Beyond the fact that it's an all-electric luxury car, one of the surprising things about the Tesla Model S, is that it can seat seven.

It's clear the Tesla Model S dazzles us. But what you might not know is that even the door handles are cool.

With the release of our Tesla Model S road test, there have been many questions regarding what other models stand out. Here, we present the current class valedictorians, those cars that have faced our more than 50 tests and managed to earn an A.

Imagine driving while using your iPad to play music, and look at Google maps. Now imagine your iPad is built into the car and also runs your climate control, phone, and even basic car controls, such as braking, steering, suspension, and sunroof settings. Oh, and it's much bigger than a standard iPad. That's what it's like driving a Tesla.

Auto Test Director Jake Fisher, my fellow Senior Auto Test engineer Gabe Shenhar, and I recorded this Tesla-only episode of our podcast, Talking Cars with Consumer Reports, to share more insights on this top-scoring car. You asked for it, and we delivered.

There, we said it. The Tesla Model S outscores every other car in our test Ratings. It does so even though it's an electric car. In fact, it does so because it is electric.

As the buzz builds around our countdown to the release of our Tesla Model S road test, we couldn't resist having some fun in the luxury electric sedan. In the process, we answered the seminal question: Will it drift?

This past weekend I brought our Tesla Model S to an Electric Vehicle Rally in Westport, Connecticut. The event featured a fun 40-mile scenic drive, guided by scavenger-hunt clues rather than driving directions. It was just the sort of event car enthusiasts of all stripes have long enjoyed, but with a green twist.

Watch our automotive experts chat about new road test results and answer reader questions in the third episode of "Talking Cars with Consumer Reports."

Tesla created much buzz this week by offering "lease" for the Model S luxury car with payments as low as $500. That sounds pretty tempting, especially for an electric car with expensive batteries that will wear over time. But Tesla CEO Elon Musk's numbers just don't add up.

The Tesla Model S continues to entertain us with its engaging driving characteristics and wicked speed. And now, it provides three-row seating in an electric sport sedan—an ability more often associated with some fuel-guzzling SUVs.

We've been enjoying the Tesla Model S as it goes through its break-in period, leading into formal testing. During this time, I've been keen to find out its real-world range, and recently confirmed that driving this electric car—like any other—can bring some range anxiety. Although winter highway driving may present a worst-case scenario, our Tesla actually delivered the range it projected.

Shortly after we received our own Tesla Model S, I was lucky enough to snag it for a three-day weekend. Not only is the Tesla cool and really fun to drive, this is the first EV that can I can actually use for my 160-mile round trip commute.

The delivery of our Tesla Model S last Friday culminated over two years of wait. We put a $5,000 deposit in October, 2010 and waited our turn. California start-up Tesla is a new kind of company that builds only electric cars. And as if that's not innovative enough, the purchase process is quite novel as well. While we were waiting for our own car, we borrowed one for an early look back in November:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a minimum sound standard for electric and hybrid vehicles to help reduce pedestrian fatalities.