Tesla Model S parked, editorial photograph
⚡ EV gear, tested & compared

Everything EV

Honest buyer's guides & how-tos for electric vehicle owners

Tesla Model S Owner's Guide

Accessories, owner reviews and fit — everything for your Tesla Model S, in one place.

The Model S is Tesla's flagship sedan — a glass-roofed, tri-screen luxury EV with NACS charging, a huge frunk and trunk, and (post-2021 refresh) a landscape 17-inch center screen. It's famously cheap to run, so the smart accessories protect a premium interior and control cabin heat. Here's the gear that matters for a Model S, each with a full buyer's guide, plus the pieces worth buying by name.

Accessories that matter for the Tesla Model S

Model-specific gear worth buying

3D MAXpider Kagu Floor Mats (Model S)

Laser-cut all-weather mats for the Model S with raised channels; pair with frunk and trunk liners.

Check price on Amazon

Model S All-Weather Frunk & Trunk Liner Set

TPE liners with raised lips for the deep front and rear wells — the areas that get dirtiest.

Check price on Amazon

Model S Center Screen Protector (2021+)

Matte 9H tempered glass sized for the 17-inch landscape display.

Check price on Amazon

Model S Windshield Sunshade

Custom-cut shade for the refreshed raked windshield; folds small to store in the frunk.

Check price on Amazon

What owners actually say

Our editorial summary of what real Tesla Model S owners report — sentiment as of July 2026.

A flagship EV owners still love to drive, with famously low routine upkeep — but older cars carry age-related gremlins and the recall list (mostly software) is long.

Owners consistently praise

  • Effortless performance and range — instant power and a genuine long-distance cruiser, still a benchmark for many owners.
  • Low running costs — no oil changes and light brake wear thanks to regen; routine upkeep is cheap.
  • Tech and Supercharging — the software and charging network remain owner favorites, with frequent over-the-air improvements.
  • Battery and motor durability — the powertrain generally ages well with moderate degradation.

Common gripes

  • Age-related issues on older cars — pre-2018 MCU screen (eMMC) failures, flush door-handle motor failures, and drive-unit noise on early cars.
  • Suspension and build variance — control-arm/air-suspension wear as cars age, and fit-and-finish varies by build.
  • Brakes from disuse — because regen does most of the stopping, friction rotors can corrode if the car isn't driven hard.
Reliability & recalls (the facts): China recalled roughly 48,000 2013–2018 Model S/X to replace front and rear suspension links; a free recall replaced the MCU1 memory chip on 2012–2018 Model S and 2016–2018 Model X; recent recalls include a driver-airbag tear and a hood-latch issue, plus the fleet-wide rearview-camera and Autopilot recalls — most fixed over the air at no charge. On the used market, buy only with documented recall and TSB completion.

Bottom line: Superb to drive and cheap to run — on the used market, insist on a documented recall history and budget for age-related fixes on pre-2018 cars.

How we built this: an original summary of public owner discussion (Reddit, owner forums, and the consumer-review sections of Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book) plus factual recall and reliability data from NHTSA and Consumer Reports. We don't quote or republish anyone's reviews — we summarize the recurring themes in our own words. Sentiment reflects July 2026 and can shift as models age and updates roll out.

Model S fit notes

2021 refresh vs earlier. The 2021+ car changed the dash, screen (landscape 17-inch), and steering (yoke or round wheel), so screen protectors and some interior pieces are refresh-specific — match your year. NACS charging is native; any home charger here works, and the frunk and trunk both reward liners. Full glass roof means a sunshade is genuinely worth it in hot climates.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Do accessories for the older Model S fit the 2021 refresh?
A: Often no — the 2021 car changed the screen, dash and wheel. Match screen protectors and interior-fit items to pre- or post-refresh.

Q: What's the best first upgrade?
A: All-weather mats with frunk and trunk liners, then a glass-roof sunshade in hot climates.

Q: Does the Model S use a Tesla plug?
A: Yes — it uses NACS natively, so any Level 2 home charger in our guide works.

Specs current as of July 2026