Tesla Model S as a Family Car - Review Part 1
We’ve enjoyed our Tesla for a few weeks now and I think it has checked out very well as a family car. I would give it a nice full A+.
We have 3 kids - a baby, a toddler and a teenager, so the space in the back is pretty important. The car currently fits a Graco rear facing baby seat, a front facing Bitrax toddler seat and our teenager in the middle - all seem to be pretty comfortable.
The teenager in the middle even reports she is more comfortable than in our previous big SUV, as the seat belt attachments are sunken into the seat, so they don't bother her bottom :)
The trunk space is one of the aspects of Model S that I think surprised me the most. It’s huuuge for a sedan! It can fit our Uppa Baby Vista stroller with a Rumble Seat in the back and still leave plenty of space for bags. The space is easily comparable to a trunk space of a large SUV, just maybe not as high.
I also like the fact that it’s very flat and nicely lined. It’s a very comfortable place to change a baby and the side pocket used for the charging cables is great to keep a spare packet of wipes and diapers.
A huge plus for a young family is the third row seating. It is meant only for kids between 35 and 77 pounds and up to 37 inches tall, but it’s still a great addition. The seats unfold and fold back in in a matter of seconds and if you no longer need them, you can have them taken out for extra trunk space. They also feature the special 5 point child-friendly seat belts, which have a slider around the shoulders to adjust it to your child's height. The third row is a extra when buying the car, so if you don't order it, you just have more space in the trunk where our seats fold into.
Front Trunk (Frunk) Space
The front trunk (the Frunk) is a huge plus. Since there is no engine in the front, all that space becomes storage. It's large enough to fit a cart and a half of groceries, or a suitcase and a bag. It even fits the same Uppa Baby Vista stroller I've fit in the back trunk, with the Rumle Seat! It's a tight fit, but it works and let's us use the 3 row seating and still take a stroller with us, something we have not been able to do even with an SUV!
to be continued in Part 2...