[ad_1]
The only thing more volatile than
a Tesla fanboy’s mood swings is the company’s share price. But away from
Twitter and Instagram devotees, the Model X cuts an imposing, whale-shaped hole
into the electric car chasm. We’ll leave it to you to make puns about it
serving a porpoise…
Falcon doors (more on those
later), an iPad-like cockpit screen, fart sound effects, and an unholy 0-62mph
time of 2.6 seconds for the fastest model help the Tesla stand out from the
crowd. But the crowd is circling, and growing.
Best electric SUVs
In case you’ve missed them, Audi,
Mercedes, and Jaguar all have electric SUVs now in the shapes of the i-Pace, EQC,
and Audi e-Tron. While BMW’s effort, the iX3, is now
beginning to trickle into showrooms.
Sure, they’re all more compact
than the Model X – closer in size to the forthcoming Model Y in
fact – but in these early days of manufacturers fleshing-out their electric
ranges it’s fine to combine the choices together.
Best electric cars: the CAR guide
With that pressure mounting, is
the Model X still the car to go for if you want something that’s flashy, huge,
and green?
More like Tesla Model
XXL…
Tesla has matured since the days
of the original Roadster, and now Elon Musk’s EV company has a distinct
design language. Featuring a minimal grille with no air inlets – a benefit of
not having to cool down the byproducts of combustion in a traditional
engine – the Model X looks like the updated Model S – but unlike anything
else on the road.
The Tesla Model X is just as
distinctive from the reverse angle, but those clean lines betray just how huge
it is. And it really is vast, so you can get it in five-, seven- or six-seat
configurations.
Those Falcon Wing doors
Tesla’s Falcon Wing doors set the
Model X apart from the Model S, as well as every other vehicle – and they get
their own section in this review. While they appear to be a gimmick – and often
feel like one – they’re sometimes genuinely useful.
To begin with, you can’t help but
feel they’re made for early-adopters to flaunt at Superchargers like peacocks.
The whole process seems to take a while, and the doors don’t always unfurl in a
smooth or uniform way, giving the impression they’re rather flimsy.
Best used electric cars: the CAR
guide
That’s a shame, because there
were times when the doors really came in handy. When parked close to other
cars, for instance, they allow multiple passengers to hop in and out, where
other doors would require a squeeze. Tesla says they’re invaluable for elderly
passengers too, and you can see why.
But the doors can also be a
nuisance, and there were times we’d try to avoid using them. Forgotten a bag in
the back? Can’t stretch round and get it from the driver’s seat? Nope. Moments
later, seconds later, you’ve got your bag, but onlookers think you’re trying to
show off.
Are they cool? Debatable. Are
they useful? Sometimes. Perhaps a Tesla Model X with one conventional door and
one Falcon-wing would be a suitable halfway-house – although this presents
problems for building cars for right- and left-hand drive markets.
Is the Tesla Model X practical?
Whatever you think of the doors,
they’re part of the Model X’s focus on practicality, and that design ethos is
evident inside the car, too. Three seating configurations are available, and
seats can be electrically folded and moved like parlour tricks: lightly press a
hidden button and headrests fold down, for example.
With the rear two seats folded
away the boot isn’t small, and if you’re still not happy, there’s always the
froot (front boot to those allergic to naff portmanteaux). However, all that
empty space doesn’t always translate to spaciousness; when specified with two
seats in the middle row, they’re positioned close to the rear doors with an
overly large gap between them, rather than adding elbow room for the outer
edge. Even the front seats offer a more balanced amount of elbow room on either
side.
Seven-seat fully-electric SUVs
are few and far between. The e-Tron, iX3, i-Pace and EQC are all strictly
five-seaters. The Model S can do you seven-seats, while if you’re really not
bothered by SUVnes, there are always the Mercedes EQV and Nissan e-NV200
car-derived vans.
Revealed: the fastest electric
cars
What’s it like to drive?
Imagine a Model S with
more height and weight, and you’re pretty much there. Just like the saloon, the
Model X offers a relatively firm ride and swift linear acceleration, but only
really reminds you of its 2.3 tonnes when you brake or turn. The performance is
fun on slip roads and genuinely useful on the motorway, but don’t think this is
a Stelvio Quadrifoglio rival. It just happens to be whisper-quiet and quick.
If acceleration is too fast for
you, putting the car in Chill mode will make the performance a little more
laidback – and handily extend the battery range too.
Like its siblings, the Model X’s
steering is more of a switch than a precise instrument. Changing it to a
sportier mode certainly helps, but not much. It may be a family car, but it’s
an area where Tesla will need to improve on to compete with the work of more
experienced chassis engineers if it wants to appeal to drivers who well, enjoy
driving.
Of course, Tesla’s ultimate
ambition is that you won’t be driving in the traditional sense all the time
anyway. Our Model X was fitted with Tesla Autopilot, and it remains one of the
best driving assistance packages on the market today. Once the system decides the
road is suitable, Autopilot is engaged with two pulls of the dedicated stalk,
and that’s pretty much it. Just twist the stalk to pick the distance between
you and the car ahead.
Traffic jams, motorway lane
changes and sliproads are handled swiftly and smoothly, though, perhaps
reassuringly, it errs on the side of aggressively cautious when confronted with
cars that wander around their lanes too much. Outside of the motorway network,
the usual parking assistance and ability to just let it creep at urban speeds
following the car in front is enough to lower the heart rate somewhat.
European legislation currently
limits the level of autonomous driving allowed, more than the
technology in the car. In America, Autopilot can be seen handling long drives,
albeit with the driver present – in Britain, the Tesla’s Autopilot is suitable
for taking the strain out of long motorway drives but still requires a constant
hand on the wheel, and clear input to show someone other than the computer is
paying attention. This also limits Tesla’s ability to self-park and summon in
the UK – for now.
Even when Autopilot isn’t
engaged, the Tesla continually advises you on your proximity to other vehicles,
and will even identify lorries and motorcycles in your path. That small detail
helps to build an element of trust between you and the car, and means when you do
use Autopilot, you’re aware the Tesla has it covered.
But it’s not without faults. Lane
changes are a little awkward when using Autopilot (nudge the indicator, and
it’ll swap lanes for you), as they seem to take an age, and often result in you
doing the steering yourself. What’s more, road users with loose lane-discipline
can also scare the Tesla into dramatically slowing down.
But will I be able to charge my
Tesla Model X?
The charging experience will
largely be determined by where you are in the country and what you do with
your Model X. The Tesla Supercharger network is growing and using
one is how all electric car charging should be; plug it in and within seconds
you can see the range increasing as it gets a full 120kW up its socket. Filling
from empty takes less than one hour – and most users will typically be topping
up rather than ‘brimming’ their batteries.
While you can get chargers
installed in your home, we were able to complete trips between Peterborough and
London – along with local errands – by just using the Superchargers at Bishops
Stortford on the way up or down. Throw in the ability to charge at home and at
work, and unless you’re venturing very far, and into an area of lower charging
coverage, range is hardly worth thinking about. It just works.
Tesla Solar Roof: Elon Musk’s
next big idea
When you do have to charge,
though, the experience is painless. After plugging in, you can either hang
around and follow the charging progress on a smartphone app, or just wait in
the car – though fan noise during charging can get quite loud.
One tip though. If you’re able,
it’s best to charge to full capacity even if you don’t need to. That way, when
you arrive at your destination, there’s still juice to make it to another
charger on the return leg.
What else do I need to know?
Adding in the six- or seven-seat
options costs extra but is definitely worthwhile, otherwise you might as well
stick with the more conventional Model S.
And the Tesla Model X UK price?
Starting at £87,980 for the long-range model or £102,980 for the Performance –
with ‘ludicrous mode’ and a slightly reduced WLTP range – it’s far from an
enabling technology that will change the world; for that, you’ll need the
smaller, more conventional Model 3.
Tesla Model X: verdict
Four years on from launch, the
Tesla Model X isn’t the leap ahead it used to be, but it’s still a quirky,
intuitive SUV – and one that’d probably suit some families well. The Model X is
still disruptive, and from the sci-fi panoramic windscreen to doors that open
for you, the Tesla still gives you some things that other cars just don’t have.
At the time of writing, the Tesla
Model X wins by default in this sector. But the Jaguar i-Pace, Mercedes EQC and
Audi e-Tron are all close. What these cars lack in range, they make up for in
dynamics and build quality.
View Tesla Model X lease deals
More Tesla reviews, news and
spyshots by CAR magazine
Specs
| Price when new: |
£82,980 |
| On sale in the UK: |
Now |
| Engine: | 90kW twin electric motors, 416bhp, 713lb ft |
| Transmission: | single-speed auto, four-wheel drive |
| Performance: | 0-62mph 4.8sec, 155mph, n/a mpg, 0g/km CO2 |
| Weight / material: |
2389kg/aluminium |
| Dimensions (length/width/height in mm): |
5052/2272/1684mm (l/w/h) |
[ad_2]