Is the Tesla Model X the ultimate family car? We put it to the test... and have a play with those doors
- Tesla's Model X is electric car maker's push into lucrative luxury SUV market
- Pure electric four wheel drive SUV can seat up to seven but costs from £80,000
- Fastest Model X, the P100D can hit 60mph from standstill in 2.9 seconds
It’s got gullwing doors!
When Tesla offered me a Model X for the weekend to do a family test review in, I obviously jumped at the chance, but a few doubts remained in my mind.
Clearly, this was going to be a very capable car, but how would I reconcile the concept of a 'family car' with this Model X's £89,000 price tag?
Tesla's Model X has grabbed headlines thanks to its offbeat falcon wing doors (don't call them gullwing says Tesla because they have double hinges - at the top centre and side roof line)
Furthermore, while SUV coupe styling seems to be the way forward for top-end family wagons, this fashion leaves me a bit cold, and I didn’t think the Model X looked a patch on the gorgeous Model S saloon.
I needn’t have worried. It’s got those doors (but don't call them gullwing, because they're falcon wing).
Nevermind the price tag, the looks, or anything else, that’s enough to make the Tesla Model X the perfect family car for dads and kids everywhere.
I’m not sure whether in the presumably extensive testing program on the Model X, Tesla measured how long it took to eventually get bored of those rear doors, but I suspect it is a very long time indeed – and may be directly related to how deep your love for Back to the Future goes.
One thing that Tesla is keen to point out, however, is that they are not gullwing doors – they are falcon wing
One thing that Tesla is keen to point out, however, is that they are not gullwing doors – they are falcon wing.
That's because unlike traditional gullwing doors they are double-hinged, folding both in the centre of the roof and at the top side roof line, which enables them to adjust their opening in a way a traditional gullwing doesn't.
From this point on in the review, I will behave myself and call them by their proper name.
But from my experience in conversations about them, Tesla will need some luck convincing the general public to do the same.
The Model X shares design language with the Model S saloon to give it a distinct Tesla look
The Model X is Tesla's crack at the lucrative luxury family SUV market
The Model X is, of course, about much more than the doors. This is Tesla’s crack at the lucrative luxury family SUV market and so it needs to be comfortable, impressive and drive well.
Sat behind the wheel on the Friday evening slog home from collecting our test car, first impressions showed that Tesla has pulled off the first two elements.
Even in the tortuous speed up, slow down, crawl along, speed back up traffic that a rush hour trip across north west London involves, the Model X was a soothing place to be.
That was lucky, because there certainly wasn’t any opportunity that evening to test the handling or turn of pace.
A trip out of town the next day did provide that chance and I can confirm the Model X ticks the ‘handles well’ box too. This is thanks to the instant power delivered by the twin motors driving the front and rear wheels, combined with the low-down weight distribution that the floor-mounted battery brings – lowering the car’s centre of gravity.
That means that even around country lanes, the Model X handles better than you would think any car this size and weight should – at 5 metres long and 2.3 metres wide it’s bigger than a Range Rover.
The Model X has a raised muscular look but Tesla says that the sleek styling makes it the most aerodynamic SUV on the market
The first real attack came with the Model S, a luxury car that delivered looks to rival the best European sports saloons, alongside Lamborghini-troubling acceleration and a range that meant you could actually get places out of the city – and all without a drop of petrol.
That was actually Tesla’s second car, but the first a little electric Lotus Elise / Vauxhall VX220-style roadster wasn’t really going to trouble the car-making giants.
The Model S did, however, and those car industry stalwarts have noticeably stepped up their electric game in response.
Now we have the Model X to tackle the top of their ranges, while the Model 3 should arrive next year to compete with small executive saloons with a more reasonable price tag than the one seen here.
Last March, the Lambert family borrowed a Model S to see if a Tesla could cut it on a long-distance test – all the way to Wales and back. Despite a bit of range anxiety, it passed the test thanks to the help of Tesla’s supercharging network, which can half charge a car in 20 minutes.
It was also a highly entertaining car to drive.
The Model X has a similar SUV coupe styling to rivals the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe but borrows heavily from its sister the Model S saloon
As a big SUV coupe it looks better than its rivals
I've found the Model X tougher to warm to than the S. I’m not the world’s greatest fan of the SUV, and the coupe-style SUV as pioneered by the BMW X6 and now Mercedes GLE isn’t for me.
The Model X is a relative of this type of vehicle. Curvy, yet pumped up, a sort of XXXL sleek.
In pictures and videos, I’d thought it looked OK but a bit lardy. But then I saw my first one on the road, on a trip to New York before Christmas, and thought actually that looks a lot better in the metal.
In my eyes, the Model X pulls the SUV coupe look off better than the BMW and Mercedes.
The Model X's windscreen curves all the way back above the driver and passenger’s heads to meet the roof roughly level with the front door shut line
That thought was confirmed when I arrived at Tesla’s base near Heathrow and had my first proper look around the Model X - even in London you don’t see them about yet.
It is clearly a bulky car, yet it looks pretty good. The best view is from the side at the front, or the rear three-quarter.
Tesla says that the Model X has a drag co-efficient of just 0.24, making it the most aerodynamic SUV in production – a figure the car maker claims is 20 per cent below the next best such car.
It’s high, but not too high – although the suspension can be electronically adjusted to lift it further up – and the vast sweeping front windscreen looks great.
This curves all the way back above the driver and passenger’s heads to meet the roof just before the rear doors. It’s a nice trick from the outside and even better when you are in the car.
Tesla has given the Model X a spacious and stylish interior with individual seats that are more comfortable that they look
It's very spacious and very stylish inside
Inside the Model X’s interior is stunning. The higher seating position gives an even greater appearance of space than inside the already very roomy Model S. The seating comprises of nicely-styled individual chairs and a third row of seats can be specified, which folds down into the boot floor.
Most of this interior movement is controlled electronically. There’s no sliding seats around with handles here. Press the button and the middle seat will slide forward to create more or less leg room and another press of a button will tilt it forward to allow people in and out of the third row of seats in the back.
Our family test Model X came with somewhat family-unfriendly ultra white leather seats, although Tesla has encased the backs of these in a sleek black plastic, meaning those little feet marks left all over the car are easy to wipe off.
The leg room and space in the middle row of seats is excellent.
Adults can ride in comfort with plenty of room for three to sit abreast – and while I didn’t try it, the Model X looks like it could fit three child seats across that middle row.
In the rear of the car there is obviously less space.
Legroom in the third row isn’t too bad for this type of seven-seater and adults could do short journeys and kids below a certain height would quite happily do longer ones.
The headroom is curtailed by the curve of the roof, however, so anyone of any height will feel squashed in at the very back.
If you’ve got young kids like mine neither legroom or headroom will be an issue.
TESLA TO CULL THE CHEAPEST MODEL S VARIANTS IN APRIL
Tesla will axe the entry-level 60kWh battery versions of its Model S saloon in April after less than a year of them being on sale.
The move is a bid to simplify the ever-changing Model S range but also make way for the upcoming Model 3.
The 60 and 60D were introduced only last summer, though they've proved unpopular as more buyers have opted for the more potent 75 variant instead.
The omission of the two 60 models means the starting price for a Model S will rise from £65,300 to £71,800. This provides plenty of breathing space for the arrival of the 3 later this year - the small saloon is expected to cost from £35K.
Alicia, 6, and Georgina, 4, rated the Model X on our family test. If you are travelling with extra passengers, the rear seats of the car, pictured right, will prove useful.
The Model X is fast, capable and easy to drive
The Model X is four wheel drive, with two electric motors – one powers the front wheels, the other the back. There is just one gear and acceleration is instant. Put your foot down and the kick is immediate.
The most astonishing kick will come from the P100D version, which equipped with Ludicrous mode (yes, it is really called that) will rocket you to 60mph in 2.9 seconds – a shade quicker than a Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4.
This is a party piece that will seriously reduce the range of those batteries, however.
The 90D version of the Model X that I had on test is slower. It can only hit 60mph in 4.8 seconds, which in all honesty feels plenty fast enough. The car also boasts a top speed of 155mph, something you are unlikely to need to get anywhere near.
What all this means in real life is that the Tesla is a fast and capable car. Around town it is docile, smooth and easy to drive.
Out of town, it’s quick on the motorway and has a turn of pace that makes it fun to drive on A and B roads.
It’s no sports car, but it’s not meant to be. The steering is direct, but more solid than thrilling, and the ride is firm but smooth, with very little roll thanks to that battery-induced low centre of gravity.
Even with the third row of seats up, the Model X offers a decent-sized boot
There is more storage in the front boot if needed - thanks to the lack of an engine - while the car's features are controlled by a giant iPad-style screen in the centre of the dashboard, right
How does it stack up as a family car?
So how does Tesla’s Model X score on the rest of the attributes for a family car?
Well, the boot with the back row of seats down is huge and it can still swallow a decent amount with them up.
And if you fill that, the Model X also comes with a front boot – thanks to that lack of an engine. Tesla claims that is big enough to consume a golf bag or a buggy – and it also acts as a big crumple zone making the car safer in a front impact accident.
This being a Tesla - with its giant iPad-style control screen - connectivity is very good.
That screen runs Google maps as the sat nav, connects to Spotify or your devices, controls the car’s various functions – from heated seats to opening the doors – and serves up all the information that you need on range etc.
Another information screen sits behind the steering wheel with the digital speedometer, delivering what you need to know on the move directly in front of your eyes.
The Model X in the UK doesn’t have Tesla’s Auto Pilot yet, which allows the Model S to accelerate, decelerate and steer itself, but the cars are equipped with all the hardware needed for when Auto Pilot is allowed to be activated on the model in Britain.
Owners will then be able to download a software update, which installs it to their car.
Unlike traditional gullwing doors, the falcon doors open upwards, which lets the edge remain close to the car body. The opening they provide is huge
Finally, of course, there is those falcon wing doors.
While the kids and I were delighted with the new toy, my wife offered a more practical assessment – envisaging scenarios where they might not open or might end up closing on a small person.
Tesla claims to have this sorted. The doors hinge cleverly to allow them to open in limited spaces and change how they do so when room or height is limited.
They also have sensors to stop them closing on people or objects.
Unlike traditional gullwing doors, the doors open upwards, which lets the edge remain close to the car body.
They should theoretically open in a car park space, as long as you have a foot of room each side.
A test on this in the office car park indicated that in a not too wide space you should still be able to get them open.
However, one of them also point blank refused to open more than a few inches on one occasion, with no obstacle near it, while parked on the road outside my house.
I also tried the sticking an arm in front of a closing door test and got a thwack from a heavy door for my troubles, although it did then stop moving.
What the doors do, however, is make access to the back of the car easy. There’s no smacking your head into the roof while putting kids in car seats, and it makes getting into the back row far less awkward than in rival seven-seaters.
One thing about the doors is that they do take a while to open. Similarly, the button electric controls for the middle row of seats takes the work out of moving them backwards and forwards, but does take a bit of time and fiddling with to get right.
Tesla quotes the Model X’s range as 303 miles for the 90D that we had on test. In real life driving it will go down quicker.
What I did find, however, was that the range went down faster in the Model X than it did in the Model S and even with gentle driving it was hard to match miles covered to range sapped – something you could do in the Model S, which is lighter and smaller. Those are but minor quibbles, though.
The Tesla's display behind the steering wheel has a digital speedometer and can be used to show range, electricity usage and journey information
Despite being four-wheel drive, most Model Xs are unlikely to see more off-roading that this
The Cars & motoring verdict
Overall, the Tesla Model X is a phenomenal family car. It’s comfortable, it’s quick, it’s packed full of gadgets and it’s a calming place to be – and that sense of calm more than anything else is what you need when driving around with the family.
One thing potential owners do worry about is the life of the battery and the sheer proliferation of electronics in the Tesla. To allay some of the cars come with an eight-year, infinite mile battery and drive unit warranty plus their four-year, 50,000 mile limited warranty.
There is one other small issue though, the price.
The cheapest version, the Model X 75D is £80,400, the 90D we had on test is £89,300 and the P100D, with its ludicrous speed mode included, is £129,200.
These are expensive cars and you need to be a very wealthy family to buy one.
Those prices pitch the Model X against high spec versions of the Range Rover Sport, Porsche Cayenne, the BMW X6 M and Mercedes AMG GLE coupe.
I don’t doubt that Tesla’s Model X will snaffle buyers from them, but the price means it won’t be a mainstream car and while you might be able to say it’s a sign of what family cars might be in the future, it’s not really fair to review it as a family car – a phrase that brings to mind a Ford S-Max or Nissan Qashqai.
What Tesla’s new car is though is a remarkable achievement. Not only can the Model X go head-to-head to with the illustrious luxury names above, but it proves that Tesla isn’t a one-trick pony and the Model S wasn’t a fluke.
And that’s also a warning that if Tesla can get the forthcoming Model 3 right too - and pitch it at BMW 3 Series prices - then those mainstream car makers will have a serious fight on their hands.
Tesla Model X 90D
Price: £89,300 for Model X 90D (Cost from £80,400 for 75D)
Engine: Pure electric
Battery 90KWh
Transmission: Single speed
0-60mph: 4.8sec
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 2,500kg
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