You Can Now Buy A Used Tesla Model S Plaid For The Price Of A Kia EV6 GT

It’s safe to say that electric vehicles have reset the straight-line acceleration paradigm, and one of the biggest mic-drop moments was when Tesla rolled out the absurdly quick Model S Plaid.

We’re talking about a performance liftback that can fit the whole family and credibly line up with million-dollar machines. Initially priced in the low six-figure range, the Model S Plaid was both a performance bargain, offering hypercar-rivaling acceleration with the ability to sprint from zero to 60mph in under three seconds, and an exclusive status symbol for well-heeled buyers, thanks to its limited initial sales volumes and high-end price tag.

Since 2021, however, a few interesting things have happened. Price cuts of new models from Tesla, combined with general used EV depreciation, have conspired to drop second-hand Model S Plaid pricing into the realm of middle-class affordability. In fact, you can now pick up a Model S Plaid for the price of a fast Kia. Never before have so many people been able to accelerate so quickly.

What Are We Looking At?

You likely already know about this car, for it’s the performance EV that broke the internet. With three electric motors on tap, this thing can dash from zero-to-60 mph in a shade over two seconds, pump out more than 1,000 horsepower, and ran a 9.4-second quarter-mile time in Car And Driver testing, tying a Bugatti Chiron Sport. Yes, the bar for Bugatti-like acceleration is now nice Kia money. We really are living in a brave new world. Mind you, these early models won’t be capable of the 200 mph top speed claimed by Elon Musk without retrofitting the $20,000 track pack, and even then, the car might sacrifice too much overall to make that an enjoyable experience. As Car And Driver wrote:

But, trust us, you don’t want to do 200 mph in this car. Even 162 mph was terrifying, wandering and nervous to the point that we were concerned about our ability to shepherd it between lane lines. The steering doesn’t firm up enough with speed, making the task more difficult. At similar velocities, a Taycan is resolutely stable. Another reason to fear a 200-mph speed is brakes that got soft during our testing. Although our braking regimen isn’t nearly as severe as what a racetrack demands, a warning message reporting the brakes’ demise popped up on the dash. Between the flappability at high speeds and the iffy brakes, our helmets are way off to former FIA GT racing driver Andreas Simonsen, who piloted the Plaid to what must have been a harrowing 7:35 Nürburgring lap.

Still, if you’re looking for an absolute straight-line missile, you aren’t going to do much better for the money than a used Model S Plaid. These things depreciated hard and fast, and now it’s time for the patient to reap the reward.

How Expensive Are We Talking?

When I wrote that these Model S Plaids are fast Kia money, we weren’t pulling any shenanigans. A new Kia EV6 GT carries a price tag of $62,975 including freight, and while it’s a more cohesive performance package than a Model S Plaid, its 576-horsepower output is thoroughly outgunned by the top-dog Tesla, which can now be bought second-hand for less money. Just the other week, this 2021 Model S Plaid sold on Cars & Bids for $59,000, and while the bright wrap might not be to everyone’s taste, less than $60,000 for hypercar-like acceleration from a 43,800-mile sedan seems like a damn good deal.

Likewise, if we hop over to traditional classified ads, we can see that some of the values witnessed in recent auctions aren’t wildly low. This 2021 Model S Plaid is listed for sale by a used car dealer in California for $59,899 with just 28,044 miles on the clock. By all accounts, that’s a solid deal, and it’s not the only one.

Perhaps grey is more your color. Well, here’s a 2021 Model S Plaid on the optional upgraded wheels, and it’s listed for sale by a Mitsubishi dealer in Cleveland for $59,990. With 39,680 miles on the clock and an airy off-white interior, it seems like one hell of a daily driver.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong On A Tesla Model S Plaid?

As these are late-model cars with the benefit of electric power, there isn’t a whole lot that seems to go wrong with them. A few Tesla Model S Plaid owners have reported that the upholstery on their steering yokes started to peel, and build quality seems less than impressive, but no widespread patterns of mechanical failures have made themselves apparent on these cars. A software update has fixed reports of drivetrain vibrations, and that was the only truly pervasive mechanical issue we’ve seen on these cars so far. In comparison with a lot of heavily depreciated luxury cars, that’s not the worst position to be in.

Should I Buy A Tesla Model S Plaid?

That depends. Do you value straight-line speed over everything else? If so, go for it. However, if you’re looking for a well-rounded performance vehicle or something that doesn’t feel more than a decade old at its core, maybe a used Model S Plaid isn’t the car for you.

At the same time, we can admit to this car’s limitations while still being captivated by the fact that acceleration times formerly exclusive to the one percent are now in the realm of affordability for a whole bunch of relatively middle-class people. The whole game of straight-line speed has changed with the development of batteries and motors, and the future is rather clear — if you want to accelerate quickly in an arrow-straight manner, an EV is the way to do it.

(Photo credits: Cars & Bids, Autotrader sellers)

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