If the art of the U-turn were an Olympic sport, certain vehicles would pirouette with the flair of a prima ballerina, while others would lumber around like a drunk uncle at a wedding. Understanding a car’s turning circle gives us a worldly insight into its manoeuvrability, and when it comes to the Tesla Model S, we're sizing up the nimbleness of an electric panther on the automotive dance floor.
Embarking on a journey of hinge and pivot, the turning circle of the Tesla Model S has been more of a tightrope walker's balance than a rollercoaster ride. Our good old first-gen from 2013 to 2016 played a good hand with an 11.30 m turning game. But in the quest for progress, and possibly to accommodate new tech or design changes, the facelifted models of 2016 onwards did a slight backstep to an 11.80 m circle. Still, as agile as a cat burglar, mind you.
Compared to its electrifying siblings in the Tesla line-up, the Model S shares its twirl space with the nimble Model 3 at 11.80 m; they're practically tango partners. Meanwhile, the Model Y and the heftier Model X would be slightly outpaced in a ballet, requiring 12.10 m and 12.40 m respectively. It's a trade-off, my friends, for those extra inches in size and comfort. Nevertheless, all these motoring maestros pirouette with an aristocratic grace that's sure to tickle the fancy.
The tape measure tells no lies; the Model S rubs shoulders with rivals like the Hyundai IONIQ 6 and the vaunted Maserati MC20, all three sharing the same 11.80 m promenade. But the chap in an Alfa Romeo Tonale sneaks ahead with a smaller 11.60 m, while the swiveling prowess of Lexus UX at a dainty 11.20 m could dance circles around our Tesla. However, if we're exchanging the waltz for a foxtrot, the constricted moves of the Ligier JS 50 at an astonishing 8.70 m or the Citroen C-Zero at a spritely 9.00 m would undoubtedly win the gold — but let's not compare apples with absolutely-tiny-my-garage-is-a-shoebox cars.