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Model S - still #1 selling large luxury sedan in US

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Yeah sales are down 50% Y-Y, but Model S ended 2019 with 22% market share of large luxury sedans. And that's with the supply of Model 3's plentiful enough now to take away customers who just want a decent EV, and the tax rebate down within range of typical dealer discounts of the other brands. So a pretty level playing field, and S sales seem to have leveled off for the past 6 months, maybe even inching back up. #2 was S-class (19%) and #3 was 7-series (14%). Overall though sales in this category are down 37% compared to the peak in 2016. Source: goodcarbadcar.net

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I've always been a fan of large sedans. SUVs just don't do it for me, not even the Model X (which I considered at the beginning). Coming from a Lexus LS 430 and 460, both great ICE cars, the Model S is just in an entirely different league. Sure, even the Raven S isn't as luxurious, quiet, or smooth riding as contemporary large luxury sedans, but the powertrain and tech makes up for it. I loved both my LSes but have zero regrets after getting our Model S. Not surprising that many owners of luxury brands have traded up to a Tesla.
 
I've always been a fan of large sedans. SUVs just don't do it for me, not even the Model X (which I considered at the beginning). Coming from a Lexus LS 430 and 460, both great ICE cars, the Model S is just in an entirely different league. Sure, even the Raven S isn't as luxurious, quiet, or smooth riding as contemporary large luxury sedans, but the powertrain and tech makes up for it. I loved both my LSes but have zero regrets after getting our Model S. Not surprising that many owners of luxury brands have traded up to a Tesla.

We have an S, and we love it. But, I long for the day when an 100D X is in my price range (a used one). I HATE trying to get in an out of a sedan. Fortunately, someone showed me a trick where you sit down perpendicular to the seat, then put your legs in. I was trying to do it all in one motion - kept hitting my freaking head on the roof.

We had a loaner X for 2 weeks (1 hour of service, but we live 4 hours away so they said we could bring it back the next weekend, then a hurricane hit Charlotte so they said keep it another week :)). I cannot begin to tell you how hard it was for me to go back to getting in and out of my S again.
 
I thought everyone here agreed that Tesla was not 'luxury', or at least that was the TMC fanboi argument when questions were brought up about the shitty interior and build quality.

Agreed. The Model S is only in the same price range as flagship luxury vehicles. I don't consider our S a luxury vehicle, it is a Premium vehicle and Tesla makes the best EVs on the market. The interior has greatly improved and actually has more cup holders than our previous LA 460 -- ironic considering how the first Model S had zero cup holders. Build quality still isn't the greatest but has improved too. That said, nobody buys a Tesla for the build quality.
 
I thought everyone here agreed that Tesla was not 'luxury', or at least that was the TMC fanboi argument when questions were brought up about the shitty interior and build quality.

Call the category what you want - "Premium", "Expensive" - that's why I included the price range in the graph title.

I tried to make the same graph for the X, but figuring out what other vehicles fit in the same category was more difficult. X5? Navigator? MDX? Limit to 3 rows? Only include luxury brands? There's just not a clean break line. Any way you slice it though, it's not even top 3.
 
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I thought everyone here agreed that Tesla was not 'luxury', or at least that was the TMC fanboi argument when questions were brought up about the shitty interior and build quality.
I don’t agree. Luxury interior to me is not a 1000 buttons and archaic interfaces. I love the clean Model S interior and find it superior to many of the luxury cars I have driven.
 
Agreed. The Model S is only in the same price range as flagship luxury vehicles. I don't consider our S a luxury vehicle, it is a Premium vehicle and Tesla makes the best EVs on the market. The interior has greatly improved and actually has more cup holders than our previous LA 460 -- ironic considering how the first Model S had zero cup holders. Build quality still isn't the greatest but has improved too. That said, nobody buys a Tesla for the build quality.
Which model s had zero cup holders?
 
I don’t agree. Luxury interior to me is not a 1000 buttons and archaic interfaces. I love the clean Model S interior and find it superior to many of the luxury cars I have driven.

We could define the power as luxury, but I believe the comparison has more to do with grade of material and other features commonly found in luxury vehicles, such as reclining rear seats, heated and cooled front and great seats, chill box for keeping drinks cold, semi-aniline leather, power sunshades on the sides and rear, massage options, 4-zone climate control, swiveling headlights that illuminate around a turn...my last Lexus had all of those and presented a more comfortable and refined interior without a dizzying array of buttons.

I like minimalist and really like the Model 3 interior but the 2013+ Lexus LS 460 interior is really nice compared to our Model S, not to mention the Lexus is quieter and has a way better audio system compared to Tesla's "ultra-high fidelity", and the LS isn't even as nice as some stuff you see on the S-class! I love our Model S but I wouldn't consider the interior luxurious, it's more high tech. Tesla could make the interior nicer but it would cost more than it already does. I think Elon made a good compromise and balance and highlighted the best features of the Model S.

Which model s had zero cup holders?

I think the early ones lacked cup holders and only had that wide open yacht floor center console. Tesla eventually caved and offered that poorly designed cupholder cushion thing.
 
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I don’t agree. Luxury interior to me is not a 1000 buttons and archaic interfaces. I love the clean Model S interior and find it superior to many of the luxury cars I have driven.

Just try a loaded Mercedes S class, with massaging, heated and cooled seats for starters. same price range, ignoring the performance and drive. It is just fun to read all the luxury features in these cars, it is a really long list.
The build quality is day and night difference, it is not put together with double side tape, plastic clips and one sheet metal screw with cables all dangling between panels.
Kim
 
I thought everyone here agreed that Tesla was not 'luxury', or at least that was the TMC fanboi argument when questions were brought up about the shitty interior and build quality.
Haha, funny how that works, right?


Although I bet a significantly lower percentage of model s buyers were considering another car on that list than is the case for the buyers of the other cars on that list. And that has significantly helped their dominance of the “luxury” sedan market.
 
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Although I bet a significantly lower percentage of model s buyers were considering another car on that list than is the case for the buyers of the other cars on that list. And that has significantly helped their dominance of the “luxury” sedan market

Once you drive a tesla it is difficult to go back to any other car. The drive and feel is amazing. There is no other car on the market at this price that has this performance and feel.
But it does not mean it compares in luxury of other luxury cars. My wife has the Mercedes S class and I installed a backup camera, the little things I removed for installation was engineered so well. I am in awe of the build and luxury inside. However if I were to drive I will go with a Tesla any day. It is just a wish that we could have best of both worlds.

Kim
 
We have an S, and we love it. But, I long for the day when an 100D X is in my price range (a used one). I HATE trying to get in an out of a sedan. Fortunately, someone showed me a trick where you sit down perpendicular to the seat, then put your legs in. I was trying to do it all in one motion - kept hitting my freaking head on the roof.

We had a loaner X for 2 weeks (1 hour of service, but we live 4 hours away so they said we could bring it back the next weekend, then a hurricane hit Charlotte so they said keep it another week :)). I cannot begin to tell you how hard it was for me to go back to getting in and out of my S again.

Tip: Enable Easy Entry and set it so that the seat height is at it's highest and steering wheel up and forward. Makes it a bit easier swinging the legs up and over the doorsill. I also have my seat (in easy entry mode) go all the way back so that when I enter, I dont brush/rub against the side bolster so to not cause excess wear to that part.
 
I've always been a fan of large sedans. SUVs just don't do it for me, not even the Model X (which I considered at the beginning). Coming from a Lexus LS 430 and 460, both great ICE cars, the Model S is just in an entirely different league. Sure, even the Raven S isn't as luxurious, quiet, or smooth riding as contemporary large luxury sedans, but the powertrain and tech makes up for it. I loved both my LSes but have zero regrets after getting our Model S. Not surprising that many owners of luxury brands have traded up to a Tesla.

Similar story here. I came from my last car an E55 AMG (was fastest sedan on planet when it mades it debut), had a CLK55 AMG, a BMW 540 M Sport, and a few other nice german cars. While I miss the sound of those V8's revving, and miss the shifting of the gears near redline? After a solid 6 weeks with the Model S, I honestly cant say that I'd ever go back to ICE. Sure, the AMG's interior quality overall was better. But to be able to (for example) warm the cabin and seats remotely without having a cold ICE engine pouring terrible emissions into the air (nevermind having to wait around 10-15 minutes of idling/burning gas in cold weather for the engine to generate enough heat at idle to even warm the cabin) is so nice. And to have the constant supply of silky smooth acceleration at hand at all times, (with no hesitation associated with gear shifts), is also nice. And no annoying engine deactivation at stoplights (to save fuel) is also nice. (My cars didnt have this, but found myself disabling it in rental cars as it was so annoying).

So I get blazing fast acceleration, ability to still hit 150mph+ top speeds if I want, and a nice, great handling, and a very nice, smooth ride but without all the negatives of ICE.

Yes, definitely have NO plans to go backwards to ICE after this.
 
We could define the power as luxury, but I believe the comparison has more to do with grade of material and other features commonly found in luxury vehicles, such as reclining rear seats, heated and cooled front and great seats, chill box for keeping drinks cold, semi-aniline leather, power sunshades on the sides and rear, massage options, 4-zone climate control, swiveling headlights that illuminate around a turn...my last Lexus had all of those and presented a more comfortable and refined interior without a dizzying array of buttons.

I like minimalist and really like the Model 3 interior but the 2013+ Lexus LS 460 interior is really nice compared to our Model S, not to mention the Lexus is quieter and has a way better audio system compared to Tesla's "ultra-high fidelity", and the LS isn't even as nice as some stuff you see on the S-class! I love our Model S but I wouldn't consider the interior luxurious, it's more high tech. Tesla could make the interior nicer but it would cost more than it already does. I think Elon made a good compromise and balance and highlighted the best features of the Model S.



I think the early ones lacked cup holders and only had that wide open yacht floor center console. Tesla eventually caved and offered that poorly designed cupholder cushion thing.
No, the model s always had cup holders
 
If those luxury models were to get the battery and driving performance of a Tesla, the increased cost would put them in a different league. Conversely for Tesla, if they were to achieve the luxury and quality levels of those models, the price would increase accordingly.

Tesla won over many people who would not have paid anywhere near $100k for extra fanciness offered by "true" luxury cars.
 
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