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Tesla's Model S P85D is so good it broke Consumer Reports' rating system

Tesla's Model S P85D is so good it broke Consumer Reports' rating system

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103 out of 100

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How good is Tesla's Model S P85D? Insanely good, says Consumer Reports, with the electric sedan performing better than any other car the magazine has reviewed and breaking its rating system in the process. "The Tesla initially scored 103 in the Consumer Reports' Ratings system, which by definition doesn’t go past 100," said Consumer Reports. "The car set a new benchmark, so we had to make changes to our scoring to account for it." The P85D had to make do with a score of 100 instead.

Part of the reason for the record-breaking score is the P85D's "insane mode," which Tesla incorporated into the all-wheel-drive car to bring its acceleration up to the levels of the world's greatest supercars. As a result, the P85D was the fastest car ever tested by Consumer Reports, reaching 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.5 seconds. (Slightly faster times of 3.2 seconds have also been recorded.) There are other cars on the market that are faster, but Consumer Reports notes that because the P85D achieved these speeds while still being "ridiculously energy efficient" it earned itself the top score.

The Model S P85D is a glimpse into the future

"This is a glimpse into what we can expect down the line, where we have cars with the performance of supercars and the comfort, convenience and safety features of a luxury car while still being extremely energy efficient," Jake Fisher, Consumer Report's head of automotive testing told Bloomberg. "We haven’t seen all those things before."

However, says the magazine, just because the car scored 100, it doesn't make it the perfect vehicle. Apart from the six-figure price tag and interior fittings that "aren't as opulent as other high-ticket automobiles," Consumer Reports reminds readers that driving an electric car is still logistically tricky, with journeys longer than 200 miles requiring extra planning. "That said," concludes the magazine, "the Tesla Model S P85D is an automotive milepost."

Verge Video: Driving the incredible, terrifying Tesla Model S P85D