Top electric cars : N°09 Tesla Model X

Tesla Model X

Overview

What is that?

Falcon doors ring. It’s still hard to believe they weren’t from a concept car, but here they are able to open up to 11 inches of space, with sensors to prevent impacting poles or squeezing children out. , The hallmark of X.

It is unique, something it has in common with the rest of Tesla’s biggest cars. Because it is not easy to classify. It is four-wheel drive and can seat up to seven people, but it is not a traditional SUV. Can you imagine a person passing through a muddy field? exactly. Then there is his appearance. It’s more of a sedan than a classic station wagon. Hardly a nice hatch either.

Being difficult to pin down isn’t necessarily a bad thing – in fact, Tesla has played its part well, in proportion to the business’s more subversive nature. And it’s not as if buyers have given it a big berth, as it is firmly anchored at the upper end of the family car price segment.

Underneath it shares a platform and engines with the Model S sedan. All versions available in the UK currently use two electric motors, one on each axle, and with the same 100 kWh battery (entry The 75D range is now discontinued). This is located low in the center of the vehicle, and combined with the built-in electric motors, not only ensures a flat floor throughout the cabin, but also useful storage space under the hood plus a bulky boot.

Most recently, the Tesla Model X range appears to have stabilized after price and release fluctuations. The arrival of opponents such as the Mercedes EQC and the Audi e-tron seems to have stabilized the Tesla, and thus the Model X found its marks in the market.

Two versions are currently available, the Long Range at £ 82,700 and the Performance at £ 96,900. Both are extremely powerful, with an entry-level version developing 553 hp, and a Ludicrous performance of 785 hp. Despite the fact that both weigh just under 2,500 kg, both are not slow, the long-haul road is able to reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, while the performance sees a reference racing speed in 2.7 seconds.

Both claim to be able to cover more than 300 miles for a fee and give you free access to Tesla’s superb Supercharger network – an offer that lasts as long as you keep the vehicle. The second owners must pay for the privilege.

Behavior

How is it on the road?

Ask most people what they know about driving a Tesla and they will mention two things: impressive acceleration or its self-driving ability. Both are great properties. Need extra speed to release performance? of course not. The long run isn’t just fast enough, it wonders how the kids in the back will handle chips and drinks when a roaming parent unleashes a 0-60 versus 2.9. In fact, scratch that, they’ll find it funny. It’s not you who don’t when you are on your hands and knees trying to clean it up later.

Form X is fast. But it’s also very, very fluid. Are you coming from an internal combustion vehicle? This is the biggest difference you’ll notice: no shift, no motor vibration, virtually no noise. The throttle is brilliantly well calibrated that it glides easily with city traffic and despite its size, it turns nicely, interacts instantly and sharply, giving you confidence in challenging places.

It is the lowest quality outside of town. Structural rigidity is the first and most obvious defect. It might not seem like a big deal, but you feel the body twisting, you get chills, and you hear a creak. If there is engine noise, it may be less pronounced, but it is not. And the ride is very strict. This is done to control roll and height, but the Model X knocks and knocks along B-roads. On rough surfaces there is tire noise, and this is reflected in the giant windshield, and this makes the Model X more choppy than it should be.

Let’s not talk long about manipulation. We already know the X is fast enough to go between corners, but then those corners … have problems. It’s really a bit disjointed, you have no idea what steering is doing but you have a great awareness of the weight that you just tried to slow down and change direction. Yes, it’s fast in a straight line, but no, you wouldn’t drive it that way. Especially because in the absence of a separation between the cargo compartment and the seating area, everything in the luggage compartment slides and gets stuck. The brakes? It wasn’t Tesla’s strong point.

continue. Full autopilot is an option at £ 5,900. Without it, the car would still follow other vehicles and stay on the lane. Check the box and your car can also change lanes, park parallel and call you in a parking lot or the like via the mobile app. The main advantage of having a system is that it is futureproof. As Tesla improves the technology, the additional installed sensors will have a bigger role to play. As it stands, Tesla’s autonomous driving system successfully curtailed its past excesses. You can’t let go of the steering wheel and let the car continue to work with it – that will give a warning very early these days.

It’s not as smooth and quiet on the road as the Audi e-tron, but it’s still an easy and basically comfortable car to drive for something a little too big.

On the inside

Layout, finish and space

There aren’t a lot of options to choose from, but Tesla charges you dearly for the options it offers. As standard, the Model X is five seats. A third line can be added for £ 3,400. Make sure you really need it. The downward curve of the tailgate limits headroom there, although it can easily fold flat. If you want easier access, you’d better get the six-seat design, which replaces the three-seat center seat with a pair of captain’s chairs. For 6,300 pounds sterling.

It is huge on the inside. The total volume of luggage is 2,487 liters, which makes it on par with the Land Rover Discovery. The problem is the ease of use of this space. If you have a six-seat design, there’s not much to stop in the trunk that slides into the cabin. And although Falcon doors never get boring, if the car is parked unevenly and the body is slightly twisted or in inclement weather, it sometimes refuses to work.

Up front, two screens dominate the cabin – a 17-inch dashboard and eight feet that arch over your head. The windshield is very distracting. Colored so sun glare isn’t a problem, and the sense of peripheral vision is excellent, but you also feel exposed under that transparent forehead. Dashboard screen? Well everyone seems to be going touchscreen, this is the biggest and the best. As big as the Road Atlas, it’s responsive and easy to use, but still requires a lot of time without eyes on the road.

Moreover, the design is very basic, the materials are less than classy, ​​and the seats are slippery and not very supportive. This is not a cabin in which you will feel comfortable. It’s more like driving an elegant transit car. One of them has LED headlights, 17-speaker stereo speakers, heated seats and a steering wheel.

Owning

Operating costs and reliability

Owning a Tesla is as easy as driving a Tesla. Get a home charger installed for a few hundred pounds if you want convenience and have an off-street parking, but it will always be cheaper – if you own the new car – to do all the recharges for free on a supercharger.

Building its charging network in parallel with the sale of cars was of course Tesla’s genius. The joy of returning to work again at no cost. Pay attention to the claimed range. Tesla says all Xs will travel 300 miles on a charge, but the reality is between 220 to 240 miles, and when we tested one earlier this year in cold and windy weather, it was about 200 miles in fact, with an average of not much more than Two miles per kilowatt hour. Overall, the Model X appears to use less electricity than the Jaguar i-Pace, and mostly improve on the Audi e-tron.

It has a four-year, 50,000-mile warranty with battery and eight-year transmission coverage. The government grant of £ 3,500 is still available on electric cars, but even if the Model X isn’t a cheap car to buy – Tesla’s long-term financial package offers at £ 905 a month for four years, with £ 10,000 down payment and expected residual. More than £ 40,000 at the end. Almost on par with its competitors. You want one now? No real waiting list – delivery approximately 2-3 months after ordering.

Verdict

Final thoughts and scope selection

Tesla Model X review: Not cheap and not a conventional SUV, but a fully capable wagon. 

Do you think an electric SUV could be your next family car? But does that sound too drastic? Give him the benefit of the doubt. By developing an electric car from scratch, Tesla remains narrowly ahead of the less compact and more innovative competitors Audi, Jaguar and Merck. Yes, they are designed better and more popular, but Tesla is tall, airy and has a good sense of humor. And that’s not just because it has a fart mode and doors that open up.

It is a fun and attractive family car with room for everyone and a fun personality more than its outward appearance suggests. And you can’t ignore the charging grid – which on its own takes away a lot of the hassle and frustration of switching to electricity. It’s a pretty good car, the Model X, especially now that it appears Tesla has settled its pricing strategy. Not cheap and not a conventional SUV, but a fully capable vehicle.