Latest Model
Tesla’s continually update their software automatically as soon as a customer plugs their car into one of the brand’s software chargers.
The Model X received a facelift at the same time as the Model S received its own, and therefore hasn’t had a refresh just yet. It looks smart as it is, with a new nose and fancy gullwing doors at the rear – they can even be programmed to perform stunts.
Tesla has also regularly shifted and altered the battery sizes offered in the Model X, although it has recently streamlined its choices in the UK. This means that at the moment there are just two variants of the Model X for sale — 100D and P100D. In the past there was the option of more affordable ‘75D’ variants, with the numbers indicating the kilowatt of the battery pack.
Tesla also stopped its free access to the supercharger network for life in January 2018.
Value for money
The Model X isn’t cheap, with prices ranging from £91,650 all the way up to over £130,000 for the top-of-the-range P100D. It didn’t always used to be so expensive, with prices starting from £75,000 not so long ago, but Tesla has since decided to just focus on the top-spec models from now on.
In that aspect it is extremely well-equipped. As standard it comes with air suspension with a GPS tracker that can level the suspension for bumps ahead, an electric tailgate, over-the-air updates and three-level LED headlights.
Loads of options are available, too. The most notable are the seating options, increasing the practicality of the standard five-seat Model X. You can pay £2,900 to have it as a seven seater and, oddly, you can pay more money (£5,800) to have it with a reduced six-seat set up.
Furthermore, because many of the updates on the Model X are ‘over-the-air’, buyers can pay afterwards to have any additional features, such as full autonomous driving capabilities and enhanced autopilot, for example.
Teslas are desirable cars, which ensures their values remain high. The cheapest Model X we could find for sale was a 2017 Model X 75D — a discontinued battery output — with 10,000 miles on the clock for £67,000. Because of the lesser versions being discontinued, looking at used versions of these can help to keep the cost down from the top-spec versions offered new.
The Model X has to be one of the most imposing cars on sale. Pictures don’t do the size of it justice – it really is huge, and it’s even wider than a Range Rover. It’s unmissable too, thanks to its Falcon Wing rear doors that can be remotely controlled so you can show off that little bit more. They help the Model X to stand out, and are useful in tight parking bays because of how the mechanism to raise them works.
On the road, the Model X is insanely quick. Even the standard model can get from 0-60mph in under five seconds — quicker than most hot hatches and even some sports cars. That’s not bad for a car weighing over 2,300kg. The instant torque generated from the electric motor makes it feel even quicker, too.
However, the steering is a bit artificial and lacks feel, but the four-wheel-drive system created from the dual-electric motors provides plenty of grip and traction. But for its height and weight it handles impressively well.
Unfortunately, the quality of the interior is questionable, particularly for the price point. The Californian manufacturer still has some distance to go before the finish of its cars are anywhere near that of German manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Audi, which are just entering the market with their all-electric SUVs. The huge central screen that controls the vast majority of the car’s features is a lovely modern touch and a good focal point in the cabin.
It’s a lovely car to travel in thanks to the absence of engine noise, and the fact that there is only the slightest bit of wind noise. Therefore, it is a great motorway cruiser.
