Consumer Reports' First Drive of the Tesla Model S

[TMC]

Consumer Reports borrows a Tesla Model S to do a first drive review. While praising the exhilarating performance, CR suggests that Tesla may have gone a bit too far with features such as the touch screen and the retracting door handles.

 

[Lyon]

Interesting report. I'm curious about the fact that he commented negatively on the retractible door handles without mentioning that they serve a technical purpose (i.e. lowering the CoD).

Otherwise it's a good start.

 

[doug]

I look forward to their extended report once they get a car.

 

[GSP]

"CR suggests that Tesla may have gone a bit too far with features such as the touch screen and the retracting door handles."

They did call the door handles "fussy," which seem like a fair assessment. Firmware updates and the tech package will likely improve this.

However, I did not hear any negative comments about the touchscreen. They did say that surfing the internet while driving may be going to far however. The touchscreen interface is superb, in my opinion. It could have been quite different, just look at the horrible reviews of BMW iDrive, MyFordTouch, Mercedes, Lexus, Karma, etc. I have read plenty of Model S reviews, and everyone praises the touchscreen. The people who did the user interface did an exceptional job, and should be very proud.

GSP

 

[TESLAficionado]

I think U.S. and especially California is the place to asemble high-tech EV cars - you need a different skillset to acomplish this job - and the silicon valley has plenty of that kind. Ze germans should by getting slowly nervous by now... ICE has reached its Zenith...the new 3 cylinder engines show that efficiency is only to be reached by removing cylinders.... 3 left....hmmm....