Tesla Model X Review & Prices

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 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 iX or Mercedes’ new EQS SUV, but they can’t quite match the breadth of the Tesla Model X’s on-paper abilities, and neither can turn as many heads. From its party piece ‘Falcon Wing’ rear doors that are hinged at the top and lift up, to the 17.0-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.

That being said, from 2023, every new Model X will be left-hand drive, so despite the fact you can get your driving position perfect there will still be a number of drawbacks. UK roads are designed with right-hand drive in mind, so many junctions will be trickier to see out of and you'll struggle to reach ticket machines. If you want to sit on the right, you'll have to find an older used Model X.

Not enough to put you off? 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 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 into 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.

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. An update in 2021 did see an improvement in this area, though.

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 or the climate control. It would be easier if the car had more conventional controls.

That said, Tesla updated the screen for the 2021 model year to a new 17.0-inch landscape-orientated screen that is a tad easier to use than the older 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 breeze 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 drive around using just the accelerator pedal most of the time.

The Model X’s range depends on which model you buy – Tesla claims Tri Motor Plaid models will manage around 337 miles while Dual Motor versions can eke out 358 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 entry-level Model X Dual Motor comes with a claimed 0-60mph time of just 3.8 seconds. Meanwhile, the range-topping Model X Plaid 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 (or three) 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. 

The Tesla Model X comes with all the safety tech you would expect of a premium SUV, 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.

If you like the look of this big electric SUV, check out the latest Tesla Model X deals available through carwow, or browse an extensive stock of used Model X from a network of trusted dealers. You can also browse other used Teslas, and if you need to sell your car online, carwow can help with that too.

The Model X is a feature-packed SUV with supercar-rivalling acceleration. We reiterate these points in an attempt to justify its rather high starting price. Direct alternatives are hard to come by; the all-electric BMW iX is far cheaper in base trim, but you’ll need to step up to the similarly pricey M60 model for comparable range and performance figures. The BMW is also only available as a five-seater.

The electric Mercedes EQS SUV will soon be on its way, too. It promises an even longer range than the Model X for a similar price but won’t come anywhere near it in terms of performance. That leaves the Tesla Model X as a great choice for those seeking practicality, seven seats and face-squishing performance, especially in ‘standard’ dual Motor trim.

The Model X is a big car, yet it’s easy to drive and delivers massive acceleration on demand. Fitting into tight bays can get tricky, and it’s not as comfortable over bumps as some alternatives

In town

No seven-seater SUV is the ideal car to thread through morning traffic, but the Model X is super easy to drive and offers great visibility out of its generously-sized windows. The windscreen stretches right up into the roofline making for a very airy feel.

The strong brake regeneration allows you to drive around using just the accelerator pedal most of the time, and the handy driver aids like emergency braking, collision warning and blind-spot monitoring all go towards taking the stress out of navigating around tight city streets. A feature called Sentry Mode will even monitor the area around your car with the vehicle’s external cameras while you are parked. 

Add the optional Enhanced Autopilot pack and you get a number of additional driver aids such as Autopark, which will parallel park for you, and Smart Summon, a feature which will bring your parked car to you in a parking lot. But one area where the Model X could do with improvement is in the harsh way it deals with bumps and rough road surfaces.

It's in town where the left-hand drive-only layout will be most difficult to deal with. In general driving it shouldn't be too problematic, but you will find visibility will be tricky at some junctions and on some narrow streets.

On the motorway

The Tesla Model X travels along in near silence on the motorway, aside from a bit of road noise from the large 22-inch wheels.

Its raft of driver aids can help to steer, brake and even change lanes for you. The massive power on offer makes short work of any overtaking manoeuvre, with the rapid acceleration only letting off slightly at high speeds.

The spacious interior and the large windows make this a great family car for long road trips.

On a twisty road

When the road gets a bit twisty the Model X responds with a firm and controlled ride, and little body lean in fast corners. Its passenger-silencing acceleration out of corners is always fun, but it doesn’t feel particularly fun to drive. Then again, what seven-seater SUV does?

There’s tons of space in the Model X, getting in the back is easy thanks to those falcon-wing rear doors. You’ll have to pay extra for the six- or seven-seater layout, though

The Model X makes the most of its space-saving electric layout. The flat floor and tall roofline, combined with the panoramic windscreen and large windows give the cabin an especially airy and spacious feel. Peter Crouch wouldn’t even have to bend down to get into the heated front seats, and the standard electric seat adjustment allows for a ‘just-right’ seating position for any shape or size.

The door bins in the front doors will take large bottles and handbags, and a set of adjustable cupholders are placed in the centre console. An angled section at the base of the dashboard can store and charge your phone, and there’s a huge storage bin under the centre armrest as well.

Space in the back seats

The standard five-seat version of the Model X offers three individual seats in the second row and the flat floor and upward-opening Falcon Wing doors make it very easy to get in and out. All three chairs can be adjusted, and a trio of tall adults will fit without a problem. ISOFIX mounts are also provided and there’s plenty of space to get a bulky baby chair locked into place.

Six-seater models remove the central seat in the second row and add two smaller third-row seats. The smaller rear chairs are best suited for shorter adults or children, although getting back there is easy thanks to the missing central chair in the second row. 

If you opt for the seven-seater then the second-row gets its centre seat back, and you’ll need to climb in from the outside. Those cool Falcon Wing doors do help ingress and egress, but they take a while to open and beep away while doing so. An infotainment screen is provided for second-row passengers, allowing them to watch shows or play computer games.

Boot space

The total boot space on offer differs slightly based on whether you have chosen the five, six or seven-seater version. You get 425 litres of boot space behind the third row in the six- and seven-seater, while the five-seater offers 1,050 litres with all seats in place. 

With just the driver and front passenger seats in place, you can get between 2,497 and 2,614 litres of loading space. That should be enough to avoid hiring a van the next time you need to move house. The loading area is flat and wide, with an adjustable boot floor.

There’s also an additional 187 litres in the front boot, enough space to store the charging cables as well as a few soft bags. The BMW iX offers 500 litres behind the rear seats which expands to 1,750 litres with the rear seats down. A more conventional petrol-powered seven-seater SUV like the Land Rover Discovery has 258-litres behind the third row, which expands to 1,137 litres with them folded down and a Model X-rivalling 2,406 litres when both rear rows are folded down.

The Tesla Model X offers space-age tech and a much-improved interior since its update. It still feels a bit cheap in places, especially compared to its German alternatives

We often refer to many modern car interiors as ‘minimalist’, but the Tesla Model X takes things to a whole new level. Step inside and you are greeted by an angular dash with a thin wood trim insert, punctuated by a 12.3-inch digital driver display and massive 17.0-inch landscape infotainment screen.

That large screen is now landscape oriented and remains the main method of interacting with the myriad functions available. It is very responsive and relatively user-friendly, but the sheer number of options and settings on offer can seem daunting to the uninitiated. 

There is no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay connectivity, but the built-in sat nav and audio menus work well enough that you won’t miss your phone’s apps. Bluetooth connectivity is standard, as is a 22-speaker 960-watt audio system. Trying to adjust settings on the touchscreen while on the move is literally a hit-and-miss affair, although this is not a problem that is unique to the Model X. 

The overall quality of the interior fittings is a step up from before, but alternatives like the BMW iX, and Audi Q8 e-tron look and feel far more upmarket. The Falcon Wing doors tend to move about on their mountings when open, and the few stalks and buttons that are provided on older models don’t feel particularly premium. Tesla has fixed this on newer models by removing the stalks and moving their functions to the wheel or touchscreen.

The styling though, is rather eye-catching, especially if you opt for the white leather interior. A third 8.0-inch digital display is also provided for the second row, it offers the ability to play games, with wireless controller compatibility and you can watch shows while on the move. USB charging ports are provided front and rear.

The Model X is an all-electric SUV that is available in either a dual-electric motor or tri-electric motor configuration, powered by a 100kWh battery pack.

The regular Model X comes with a dual-motor setup which makes it all-wheel-drive and it delivers an impressive 670hp. It is capable of a 3.8-second 0-60mph time, which is quicker than just about any other SUV on sale, electric or otherwise. It will travel a claimed 358 miles between charges, and using Tesla’s Superchargers, you can add up to 175 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

The BMW iX xDrive M50 produces 523hp, gets to 62mph in 4.6-seconds and manages up to 369 miles between charges. It is capable of going from 10-80% charge in just 35 minutes using a public fast charger.

The Model X Plaid version packs three electric motors that produce a combined 1,020hp, this gives the Plaid a 0-60mph time of a faintly ridiculous 2.5 seconds.. 

Just to put things into perspective, the Model X Plaid is still faster than just about any supercar, let alone SUV, on sale. It is claimed to do 337 miles on a full charge. As with any electric vehicle, colder weather and extended motorway driving will drastically lower that figure.

Finding a comparable alternative to the Model X Plaid is not a simple task when it comes to performance.

The BMW iX M60 costs similar money to the Model X Plaid and will deliver 619hp. It should be good for 348 miles between charges but the 3.8-second 0-62mph time is more comparable to the standard Model X. 

Being an all-electric vehicle, the Tesla Model X does not incur any road tax and is exempt from congestion charges as well.

The Tesla Model X received a full five-star Euro NCAP rating in 2019. Its 98% adult occupant and 94% safety assist result are amongst the highest ever awarded.

Standard safety tech is comprehensive, Basic Autopilot is included in both trims and will steer, brake and accelerate for you when conditions allow. Emergency braking, collision warning and blind-spot monitoring are also standard, as is keyless entry.

Enhanced Autopilot is an optional extra and includes features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic lane changing and the ability to summon the car remotely from a parking bay.

Reliability is a bit of a thorny subject amongst Tesla owners. Owner surveys have revealed a lot of issues with various Tesla models in the first year of ownership. These range from build quality niggles to electrical maladies, and while the Model X hasn’t sold in large enough numbers to see whether it too is troublesome, it shares many of its components with the well-established Model S.

You do get a four-year/50,000-mile warranty as standard, with eight-year/100,000-mile cover for the battery and electric motors, so any potential issues should be covered. There have been a handful of recalls in the UK for the Model X, mostly relating to software issues.