The big electric hatchback that made Tesla’s name, the Model S was sold in the UK in right-hand drive from 2014 to 2020. Tesla UK subsequently offered it only in left-hand drive, from 2023, before production ended in 2026. Almost all used examples are right-hand-drive 2014-2020 cars, priced from around £10,000 to £35,000. Here we explain the versions, the warranty most examples have now lost, the recalls and what you should pay. You’ll find a print-out checklist at the end.
- Warranty: Battery and drive unit cover from Tesla lasts 8 years, meaning cars first registered in 2017 or earlier are out of cover, while 2018 cars lose cover this year. A 2019-2020 car has some time left on it.
- Best value: a 2020 Long Range priced at around £25,000: the latest right-hand-drive version, offering the most range and some remaining warranty.
- The cheap ones: a 75D or 90D at £12,000 to £20,000 buys a lot of car, but leave room in your budget for suspension, media unit and other repairs.
- Think twice if a large repair bill would stretch your budget: out-of-warranty Model S parts and labour are expensive.
Which Model S are you looking at?
The name’s number gives the battery capacity in kWh; D denotes dual motor (four-wheel drive), while P means a Performance car.
| Years | Look | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | Original, black nose panel | 85, P85, 85D, P85D, 70D, 90D, P90D |
| 2016-2019 | Facelift, body-coloured nose | 75, 75D, 90D, P90D, 100D, P100D |
| 2019-2020 | As the facelift | Long Range, Performance (100 kWh) |
| 2023-2026 | Refreshed, left-hand drive only | Dual Motor, Plaid |
Examples built before March 2018 use the original media unit (MCU1), with a memory chip that wears out (see Recalls). Owners describe the later MCU2 as a major improvement. The refreshed car arrived in 2023, but Tesla UK offered it only in left-hand drive, priced from £95,480 (Dual Motor) and £114,930 (Plaid), and few are advertised for sale. Full specifications are on the Model S page.
Realistic range
Most examples pre-date today’s WLTP test. Their older official figures overstated range, so we have not estimated it here. Instead, these are the figures owners report:
- 85 and 90 kWh cars: roughly 200 to 250 miles in mild conditions, falling to 170 to 180 at motorway speeds in winter.
- 75D and 100D: roughly 200 to 235 miles from an 80-90% charge for everyday use.
- Battery health: high-mileage owners report retaining around 85-95% of their range, including on cars past 125,000 miles.
Look at the displayed range with the car fully charged, and request a battery health check from Tesla or a specialist.
Charging
All right-hand-drive Model S cars use a Type 2 lead for home charging and Tesla Superchargers on the road. Owners say older examples charge more slowly than newer EVs. Free Supercharging came with some early cars: owners report that Tesla attached it to the car on early orders, but to the first owner on later ones. Where an advert includes free Supercharging, check with Tesla that it will transfer to you before paying a premium for it.
The battery and its warranty
Tesla covers the battery and drive unit for 8 years from first delivery. Cars sold from late January 2020 also have a mileage cap: 150,000 miles for the Long Range and Performance. For most used examples, this means:
- First registered 2016: battery and drive unit cover to 2024 (ended)
- First registered 2017: battery and drive unit cover to 2025 (ended)
- First registered 2018: battery and drive unit cover to 2026 (ends this year)
- First registered 2019: battery and drive unit cover to 2027
- First registered 2020: battery and drive unit cover to 2028
For owners, the battery is often the smallest worry; it is everything else that generates costs. They also report that Tesla does not offer extended warranties on cars over seven years old.
Recalls
- Media unit memory (R/2021/031): 9,475 cars built from May 2012 to March 2018. Wear in the media unit’s memory chip can leave the centre screen blank. The remedy fits a new 64 GB chip to the unit’s daughterboard.
- Bonnet latch (R/2022/009): 8,351 cars built September 2014 to December 2020. A potentially misaligned secondary bonnet latch is inspected and realigned.
- Passenger airbag (R/2019/006): 4,973 cars built March 2014 to December 2016. The passenger airbag inflator could rupture on deployment; it is replaced.
- Power steering bolts (R/2018/093): 3,243 cars built to April 2016. Corroding steering motor bolts could remove power assistance; stainless steel bolts replace them.
- Parking brake (R/2017/182) and seatbelts (R/2015/233): less extensive recalls affecting 2014-2016 cars.
Check the specific car on GOV.UK’s recall checker and request the car’s recall history from Tesla.
Safety
The Model S earned five Euro NCAP stars in 2014; the refreshed version also received five stars when tested in 2022.
What owners report
From 25 owner discussions about 2014-2019 cars:
- Driving and Supercharging: the leading strengths. Owners praise the performance, refinement and comfort over long distances, with the Supercharger network making longer journeys easy.
- Repairs out of warranty: the chief concern. Recurring bills include front suspension components, air suspension, drive shafts, heaters, door handles and the media unit. Parts can take weeks to arrive.
- Build quality: complaints centre on panel gaps, rattles and leaking boot seals, particularly on pre-facelift examples.
- Battery: usually durable, with only modest range losses on high-mileage examples.
- Size: the car is very wide, making it awkward to park or negotiate narrow roads.
Owners suggest independent Tesla specialists for out-of-warranty repairs, plus a pre-purchase inspection paying particular attention to the suspension.
What to pay
A declared write-off accounts for roughly one in eleven Model S adverts, so check the history before travelling. The two advertised left-hand-drive Plaids ask around £75,000.
| Cars | Share of adverts | Median asking | Typical range | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 / P85, 2014 | 8% | £12,666 | £6,990–£16,450 | 120,000 |
| 90D / P90D, 2016 | 8% | £17,725 | £12,798–£20,996 | 96,210 |
| 75D, 2017 | 11% | £14,565 | £10,566–£21,149 | 75,382 |
| 90D / P90D, 2017 | 5% | £20,496 | £15,983–£23,750 | 79,861 |
| 75D, 2018 | 8% | £12,198 | £9,839–£17,188 | 106,439 |
| 100D, 2018 | 5% | £16,620 | £14,942–£17,824 | 94,761 |
| 75D, 2019 | 8% | £15,385 | £13,575–£18,400 | 72,275 |
| P100D, 2019 | 4% | £25,495 | £23,980–£28,000 | 69,987 |
| Performance, 2019 | 6% | £29,950 | £24,706–£36,713 | 80,250 |
| Long Range, 2020 | 8% | £25,000 | £21,600–£32,980 | 63,300 |
These figures are asking prices, not valuations. History and mileage count for more than registration year: high-mileage 75Ds ask less than older 90Ds. Asking prices for the 2019-2020 cars are about £10,000 above a 2017-2018 75D, reflecting more range and more warranty remaining.
Questions to ask the seller
- When was this Model S first registered, and can the seller document any remaining battery and drive unit warranty cover?
- Has the media unit had a replacement or upgrade (MCU1 or MCU2)?
- Are there invoices for repairs to the suspension, drive unit and door handles?
- If free Supercharging is advertised, has Tesla confirmed that it applies to this car and transfers to the next owner?
The print-out checklist
Bring this along for the Model S-specific checks. Our general used EV buyer’s guide covers the checks that apply to any used electric car.
Alternatives worth a look
- Tesla Model 3: newer and smaller, with much lower running costs and warranty remaining. See our used Model 3 guide.
- Polestar 2: a premium option offering years of remaining cover. See our used Polestar 2 guide.
- Porsche Taycan: an alternative for performance, offering better build quality. See our used Taycan guide.
- Audi e-tron GT: a quick four-door sharing the Taycan’s underpinnings. See our used e-tron GT guide.
Not sure it covers your driving? The EV Matchmaker checks a car against your own week, and the Used EV Finder shows what else your budget buys.
Sources & further reading
- Tesla UK – Vehicle warranty
- Euro NCAP
- GOV.UK – Check if a vehicle has been recalled
Founder of EVcarsguide. Web technologist and data specialist tracking the UK EV market.
