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Buying a used Model S or Model X in Australia
Last checked: 21 October 2026 against Tesla Australia’s support pages, Drive, CarExpert, WhichCar, RACV and NRMA Open Road. Details vary by build date, so confirm anything important with Tesla using the car’s VIN. This is a general guide, not financial advice.
Short answer: You can only buy a Model S or Model X second-hand in Australia now. Tesla delivered the first Model S cars here in December 2014, and Drive reports the last S and X were delivered at the end of 2020, all in pre-facelift form. The refreshed cars with the Plaid flagship, the landscape screen and the yoke were priced for Australia in 2021, but they were never built in right-hand drive and never delivered here. Every one is now about six years old or older, so check hardware, warranty, charging and condition.
Does Tesla still sell a new Model S or Model X in Australia?
No. Drive reported in May 2023 that Tesla told Australian customers the updated Model S and Model X “will not be available in right-hand drive” and refunded their pre-orders. In May 2025, Tesla Australia’s country director Thom Drew told Drive that “engineering difficulties” stop the current cars being built in right-hand drive. He told NRMA Open Road that “we won’t see that product anytime soon.”
It is now closed worldwide too. WhichCar reported in May 2026 that Tesla confirmed “the last Model S and the last Model X have been produced at Fremont Factory”, with the space going to Optimus robot production. Tesla Australia’s current battery warranty table lists only Model 3 and Model Y. If you want a big Tesla in Australia, it will be a used one.
Which Model S and Model X years were sold in Australia
Build date, not first registration, decides which hardware a car has. You can see the computer type on the touchscreen under Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information.
| Built | What changed | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Late 2014 to October 2016 (Model S) | First-generation Autopilot hardware, on cars built from September 2014 only | Tesla says these cars can’t be retrofitted to newer Autopilot hardware. Original screen unit, so check the eMMC recall and Infotainment Upgrade. |
| Late 2016 to March 2018 (S and X) | Model X arrives. Drive said all Australian-delivered X cars in early 2017 had “Hardware Two” | Original screen unit, eligible for Tesla’s Infotainment Upgrade. Ask whether the eMMC recall was done. |
| April 2018 to March 2019 | Built after Tesla’s Infotainment Upgrade cut-off | Confirm the screen unit and Autopilot computer in Additional Vehicle Information |
| April 2019 to end of 2020 | New front motor, adaptive air suspension, faster Supercharging, Autopilot standard | Check the suspension modes and warranty end dates. These are the youngest S and X sold here. |
| 2021 refresh (Plaid, yoke, landscape screen) | Never delivered in Australia | Treat any such car with care. Ask how it was imported and whether it can be registered. |
Drive’s April 2019 report described the update: a permanent magnet front motor for “more than 10%” more range, adaptive air suspension, 200 kW charging on V3 Superchargers and standard Autopilot on Australian cars. On the 2021 refresh, CarExpert says the yoke was “originally the standard unit”, alongside the tri-motor Plaid and a landscape screen. Australia never received that car. Drive also notes that Australia, unlike the UK and Japan, does not allow brand-new left-hand-drive cars to be registered for road use.
Battery and drive unit warranty: how much is left?
Many Australian S and X cars are near the end of their cover or past it.
- What older cars got. Drive’s 2018 Model X review listed an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for the battery and drive unit. It also listed eight years or 160,000 km for the rest of the vehicle. Tesla says “coverage varies by delivery date, model and trim”, so check the actual car.
- Count the years. Eight years from purchase means any S or X delivered before about October 2018 is already outside that window. Even the last cars delivered at the end of 2020 run out by the end of 2028.
- Get proof. Tesla says owners can see their coverage in the Tesla app under Specs & Warranty. Ask the seller for a screenshot that matches the VIN. Tesla also says the warranty transfers to a new owner “when a vehicle ownership transfer is performed through Tesla”, so do that transfer properly.
- Parts bought later. Tesla’s Parts, Body & Paint warranty covers a replacement high-voltage battery or drive unit for 4 years or 80,000 km. A replacement touchscreen and media control unit gets 2 years or 40,000 km. If the seller says a big part was replaced, ask for the invoice.
For how to read battery health on any Tesla, see our battery health guide.
Screen and computer: MCU1, the eMMC recall and the upgrade
The original touchscreen computer in older S and X cars is usually called MCU1, and its replacement MCU2. Two things to check:
- The eMMC recall. CarExpert reported a 2021 Australian recall of 2,508 cars, covering Model S sold between May 2014 and 30 June 2018 and Model X sold from January 2017 to 30 June 2018. An 8GB memory chip could fail and black out the central display. That can also take out the reversing camera. Ask for evidence that the recall work was done.
- The Infotainment Upgrade. Tesla Australia says owners of Model S and Model X “built March 2018 or earlier” can buy an Infotainment Upgrade, which gives a faster touchscreen and an LTE capable modem. The upgrade removes AM, FM and DAB radio unless you also buy Tesla’s separate Radio Upgrade, which restores FM, and DAB on some cars. If a seller says the car “has the upgrade”, ask for the invoice and check Additional Vehicle Information yourself.
Autopilot hardware and Full Self-Driving
- First-generation cars. Tesla says cars built between September 2014 and October 2016 have first-generation Autopilot hardware, with one camera, a radar and ultrasonic sensors. Tesla says these cars “are not eligible for retrofits to the latest Autopilot hardware.”
- Later cars. Drive reported in January 2017 that every Australian-delivered Model X had Tesla’s Hardware Two. By April 2019, Autopilot was standard on new S and X.
- Full Self-Driving. Drive reported that Australians have been able to buy Full Self-Driving since 2017. In August 2025 it reported that the local rollout of the supervised version would start with Hardware 4 cars only, and that timing for older hardware “is yet to be detailed”. Hardware 4 came with the Model 3 update in late 2023 and Model Y from January 2024, long after the last Australian S and X. If FSD is in a listing, don’t pay extra assuming it will work the way it does on a new Model 3 or Model Y.
None of these features make the car autonomous, and you remain responsible for driving it.
Charge port and the CCS2 question
RACV says CCS2 is now the most common plug for DC fast charging in Australia. It also says Model S and Model X sold from 2015 to 2020 have a modified Type 2 port. Adapters “should also be available” for CCS2 chargers, but the car “may require an adapter for use at some CCS2 fast-charging stations”. Before you buy:
- Ask whether a CCS2 adapter comes with the car, and see it.
- Ask Tesla, with the VIN, what that car needs to use CCS2 chargers.
- If you can, test it on a DC fast charger. Our inspection guide covers this along with tyres, glass and suspension, and our stamp duty guide helps with on-road costs.
Model X: falcon-wing doors and air suspension
Drive’s 2017 first drive said each falcon-wing door is packed with sensors, needs about 30.5 cm of side clearance per Tesla, and is lifted mainly by springs in the roof spine. Drive’s 2018 review found they take longer than normal doors and that the obstacle sensors “don’t always work”. On any X:
- Open and close both falcon-wing doors several times, including next to another car or a wall, and watch for hesitation, noise or uneven gaps.
- Check the self-opening driver’s door and the power tailgate. Drive’s 2018 test car had a tailgate that didn’t sit flush.
- Run the air suspension through every height setting and check the car sits level after it has been parked. Drive notes air suspension was mandatory on six-seat X cars and standard in 2018. The April 2019 update added adaptive air suspension to both S and X.
FAQ
Can I still buy a new Tesla Model S or Model X in Australia? No. The last Australian deliveries were at the end of 2020, the refreshed cars were never built in right-hand drive, and WhichCar reported in May 2026 that Tesla has ended Model S and Model X production.
Is the battery warranty still valid on a used Model S or Model X? It depends on the delivery date. Older Australian cars had eight years on the battery and drive unit, so cars delivered before about October 2018 are already past it. Check the Tesla app’s Specs & Warranty screen for the exact car.
Can an older Model S or Model X use CCS2 fast chargers? Often, with an adapter. RACV says 2015 to 2020 cars have a modified Type 2 port that may need one. Ask Tesla with the VIN and test it before you buy.
Sources: Tesla Australia’s vehicle warranty, Infotainment Upgrade and Autopilot pages. Drive on the 2023 cancellation, why they are not returning, the 2019 update, the 2017 and 2018 Model X reviews, the first deliveries and Full Self-Driving. CarExpert on the eMMC recall and the yoke. WhichCar, RACV and NRMA Open Road.
Find a used Model S or Model X
Browse Model S and Model X listings or all used Teslas for sale, and compare asking prices on the price guide. Prefer a newer, smaller Tesla? Read Model 3 vs Model Y. See the FAQ, or if you are selling, list your Tesla or read how to sell a used Tesla in Australia.