp |
| Smart Summon | Brings the vehicle to you via the phone App |
| Interior | Notes |
|---|---|
| All LED lighting | Improved longevity |
| Auto Dimming Mirrors | Both sides and rear-view mirror |
| Auto-Garage Open/Close | With Homelink |
| Automatic Keyless Entry | |
| Automatic Wipers | Manual and automatic modes |
| Backup Camera | High-definition |
| Bluetooth Phone Connection | For hands-free talking, contacts, calendar |
| Dashcam | Records 4 video camera streams |
| Driver Profiles | Includes Easy Access profile for entry/exit |
| FM, FM HD and XM radios | |
| Heated Seats | |
| Heated Steering Wheel | |
| Homelink | GPS aware |
| Interior Accent Lighting | LED |
| Lighted Door Handles | LED |
| Maps - Points of interest and Charging locations | Shows charging stall availablity and more |
| Maps - Real-time Traffic Monitoring | Color coded traffic levels |
| Maps - Resident and Google Maps | With free updates |
| Maps - Road and Satellite Views | |
| Maps - with Navigation | Includes pinch to zoom or rotate |
| Mobile App Remote Control | Shows vehicle location, status and more |
| Over-the-Air updates | Free, often with new features and enhancements |
| Panoramic Glass Roof | Tinted, IR and UV filtered |
| Power Folding Mirrors | Heated and profile memory position |
| Power Front Seats | 12-way and driver profile memory |
| Power liftgate | With lift-height memory |
| Power Windows | One-touch |
| Puddle Lights | LED |
| Retracting Door Handles | Automatic extension on approach |
| Secondary storage | Frunk and under Trunk |
| Sentry Mode | Dashcam records activity while parked |
| Sign Reading | Stop signs, Traffic lights, Speed |
| Streaming Audio without a Phone | Slacker, Spotify and TuneIn |
| Tesla Arcade | Wide range of games to play while parked |
| Tesla Theater | Connect to your Netflix, Hulu, Hulu+ and YouTube |
| Traffic-Aware Cruse Control | |
| USB Music Player | ACC, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG, WAV files |
| Voice Activated Controls | With hundreds of commands |
| Washer Nozzle Heaters | |
| Wiper Blades Defroster |
| Safety | Notes |
|---|---|
| 360 Degree Driving Visualization | Shows cars, bicyclists and pedestrians |
| Air Suspension | GPS aware, ability to raise height for more clearance |
| Airbags - Eight | Driver and passenger heads, knees, and pelvis plus two side curtain airbags |
| All-Wheel Drive | Independent front/rear motors adds safety over clunky ICE AWD systems |
| Antilock Brakes | |
| Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Blind-spot Warning | With visual vehicle placement |
| Collision Avoidance | |
| Cornering Lights | LED |
| Daytime Running Lights | LED |
| Electronic Stability Control | Far better than ICE, as motor control is almost instant |
| Electronic Traction Control | |
| Five-star Crash Ratings | NHTSA 5-stars In every category |
| Fog Lights | LED |
| Front Impact Protection | |
| HEPA air filtration | |
| Low Rollover Risk | |
| Second Row LATCH | For attachment of child seats |
| Side Impact Protection |
Sources
Description
For cars with wiper controls on the display, add more direct controls with long-press and taps to control different functions directly.
So when you have 2 buttons, let say top and bottom, it can work like this: press the bottom button and it will wipe once. Press and hold the bottom button it will get water on the windshield. Press the top button once to turn on wipers for the first speed and then pressing the top button again will increase speed (with 5 different speed settings). Now to lower your speed of wipers just press the bottom button until the wipers are turned off. Turning on and off automatic wipers can be done by pressing both buttons at once.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
Editor: Tesla seems more oriented towards making wiper controls fully automatic.
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;2,1,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
There has been quite a bit of debate on if the Tesla Model S or the Porsche Taycan is the better car. There are no easy answers and it depends far more on what someone is looking for. That said, we’ve compiled all of the know facts of competitive Tesla and Taycan models for a side-by-side comparison. (Feb-2021)
Basic Facts • Options • Features • Intangibles • Sources
Basic Facts
Basic facts are from the manufacturer’s websites on 2021 vehicles. The updated Model S LR begins deliveries in February 2021. The Plaid+ is expected later in 2021. The Taycan 4S with the standard battery is not in production yet and shows what is coming later this year. The EPA only data for the 2020 Taycan, but we believe it is still the same for 2021.
While it’s hard to make a total apples-to-apples comparison, there are many extra options in the Taycan models that are included in the base price of the Tesla Model S. We’ve included a chart of these items and prices to come up with our Prices with equivalent options. For the Price with every option, we included every available option from the manufacturer’s websites. Any combo packages that save money were chosen over individual items. We did not include incompatible options but choose the most expensive option for a category when such a choice was available.
| Item | Model S LR |
Model S Plaid+ |
Taycan 4S |
Taycan Turbo S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Price | $79,990 |
$139.990 |
$103,800 |
$185,000 |
| Price with Equivalent Options (see list) | $79,990 |
$139.990 |
$133,519 |
$201,620 |
| Price with every Option (not equivalent) | $99,990 |
$158,490 |
$209,885 |
$257,390 |
| Possible IRS Tax Credit | 0 |
0 |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
| EPA Range | 412 mi |
520 mi (est) |
172 mi (est) |
192 mi |
| EPA Efficiency (lower kWh is better) | 31 kWh/100 mi |
31 kWh/100 mi (est) |
41 kWh/100 mi (est) |
50 kWh/100 mi |
| Battery Power | 100 kWh |
unknown |
79.2 kWh |
93.4 kWh |
| Battery Usable | 95 kWh (est) |
unknown |
71.0 kWh |
83.7 kWh |
| Battery Type | 18650 Cell |
4680 Cell |
Pouch |
Pouch |
| Battery Vendor | Tesla/Panasonic |
Tesla/Panasonic |
LG Chem |
LG Chem |
| Maxium Speed | 155 mph |
200 mph |
155 mph |
162 mph |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.1 sec |
< 1.99 sec |
3.8 sec |
2.6 sec |
| Maximum Regen | 50 kW |
? |
265 kW |
265 kW |
| Cargo Space, Seats Up | 28.0 cu ft |
28.0 cu ft |
14.3 cu ft |
12.9 cu ft |
| Cargo Space, Seats Down | 60.2 cu ft |
60.2 cu ft |
14.3 cu ft |
12.9 cu ft |
| Seats (standard/optional) | 5/7* |
5/7* |
4/5* |
4/5* |
| Max Charging Rate | 250 kW |
250 kW |
270 kW |
270 kW |
| Max Charging Speed | 800 mi/hour |
800 mi/hour (est) |
658 mi/hour |
540 mi/hour |
| Alternate Charging Rate** | 150 kW |
150 kW |
50 kW |
50 kW |
| Alternate Charging Speed | 483 mi/hour |
483 mi/hour (est) |
122 mi/hour |
100 mi/hour |
| Best AC Charging Rate | 11.25 kW |
11.25 kW |
9.6 kW/19.2 kW* |
9.6 kW/19.2 kW* |
| Charging Standards Supported | Tesla, CHAdeMO* |
Tesla, CHAdeMO* |
CCS |
CCS |
| Cd (drag coefficient) | 0.208 |
0.208 |
0.22 |
0.25 |
| Weight | 4,561 lbs |
4,766 lbs |
4,947 lbs |
5,101 lbs |
* Optional, extra cost ** Based on prior generation DC stalls. Taycan includes 50 kW charging standard, and has optional up to 150 kW charging at 400V CCS for those stalls that support this rate.
Options
This is a price list of the minimal options required in either car to get a similar level of features.
| Feature | Model S LR | Model S Plaid+ | Taycan 4S | Taycan Turbo S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control | Included |
Included |
$2,050 |
$2,050 |
| Fifth Seat Package | Included |
Included |
$480 |
$480 |
| Frunk Liner | Included |
Included |
$158 |
Included |
| Heated Steering Wheel | Included |
Included |
$280 |
$280 |
| High End Surround Sound System | Included |
Included |
$7,000 |
$5,810 |
| High Power 400V DC Charger | Included |
Included |
$460 |
$460 |
| Interior Carbon Fiber | Included |
Included |
$2,460 |
Included |
| Mobile Charger Cable | Included |
Included |
$1,120 |
$1,120 |
| Painted Calipers | N/A |
Included |
$900 |
Included |
| Painted Exterior Mirrors | Included |
Included |
$660 |
$660 |
| Power Charge Port Cover | Included |
Included |
$640 |
Included |
| Power Folding Mirrors | Included |
Included |
$330 |
$330 |
| Premium Package (Glass roof, LCA, Memory seat, etc.) | Included |
Included |
$7,170 |
$4,240 |
| Seat Heating Front and Rear | Included |
Included |
$530 |
Included |
| Seat Material, Simulated Leather | Included |
Included |
$4,130 |
Included |
| Thermal Glass | Included |
Included |
$1,130 |
Included |
| Trunk Liner | Included |
Included |
$221 |
Included |
| TOTAL | 0 |
0 |
$29,719 |
$16,620 |
Features
This is a list of feature differences, where one car offers something different than another. There are many features all these cars offer, and these are not listed.
| Special Features/Options | Model S LR |
Model S Plaid+ |
Taycan 4S |
Taycan Turbo S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360 Degree Driving Visualization | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Adaptive Rear Spoiler | No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| All Aluminum Body | Yes |
Yes |
Partial |
Partial |
| Auto Extending Door Handles | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Base Displays area, combined | 200 sq in. est. |
200 sq in. est. |
143 sq in. (3 screens) |
143 sq in. (3 screens) |
| Blind Spot Warning | Full Visualization |
Full Visualization |
LED Light |
LED Light |
| Birds Eye View for Parking | Soon |
Soon |
Optional |
Optional |
| Charge at CCS (North America) | No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Charge at CHAdeMO | Optional |
Optional |
No |
No |
| Charge free at Destination Connections | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Charge at Superchargers | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Climate Dog Mode & Camp Mode | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Climate Zones | 2 |
2 |
2 (4 optional) |
2 (4 optional) |
| Connection for services | 1 year free |
1 year free |
3 years free |
3 years free |
| Connection Monthly price | $10/mo |
$10/mo |
$40/mo |
$40/mo |
| Crash Testing, All Categories | 5-Stars |
5-Stars |
Untested |
Untested |
| Cup holders | 4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| Displays | 3 |
3 |
3 (+1 optional) |
3 (+1 optional) |
| Fake Engine Sounds | No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Free Charging* | 1000 miles |
1000 miles |
3 years |
3 years |
| Full Regen with no pedal application | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Full-Self-Driving | Optional |
Optional |
No |
No |
| Games | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Heat Pump | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| HEPA Air Filtration | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Homelink | Location aware |
Location aware |
Generic |
Generic |
| Infotainment | Tesla |
Tesla |
CarPlay |
CarPlay |
| Memory Seat | Yes |
Yes |
Optional |
Optional |
| OTA updates | Yes |
Yes |
Limited |
Limited |
| Radio AM | No |
No |
No |
No |
| Radio FM, with HD | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Radio XM, free service period | None |
None |
3 months |
3 months |
| Rear Axle Steering | No |
No |
Optional |
Yes |
| Rear Seat Fold-down | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Seat Belt Height Adjusters | No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Seat Material, Standard | Ultra-Leather |
Ultra-Leather |
Partial Leather |
Leather |
| Sentry Mode | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Streaming Services | Yes |
Yes |
only with Phone |
only with Phone |
| Transmission Gear Selection, Front | 1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Transmission Gear Selection, Rear | 1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Video Services (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Washer Nozzle Heater | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Wiper Blade Defroster | Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
* For Tesla, 1000 miles free promotion is not always avaiable. For Porsche, EA free charging is limited to the first 30 minutes per session.
Intangibles
This is our take on various aspects of these vehicles. They are our opinion, with similar views from major reviewers.
| Category | Model S LR |
Model S Plaid+ |
Taycan 4S |
Taycan Turbo S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Fresh Innovator |
Fresh Innovator |
Legacy Performance |
Legacy Performance |
| Customization | Limited |
Limited |
Extreme |
Extreme |
| Driver Assistance Ratings* | One of the best |
One of the best |
Below average |
Below average |
| Driver Assistance Option Cost** | $10,000 |
$10,000 |
$5,760 |
$5,760 |
| Exterior Style | Understated Sedan |
Understated Sedan |
Flashy Sedan |
Flashy Sedan |
| Handling | Very Good |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Interior Style | Minimalist |
Minimalist |
Modern |
Modern |
| Service | Mobile and Shops |
Mobile and Shops |
Shop only |
Shop only |
| UI Ease of Use | Excellent |
Excellent |
Average |
Average |
* Consumer Reports, Feburary 2021 Issue ** Taycan only offers a subset of Tesla FSD features
Sources
Description
Have an option to move the heated seat icons to the climate menu. In summer or for those that don’t use the heated seats, they would be less likely to be accidentally set on when attempting other controls while driving.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
I am always finding my seat heating up when I don’t want it to – obviously, I’ve brushed against the icon when setting something else
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;2,2,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Description
Have an option that would hide the media panel when starting the car. The current operation always brings it up,
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
None.
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;2,2,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Description
When regen braking is limited due to battery level or temperature, add limited mechanical brakes to supplement the regen braking.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
This would result in a consistent driving experience regardless of the state of the battery. In addition, this could be used to provide a hold stopping mode for older vehicles that can’t fully stop with regen braking.
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;3,2,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Description
Currently my sentry/dashcam drive fills up every few weeks and so I have to format it regularily. And to tell the car to format it, I need to first remove my MP3 drive so that it formats the correct drive.
Instead, auto-delete old videos. Also have a button to prevent specific videos from being automatically deleted.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
None.
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)rating;;3,2,4,0
Description
Offer a volume adjustment or several levels for the walk-away lock confirmation (for cars that don’t use the horn).
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
Being able to control the volume of the walk-away lock confirmation sound would be useful when parking late at night to avoid waking people living/sleeping nearby.
Status
Unknown.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;2,2,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0
Description
Add a checkbox to navigation if you want to plan a round trip.
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
If you are planning a round trip where the destination does not have charging you need the route planner to figure out where and how long to charge on the way there so that you have enough charge not only to get to the destination but to get back to the next charger on the way home.
Status
According to Elon, Tesla is working on adding waypoints, which may handle this scenario.
(lightly edited by moderator)
rating;;3,3,4,0
rating;;3,3,4,0