Starting
at $79,500
Engine
Electric Motor Drivetrain All Wheel Drive Passenger Capacity 6, 7, 5 Body
Type
Crossovers, SUVs
THE GOOD
Incredible
performance, great range and even better practicality.
THE BAD
Those doors
are still frustrating to live with, and while it's a clean design, it's far
from sexy.
THE BOTTOM
LINE
A three-row,
all-electric supercar that will amaze at every turn
It's been
over a year now since the Model X stumbled its way to market. It was
unfashionably late and the first cars to roll off the assembly line were
riddled with problems, but none of that stopped the thing from being a car that
put the industry on notice, gathering a lot of attention from a lot of people
who generally couldn't care less about cars -- especially SUVs.
But the
Model X isn't just an SUV. It's an electric SUV, of course, but it's a lot more
than that, too. It's quicker than most sports cars on the road, yet far more
practical and more comfortable. It offers a selection of luxury appointments
rarely found on cars not costing well into the six figures and it manages to
fit three rows of seats in a distinctive shape in a segment full of me-too
crossovers.
The Model X
is an interesting proposition, but now in its second year of full production,
is it still the car of the future it was in 2016?
What's new
If you read
my full review of the Model X last year you could probably tell that I enjoyed
the thing but left feeling a bit conflicted about a few aspects. While this is
still very much the same car as last year, a few significant updates for 2017
do move it forward in some key areas.
The first is
practicality. While the middle-row seats in the initial Model X looked majestic
on their pedestals as they moved serenely forward and back, they were way too
damn slow in exposing the third row and, worse, they didn't fold flat.
Now, buyers
have a few different middle-row configurations to ponder, with room for either
six or seven. Crucially, that middle row now folds flat. It's still too slow to
get out of the way and provide access to the back, but baby steps.
Additionally,
the Model X now uses Tesla's new synthetic covering on all seats rather than
the animal hide of yore. While some purists may scoff at this, I assure you
this ain't your typical bargain bin pleather. I was surprised to really like
the feel of the stuff, and those with ethical concerns about such things can
feel a little better about their purchase.
Another
improvement comes in range. Tesla now offers a 100 kilowatt-hour battery pack
option, which gives a realistic 295 miles of range. That's up about 40 miles
over last year, and to be honest even that figure felt like plenty. But, while
the car didn't need more range, a little more comfort room never hurt.
The Model X
didn't need to be any faster, either, but that didn't stop Tesla from making it
so. The top-shelf P100D will sprint from zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds, up
two-tenths from last year's quickest. That's frankly ridiculous for any object
that weighs 5,500 pounds, but I love it.
The final
big change? Autopilot, and I'm sorry to report that it's not all good news
there. Tesla's shifted the Model X to the second-generation of Autopilot,
called AP2, and has been working hard to bring this new system up to the same
level as the previous. And, on the highway, it definitely is. In my testing on
major roads the Model X smoothly and cleanly stayed centered within its lane,
speeding up and slowing down to keep with traffic, changing lanes on its own
with a touch of the turn stalk, even coming to a complete stop in gridlock.
It's off the
highway where things still need work. Last year, the Model X was nervous at
times but felt pretty competent at identifying lanes on secondary roads and
steering itself around. Now, the car feels jittery and unpredictable,
frequently getting confused at junctions or anything more than a very gradual
turn.
On the
highway, AP2 is a blessing and takes a lot of the tedium out of long drives,
especially long traffic jams, but as soon as you find your exit I recommend
leaving it off. It's just not ready for prime time.
Source: "Living with
one"
I tested a
Model X for a week, covering hundreds of miles on highways and byways, and
since just about everyone asked me how far it'll go on a charge, I'll start
there.
The Model X
100D will go up to 295 miles on a charge, but if you opt for the higher-performance
P100D that drops slightly to 289. And that's not a number that only a
semi-drafting, AC-avoiding hypermiler has any chance of hitting. That's a
realistic figure, and while I never got that far on a single charge, I came
pretty close -- despite numerous uses of the Model X's Ludicrous mode.
When set to
maximum power mode, the Model X is pretty astonishing. The acceleration is
brutal and the throttle response instantaneous, but the real beauty is just how
accessible it is. Any speed, any time, just dip your right foot slightly and
you'll quickly be surveying the depths of the padding of the car's headrests.
And, while some will lament the lack of a snarling engine note to go along with
it, that does mean you can be a little more liberal with the throttle without
waking the neighbors.
That you can
take up to six other people along with you to experience this acceleration
helps, too. Seating in the way back is still best reserved for those very short
of stature, but the new second row is still plenty comfortable, and the front
seats are great. Every spot in the Model X is heated, useful for chilly
mornings, but somehow ventilation is still missing. In a car that breaks
$100,000 with just a few options, that feels like an increasingly major oversight.
The dashboard, too, is in need of a refresh. Tesla's big, vertical
touchscreen was groundbreaking when we first saw it on the Model S and the
concept is still sound, but the performance here is definitely lacking. It
feels like the system is trying to do too much with too few processor cycles,
and the absence of both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is a curious thing for
an infotainment system that was once so progressive.
Finally, there are the doors. The falcon-wing units at the rear of the
car do feel slightly faster than they were on the car I tested last year, but
they're still plenty slow enough to be annoying. More problematic: They won't
open in my garage. And yes, while you can use the Tesla app to wirelessly
summon the car to pull out of the garage and open the doors, the whole point of
owning a garage is so that I don't have to walk through the rain or snow in the
morning.
How I'd spec mine
The Model X in its most basic trim, the 75D, starts at $79,500. For that
you get a significant 237 miles of range and a zero-to-60 time under five
seconds. That's nothing to scoff at, but while I'm typically a practical,
frugal shopper, I say that if you're going to go big, you should go big.
I'd at least go for the 100D model, which starts at $99,500, though I'm
not sure I could quite stomach the bump up to $145,000 for the P100D. Despite
its foibles, I'd go for $5,000 Enhanced Autopilot package, but would skip the
extra $3,000 for theoretical future self-driving. And, I'd probably bite the
bullet for the $6,000 premium package, which is required to get those heated
seats.
The car you see pictured here was a fully spec'd P100D with just about
every option. The sticker price? $177,000. Not cheap, but just look at the
competition
Competition
So what do you pit the Model X against? Well... that's actually pretty
tough. There are plenty of three-row luxury SUVs on the market in a similar
price range, and you can for example get yourself into a lovely new Land Rover
Velar for similar money. But, that of course burns gas and won't get you about
town nearly as quickly. It will, however, fare much better off-road. It also
looks a fair bit sexier in my book, too.
To match the performance here you have to step up to something like a
Bentley Bentayga, but for that you're looking at spending at least $230,000.
And, that's... about it. The Model X really is in a bit of a class of its
own.
A year later, it's still the future.
Wrap-up
The Model X is not a perfect car. AP2 still needs work, the infotainment
system feels curiously dated and I still hate those falcon-wing doors. But the
improvements in range, performance and overall quality of the car mean I have
far fewer reservations recommending it than I did in 2016.
A year later, there's still nothing like the Model X on the road. Driving
it feels like driving the future, and while it's not for everybody, if it's for
you you're in for a pretty special experience.
FULL SPECS
PRICING
- MSRP
$79,500
FUEL
- Fuel
Electric Fuel System, Plug-In Electric Fast Charge
- MPGe
93
- Battery
Range (mi)
237
BASICS
- Engine
Electric Motor
- Drivetrain
All Wheel Drive
- Transmission
1-Speed A/T, A/T
BODY
- Body
style
Crossovers, SUVs
- Roof
Dual Moonroof, Generic Sun/Moonroof, Sun/Moonroof
BRAKING
& HANDLING
- Brakes
4-Wheel Disc Brakes, ABS
- Suspension
Air Suspension, Active Suspension
- Steering
Power Steering
- Tires
Tire Pressure Monitor
- Wheels
Aluminum Wheels
TECHNOLOGY
FEATURES
- Audio
AM/FM Stereo, HD Radio, Hard Disk Drive Media Storage, Auxiliary Audio
Input, MP3 Player, WiFi Hotspot, Smart Device Integration
- Locks
Power Door Locks, Keyless Entry
- Mirrors
Heated Mirrors, Power Folding Mirrors, Power Mirror(s), Auto-Dimming
Rearview Mirror, Driver Illuminated Vanity Mirror, Passenger Illuminated Visor
Mirror, Passenger Vanity Mirror, Driver Vanity Mirror, Mirror Memory
- Tech
Intermittent Wipers, Rain Sensing Wipers, Variable Speed Intermittent
Wipers, Power Liftgate, Remote Trunk Release, Automatic Headlights, Fog Lamps,
Steering Wheel Audio Controls, Bluetooth Connection, Adjustable Steering Wheel,
Leather Steering Wheel, Universal Garage Door Opener, Keyless Start, Cruise
Control, Cargo Shade, Remote Engine Start, Navigation System, Security System,
Engine Immobilizer, Trip Computer, Rear Parking Aid, Back-Up Camera
SAFETY
- Safety
Features
Brake Assist, Headlights-Auto-Leveling, Daytime Running Lights, Stability
Control, Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Traction Control, Blind
Spot Monitor, Driver Restriction Features, Child Safety Locks
- Air
Bags
Driver Air Bag, Front Head Air Bag, Passenger Air Bag, Passenger Air Bag
Sensor, Front Side Air Bag, Rear Side Air Bag, Rear Head Air Bag, Knee Air Bag
CABIN
- Air
Conditioning
A/C, Multi-Zone A/C, Climate Control, Rear A/C
- Seat
Trim
Cloth Seats
- Windows
Rear Defrost, Power Windows
- Seats
Bucket Seats, Passenger Adjustable Lumbar, Power Driver Seat, Power
Passenger Seat, Seat Memory, Driver Adjustable Lumbar, Heated Front Seat(s),
Rear Bucket Seats
- Décor
Woodgrain Interior Trim
DIMENSIONS
- Wheelbase
(in)
116.7 in
- Length,Overall
(in)
198.3 in
- Height,Overall
(in)
66 in
OTHER
DETAILS
- Trailering
Tow Hitch
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