Used car safety, rank #33 of 181
Tesla Model S 4WD Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Tesla Model S 4WD, a large luxury car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Tesla Model S 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 17 per million registered vehicle years against a large luxury cars average of 18.5, which is 8% below the class average. That places it #33 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 80.2/100.
What the Tesla Model S death rate means
At 17 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Tesla Model S 4WD beats the large luxury cars average of 18.5 by 8%. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 33, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 38 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Tesla Model S. It is higher than the Tesla Model S's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for heavier vehicles. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used luxury cars
The safest large luxury cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Tesla Model S 4WD highlighted. It ranks 2 of the 4 shown; the class leader is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 4WD at a death rate of 0.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 4WD | 2017-20 | 0 (0 to 22) | 97.3 | 3.5/5 | $24,000 to $42,000 |
| Tesla Model S 4WD (this page) | 2017-20 | 17 (0 to 33) | 80.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 2WD | 2017-20 | 27 (5 to 48) | 68.5 | 3.5/5 | n/a |
| Genesis G80 | 2017-20 | 30 (0 to 69) | 65.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for large luxury cars: 18.5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Tesla Model S
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Tesla Model S we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Tesla Model Y | TSP+ | 98.6 |
| 2026 | Tesla Model 3 | No award | 91.7 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 80.2 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Tesla Model S 4WD
No recalls on record for the 2020 model year.
Tesla Model S 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Tesla Model S 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 17 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Tesla Model S 4WD, 8% below the class average (18.5 for large luxury cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 80.2 out of 100 and rank #33 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Tesla Model S 4WD driver death rate?
17 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 33. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Tesla Model S died at a rate of 38 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Tesla Model S 4WD compare with other large luxury cars?
The large luxury cars class averages 18.5 driver deaths per million; the Tesla Model S 4WD sits at 17. Among the 4 large luxury cars compared above it ranks 2 by safety score; the top of that group is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 4WD with a death rate of 0.