The Tesla Model S P85D is the top-rated car Consumer Reports has ever tested. In fact, it even broke the product-testing organization's ratings system.
Consumer Reports gave the vehicle an initial score of 103 out of 100, the highest possible score in the ratings system. The car was praised for its rapid acceleration, superior braking and handling to the standard Model S as well as better energy efficiency, achieving 87 miles per gallon.
Just because the P85D earned more than the maximum amount of points in Consumer Reports' rating system doesn't mean it's flawless.
"To be clear, the Tesla's 100 score doesn't make the P85D a perfect car — even at $127,820. It has imperfections. The interior materials aren't as opulent as other high-ticket automobiles, and its ride is firmer and louder than our base Model S," Mark Rechtin wrote in his post on the Consumer Reports website. "What's more, a lengthy road trip in an electric car with a 200-plus mile range can be a logistical hurdle if a quick-charging station isn't along your route."
Consumer Reports also doesn't include the vehicle's reliability in its road test scores, which the Model S has been given an average rating for, according to owner-survey responses.
Because of the P85D's unusually high score, Consumer Reports had to adjust its ratings system accordingly, but "those changes didn't affect the scores of other cars," according to the post. The P85D now has a rating of 100 in its full road-test report.
The title of Consumer Reports' top-scoring car ever was previously held by the Tesla Model S, which scored a 99 out of 100 possible points in May 2013. The Mercedes-Benz S550 is the second-highest scoring car in the large luxury category behind the P85D with a score of 96.
