After reviewing Tesla's (TSLA 12.06%) Model S, Consumer Reports has given the electric car top marks, saying in a blog post today that it performed better than cars built by companies that have been around for more than 100 years.
The nonprofit consumer-product rating company said the Model S outscored every other car in its test ratings. "It does so even though it's an electric car. In fact, it does so because it is electric," the company wrote. "So is the Tesla Model S the best car ever? We wrestled with that question long and hard. It comes close." One limitation is the car's range and the inability to jump in and drive wherever you want at a moment's notice, said CR.
Consumer Reports takes note of Tesla's battery placement (giving the vehicle a low center of gravity), front and rear trunk space, braking, acceleration, quietness of the cabin, and 17-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. It also noted "impressive" power and long-range battery as key aspects of the car's benefits. Consumer Reports said the Model S uses about half as much energy every mile as Toyota's Prius.
The Model S that Consumer Reports tested was purchased for about $91,000 and included an upgraded large-capacity battery, a seven-passenger seating option, an upgraded charger for faster charging, and a High Power Wall Connector. In an online video, the organization said the Model S "performs better than anything we've ever tested before."
