Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
Enter a registration number to see MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and more for any Tesla Model S.
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With 10,134 currently licensed in the UK, the Tesla Model S is one of Britain's well-known cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the Model S 5 stars in 2022, with 94% adult occupant and 91% child protection scores.
Annual running costs are estimated at £4,449 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £371/month or 56p/mile.
Theft risk is rated high at 12 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
NCAP Safety
2022
Monthly Cost
£371
est. annual total
New From
£90,000
Euro NCAP tested the Model S in 2022 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
94%
Child Occupant
91%
Pedestrian
72%
Safety Assist
94%
There are 34 known DVSA recalls affecting the Tesla Model S. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/422
On affected vehicles one or both reverse lamps may fail to switch on when the driver selects reverse gear due to a loss of continuity in the rear lamp circuit.
Build dates: 2025-03-04 to 2025-04-17
R/2025/350
On affected vehicles a firmware feature that allowed for high-speed sampling of the right front window motor encoder was not enabled bringing vehicles out of compliance with the relevant regulations for Auto-reversing Requirements.
Build dates: 2025-03-03 to 2025-07-17
R/2025/049
On a small percentage of affected vehicles upon vehicle power up the car computer board may experience a short resulting in the loss of rear view camera functionality .
Build dates: 2024-01-21 to 2024-09-27
R/2025/049
On a small percentage of affected vehicles upon vehicle power up the car computer board may experience a short resulting in the loss of rear view camera functionality .
Build dates: 2024-04-10 to 2024-12-09
R/2025/049
On a small percentage of affected vehicles upon vehicle power up the car computer board may experience a short resulting in the loss of rear view camera functionality .
Build dates: 2024-06-11 to 2024-06-11
+ 29 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Tesla Model S are estimated at around £4,449 per year, or £371 per month.
Fuel
£0
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£3,999
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
Battery
100 kWh
Range (WLTP)
405 mi
Motor
493 kW
661 bhp
Drive
AWD
Rapid charge: 25 min (10-80%) | Home charge: 12h (0-100%)
Starting from £90,000 new, a Tesla Model S typically retains about 62% after 3 years and 51% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 83% | £74,250 | −£15,750 |
| 2 years | 70% | £63,100 | −£26,900 |
| 3 years | 62% | £55,550 | −£34,450 |
| 4 years | 56% | £50,000 | −£40,000 |
| 5 years | 51% | £46,000 | −£44,000 |
| 6 years | 48% | £42,750 | −£47,250 |
| 7 years | 45% | £40,200 | −£49,800 |
| 8 years | 42% | £38,200 | −£51,800 |
| 9 years | 40% | £36,300 | −£53,700 |
| 10 years | 38% | £34,450 | −£55,550 |
The Model S has a theft rate of 12 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated high compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Consider additional security measures such as a steering lock or tracking device.
There are currently 10,134 licensed and 270 SORN Model Ss in the UK (10,404 total). This makes it a uncommon vehicle on UK roads.
Euro NCAP awarded the Model S 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2022. It scored 94% for adult occupant protection, 91% for child occupant protection, 72% for vulnerable road users, and 94% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Model S are estimated at around £4,449 per year (£371/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 34 known safety recalls affecting the Model S. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The Model S has a theft rate of 12 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated high compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Extra security measures like tracking devices and steering locks are recommended.
A new Model S starts from around £90,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 51% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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