2022 Tesla Model S Plaid Review: Fast Forward

Nearly all discussions about the Tesla Model S Plaid before its launch were dominated by the controversial yoke steering wheel. But we're here to tell you there's so much more to this car than an admittedly silly steering device. What about the fact that it's Tesla's first triple-motor car, producing 1,020 horsepower and 1,050 lb-ft of torque, or that it can cut under two seconds flat to 60 mph and still attain a 396-mile range? Recently, the Lucid Air has emerged as one of the Plaid's main rivals, but it's still impossible to find a quicker four-door sedan - or any car for that matter. If the claimed specs are to be believed - with real-world tests rapidly proving that they are - the Plaid is the fastest accelerating production car ever. Even the marvelous Porsche Taycan doesn't have an answer to the Plaid. The Plaid isn't a one-trick pony, and recent improvements like a new infotainment system and better build quality than ever are quickly cementing its place in the pantheon of vehicles that redefined automotive history.

What's the Price of the 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid?

The Tesla Model S Plaid has an MSRP of $129,990, excluding the destination charge of $1,200. California residents get a $1,500 clean fuel reward off the price. Add one of the more colorful exterior hues and the $12,000 Full Self-Driving option, and the price increases quickly. Still, we're talking about a car that can outsprint a Chiron, and it costs just ten percent of Bugatti's hypercar. Notably, Tesla is known for changing pricing on a whim, so the price you see here may be different in the near future. It's also worth noting that the Model S no longer qualifies for the federal tax rebates it once did.

2022 Model S Plaid Exterior

Dimensions

2022 Model S Plaid Performance

Handling and Driving Impressions

First, we'll address the elephant in the room. The yoke steering wheel is a ridiculous idea. For proof, look no further than the Plaid that Randy Pobst used at the 2021 Pikes Peak Hill Climb. If the yoke was so brilliant, why not use it for this race? At slow speeds within the confines of a city, it's idiotic. You find yourself reaching for a piece of the steering wheel that isn't there. It's less of a problem at higher speeds where only small inputs are required. Honestly, just go for a regular steering wheel, and stop trying to defend this idiotic idea that the yoke is somehow superior. It's a gimmick and a ridiculous one at that.

Another oddity overshadowed by the yoke controversy is the lack of a gear selector. The Plaid uses many sensors and artificial intelligence to predict whether you want to go forwards or backward. It can also track your habits. In other words, it will know that you want to reverse when pulling out of the driveway in the morning, and it will know to move forward in bumper-to-bumper traffic. We can get behind this sort of technology, as simplicity is perhaps the ultimate luxury. Still, it's something to get used to. It feels like years ago when adaptive cruise control first arrived on the scene. Handing over braking duties to the car looks good on paper, but it takes time to develop the kind of trust needed to not keep your foot hovering over the brake pedal.

The Tesla is capable of delivering stupidly quick acceleration times, but it's not a hypercar. Thankfully, Tesla kept the adaptive air suspension system that errs on the side of comfort. That's perhaps the Plaid's most impressive attribute. It can embarrass a Bugatti Chiron off the line, but it can also take the kids to school in style and luxury. In many ways, the Tesla has out-classed the S-Class. The latter is no longer the technological tour de force it once was, an indication of the future, and one can reasonably argue that it has passed the baton to this particular Tesla considering the direction the automotive world is heading. We're not saying that the Tesla is better than an S-Class, merely that if you want to see the future of the automobile, you're looking at it right here.

When it comes to dynamic driving, the Porsche Taycan still comes out on top. Given Porsche's illustrious history, it was perhaps a given. But we'll let you in on a little secret. Hitting 60 mph in two to three seconds isn't fun. It's a neat party trick but highly disconcerting. In short, it's just not as much fun as you'd imagine. We first experienced this kind of scary acceleration in the McLaren 675LT many moons ago. Trust us when we say four seconds is all you need. That's why we appreciate the softer ride quality of the Plaid. In Sport mode, it can hustle along, but it's no performance saloon. The near 5,000-pound curb weight is too much to overcome, but we prefer it that way. If the Plaid were a RWD stripped-out performance saloon with a hardcore suspension setup, the streets would be lined with burning bodies within six months. Once again, not a criticism aimed at Tesla, but perhaps something that's not being appropriately addressed. Pretty soon, the roads will be flooded with cars with supercar-like performance and drivers ill-equipped to handle it.

2022 Model S Plaid Interior

2022 Model S Plaid Trunk and Cargo Space

Warranty

Verdict: Is the 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid A Good car?

Any car that moves the entire automotive industry's goalposts forward is spectacular. The Model S Plaid does just that. It provides hypercar performance at a relatively reasonable price, has more range than its rivals, and it's an everyday sedan that does normal sedan things without breaking a sweat. Twenty years ago, a car like this would have been impossible to produce, and yet here it is. While we're not big fans of certain Tesla owners who base their entire identity on the car they own, we have to admit that the Model S Plaid might just be the best car on sale today. It's all things to all men. It steals the Mercedes S-Class's job of showcasing what the next generation of cars will offer, and we like where things are going.

It's also worth pointing out that Tesla is forcing the legacy manufacturers to up their game. It hasn't been that long since the Taycan was introduced, not to mention the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The new Model S, and by extension the Plaid, is Tesla's answer, and in one fell swoop, it's forced Ford, Porsche, and anyone else building an EV with performance aspirations to return to the drawing board. Whichever way you look at it, the consumer wins.

However, the new Lucid Air is here and it brings with it phenomenal performance, incredible luxury, and an EPA-certified range of 520 miles. If Lucid can improve its brand recognition quickly, it's the closest challenger to the Plaid.

What Tesla Model S Plaid Electric Sedan Should I Buy?

There's only one 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid model, and you might as well go the whole nine yards and order it with metallic paint, 21-inch alloy wheels, and the Full Self-Driving Package. You can expect to pay well over $140,000 for the Model S in this configuration. This Tesla Model S Plaid price is accurate at the time of writing, but as is always the case with Tesla, pricing could change on a whim.

2022 Tesla Model S Plaid Comparisons

2022 Tesla Model S Plaid vs Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo

The Taycan doesn't have as much range as the Tesla, but Porsche hits back with this new sport wagon model based on the Taycan. Is the allure of owning a sporty Porsche wagon enough to get people away from that sub-two-second sprint time?

The standard Taycan Turbo comes with 670 hp, while the Turbo S gets 750 hp on overboost. The latter can sprint to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, and, in the real world, you won't be able to tell the difference between it and the Tesla. Range is still the main issue. The standard Turbo has a claimed range of around 275 miles, which is literally miles away from the Plaid's claimed range of 396 miles on 19-inch wheels. Even with the wagon body, the Porsche can't match the Tesla's practicality. Still, we wouldn't dismiss the Porsche so easily. It has a higher quality interior, rides better, and has the backing of one of the oldest manufacturers in automotive history. To our eyes, it also looks better. If we had to spend our own money, we'd need at least a week to decide. There are obvious upsides to both cars, and we'd constantly be hovering between the two.

2022 Tesla Model S Plaid vs Tesla Model S

Like so many other cars, the Plaid will be purchased simply for bragging rights. The cheaper Model S - now simply called Model S and not Model S Long Range - retails for $94,990, comes with an estimated driving range of 405 miles, and can sprint to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. That's fast enough for us, thank you very much.

It comes with the same features, minus the third electric motor. The interior is the same, the standard features are the same, and you can add the Full Self-Driving Package at the same price. The Plaid is an astonishing accomplishment, but you have to wonder whether getting to 60 mph a second earlier is worth $35,000. If you can afford it, sure, get the model with all the bragging rights. If you want to be sensible, get the standard Long Range instead.