Tesla Model X review

Its makers will tell you that the Tesla Model X is an SUV, but it’s basically a people carrier version of the Model S. Like the S, this is also an electric car and it uses similar components, but they’re wrapped up in a more practical body.

As such, it’s a unique car in today’s market. Sure, you could also buy a BMW X5 hybrid, Audi Q7 e-tron or Range Rover P400e, but they can’t match the breadth of the Tesla Model X’s on-paper abilities and none can turn as many heads. From its party piece ‘Falcon Wing’ rear doors that are hinged at the top and lift up, to the 17-inch screen that takes up almost all of the centre console, the Tesla Model X makes many non-electric SUVs feel about as high-tech as a VHS tape in a world of 4K ultra-HD TVs.

Thankfully, despite the sheer number of gizmos you’ll find under the Tesla Model X’s space-age skin, it’s still a very practical electric family car. There’s plenty of room in the front seats for a couple of adults and it’s easy for almost anyone to get comfy thanks to the wide range of adjustment on the steering wheel and driver’s seat – all done electrically, of course.

You can order your Tesla Model X as a five-, six- or seven-seater, but whichever you choose, those upwards-hinging rear doors make it fantastically easy for the rear-seat passengers to get in. And, once they’re in, they’ll have plenty of room. In the second row, all three seats can be adjusted independently of the others.

Admittedly, the mechanism for the fancy rear doors slightly reduces the headroom for the centre-seat passenger, but the wide body and flat floor mean that it’s possible to sit three adults abreast in comfort. If you’re taking rather younger passengers, it couldn’t be easier to use the ISOFIX mounts, which are tucked away under a leather flap that’s held in place by Velcro when they’re not in use.

Unlike most seven-seat SUVs, there’s enough space for adults to get comfy in the Tesla Model X’s rearmost seats and it’s dead easy to climb in thanks to the sliding middle row of seats. The boot isn’t all that big with seven seats in place, but there’s still space to pack a couple of small suitcases. And, by virtue of having no engine in the front, the car also has an extra ‘boot’ under the bonnet with enough space to carry the car’s charging cables and a set of golf clubs.

Given how expensive this car is, the build quality and the standard of fit and finish are really nothing like as good as they should be

However, it’s not all good news inside. For a start, the quality isn’t as good as you would expect on a car that can cost well over £100,000 – and nowhere near as good as in a petrol- or diesel-powered Mercedes or Audi.

On top of that, while the huge touchscreen looks amazing it isn’t particularly easy to use when you’re on the move – it’s quite literally a hit-and-miss-affair when you try to adjust the temperature of the climate control. It would be easier if the car had more conventional controls.

That said, Tesla is updating this screen for the 2021 model year. These cars won’t touch down in the UK until 2022, but they will have a new 17-in landscape-orientated screen that is thought to be easier to use than the existing portrait screen.

Happily, charging the electric Tesla Model X is a doddle. Plug it into one of Tesla’s ‘Supercharger’ public charging points – which you’ll find on our electric car charging point map – and you can top up its batteries from 0-80% in around 40 minutes. Using a wall-mounted charger at home will take approximately 14 hours, however, while plugging it into a three-pin household plug will result in a 33-hour charge time.

Once you’re on the move, you’ll find the Tesla Model X is a doddle to drive. Being an EV means it’s super quiet and the regenerative braking (which uses the motors to slow the car and recharge the batteries in the process) lets you can drive around using just the accelerator pedal most of the time.

Beyond the city limits, it’s the Tesla Model X’s performance that grabs your attention. Even the cheaper Long Range models can sprint from 0-60mph in less than 4.4 seconds while the Performance version shrugs off the same sprint in a supercar-shaming 2.7 seconds.

The Model X’s range depends on which model you buy – Tesla claims Performance models will manage more than 300 miles while Long Range versions can eke out 314 miles. That’s some way off the range you’ll get from a petrol- or diesel-powered SUV, but you need to consider that fully charging the Tesla Model X’s batteries can set you back less than a third of what it costs to fill a large SUV’s fuel tank.

The new 2021 model year cars see this line-up revised, however. The new entry-level Model X Long Range will come with a claimed range of 360 miles and a 0-60mph time of just 3.8 seconds. Meanwhile, the range-topping Model X Plaid will be able to cover 340 miles on a charge, but will hit 60mph in just 2.5 seconds.

Among the other advantages of the Tesla Model X is the wide range of autonomous technology available, while the car handles better than you would expect of something so big. And, every model comes with four-wheel drive – thanks to its two electric motors – so it shouldn’t get stuck if you find yourself faced with a slippery mud-covered country lane.

But, wherever you’re driving you can’t fail to notice that the car feels the bumps a bit more than alternative SUVs. On top of that, the Tesla Model X also can’t tow as much as equivalent SUVs.

The electric Tesla Model X leads the field in terms of safety tech, though. You get plenty of advanced systems designed to help prevent collisions and it will even steer, accelerate and brake for you on motorways – providing you keep your hands on the wheel, that is.

Ultimately, it’s easy to see the attraction of the Tesla Model X, and this is one of the few electric cars that will make genuine petrolheads stop and think.