Tesla Model X review
The Tesla Model X is a huge SUV with a variety of interior seating layouts, astonishing performance and extensive real-world range
Pros
- Huge and versatile interior
- Impressive real-world range
- Advanced self-driving technology
Cons
- Build quality is hit-and-miss
- Suspension is a little firm
- Now left-hand drive only
| Model | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model X | 348 miles | 15hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 30mins (10-80%, 250kW) |
| Model X Plaid | 333 miles | 15hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 30mins (10-80%, 250kW) |
Tesla Model X verdict
The Tesla Model X is quite unlike anything else on the road. While it offers meteoric straight-line speed, it doesn’t quite handle as well as rivals, nor is it as comfortable on longer journeys. Interior materials and build quality lag behind the competition, too. Buyers might also be put off by the fact it's now only available in left-hand drive; right-hand drive models were officially discontinued in May 2023. Despite this, the Model X is incredibly practical – and with more gizmos than the Starship Enterprise, this arcade on four wheels undeniably has huge appeal.
Range details, specs and alternatives
SUVs account for one in three global car sales. So they're big business, and Tesla was the first to capitalise on demand from those after a pure-electric one with the Model X. But this isn’t ‘just’ an SUV – it’s an absolute behemoth with the performance of a supercar, the option of five, six or even seven seats, a built-in video games console and the option of a steering wheel pulled straight out of Top Gun.
As you’d expect, the Model X certainly gets its fair share of attention. Its egg-like silhouette is distinctive – if perhaps a tad uninspiring alongside rivals like the BMW iX – but it’s the Model X’s ‘Falcon Wing’ rear doors that are the real show-stoppers. Small crowds will gather whenever they open; they have that kind of novelty value. They have a functional aspect, too, as they reveal a big aperture that allows for easier access than conventional doors can offer.
Also appealing is the technology and performance under the metal. The Model X has the ability to outdo even supercars in a drag race: the range-topping Plaid variant will go from 0-60mph in a gut-wrenching 2.5 seconds. It also has one of the longest ranges of any electric SUV; both the standard and Plaid variants feature a 100kWh battery pack, sufficient for around 348 and 333 miles of range respectively (the latter concedes some range in pursuit of its savage turn of speed).
Thanks to the Tesla Supercharger network – with stations covering the majority of UK motorways and beyond – the Model X promises easier long-range touring than rivals like the Jaguar I-Pace, Audi Q8 e-tron and Mercedes EQS – despite the latter offering more range. Superchargers deliver around 80% charge to the Model X in around half an hour, while a standard 7.4kW home wallbox will complete a full charge in around 13 hours.
As you’d expect from the flagship model of a brand such as Tesla, the Model X comes utterly loaded with equipment as standard. All cars get full LED exterior lighting, 20-inch alloy wheels, tri-zone climate control, all-round heated seats and the choice of a round or ‘yoke’-style steering wheel. Speaking of the steering wheel – it's now on the so-called wrong side; an official statement released in May 2023 confirmed the brand would no longer make the Model X (or Model S) in right-hand drive. The SUV is now left-hand drive only.
There’s also a grand total of three screens: a digital instrument cluster, an expansive 17-inch centre touchscreen and another separate touchscreen display for the rear passengers. These all come packed with a growing library of video games, streaming services like Netflix and a sing-along Karaoke feature. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren't available, though.
Tesla offers the Model X with three ascending levels of its ‘Autopilot’ suite of driver assistance and safety systems. The basic setup includes features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and blind spot monitoring. Step up to the ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ package and this adds the ability to automatically change lanes, follow sat-nav directions and self-park. You can also ‘Summon’ the car via the Tesla app, with the Model X pulling out of a parking space before driving to your location nearby autonomously.
Finally, there’s the headlining ‘Full Autopilot’ setup which adds the ability to stop and go at traffic lights. It can also, in theory, drive itself completely – although there isn’t the proper legislation put in place on British roads to allow this yet. It’s also worth keeping in mind that while Tesla markets its safety systems as ‘self-driving’, all require full attention and occasional inputs from the driver.
For more on the Tesla Model X, read on for the rest of our in-depth review...
