2012 – 2015 · 1 body style available
1st Gen
The cheapest way into a fast luxury EV, and the riskiest. Drive units, MCU, door handles, air suspension.
Tesla Model S (2012-2015) Buyer's Guide
The pre-facelift Model S is the cheapest way into a genuinely fast luxury EV, and the riskiest. These cars are now over a decade old, and the failure modes are well documented rather than mysterious: drive units, the media control unit, door handles, and the
2016 – 2020 · 1 body style available
2nd Gen
Facelift cars are a much safer buy than pre-facelift. The MCU1 to MCU2 switch is the key divide.
Tesla Model S (2016-2020) Buyer's Guide
The April 2016 facelift replaced the black nose cone with a body-coloured front and brought a series of running improvements that make these cars a materially safer used purchase than the pre-facelift versions. Drive unit reliability improved substantially,
2021 – present · 1 body style available
3rd Gen
Palladium refresh brought Plaid, a heat pump, and the yoke. Round wheel returned in 2023.
Tesla Model S Palladium (2021+) Buyer's Guide
The Palladium refresh landed in mid-2021 and rebuilt the Model S around a new interior, a new rear drive unit layout, and a heat pump. The headline is Plaid: three motors, over a thousand horsepower, and acceleration that remains among the quickest of any
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Four severity levels
Every Squeezed guide sorts findings from Critical to OK, so you see the deal-breakers on the Model S before anything else.
Frequently asked questions
What generations of the Tesla Model S are there?
1st Gen (2012 to 2015); 2nd Gen (2016 to 2020); 3rd Gen (2021 to present).
What are the common problems with the Tesla Model S?
Documented problems include Drive Unit Failure, MCU1 eMMC Flash Failure, Battery Pack Degradation and Failure. Which ones apply depends on the generation, so open the year you are considering for its recalls, complaints and a full breakdown.
Should I get a pre-purchase inspection on a used Tesla Model S?
Yes. A Squeezed guide is the triage before the inspection: it shows what to check and what to ask the seller, so you know which listings are worth a mechanic's time.