Review: Tesla Model X

Driving the re-imagined seven-seater that claims to bring so much more to the SUV market.

Tesla delivered more than 76,000 new cars to the market last year alone. The manufacturer has played a huge role in persuading ever-more buyers to switch their preference from fossil fuels to battery power, and its Model S now sells more than almost any other full-sized limo globally. With its pledge to make half a million cars a year by 2018 it’s certainly aiming for the stars, and its spectacular new Model X will play a key role in its grand plan.

The EV is the posh seven-seat SUV re-imagined in much the same vein as the luxury saloon was by the Model S. This car claims up to 611bhp, 0-60mph in 3.2sec and a 300mph-plus range. But what’s it like on the road? We drive the mid-spec 90D to find out.

The name refers to the 90kWh capacity of the lithium ion battery pack; 75kWh and 100kWh are also available. This unit is close to 600kg – double what a typical SUV’s engine and fuel tank weigh – but the 2.5-tonne Model X uses the extra bulk to its advantage by siting it under floor level. This creates a claimed lower centre of gravity than any large SUV, and theoretically translates into tidier handling and boosted rollover resistance.

Based on the Model S’s extruded aluminium platform with the same coil-sprung suspension (height-adjustable air suspension comes as standard), all Model Xs are four-wheel drive with three-phase electric motors cradled between each axle. Our 90D produces 416bhp, along with an instantaneous 487lb ft of torque. The P100D range-topper boasts 611bhp and 713lb ft.

Distinctive design cues include the vast ‘canopy’ windscreen, fully motorised front doors, plus sci-fi-inspired, automated ‘falcon wing’ rear doors, which will bring out the inner exhibitionist in any Model X owner as well as vastly improve access to the third row.

The cabin layout and design theme are shared with the Model S, which means a 17.0in, all-controlling infotainment screen dominates the fuss-free dash. Being a taller SUV, though, there’s a more spacious, airy feel, plus three well proportioned middle seats and two nicely sized rear ones. The generous boot is augmented by more storage space under the bonnet in place of a conventional engine.

Build quality and material richness aren’t up there with Porsche or Range Rover, but the Model X impresses with its roominess, practicality and gadgetry.

While Tesla’s bonkers off-the-line performance doesn’t quite have the same wow factor as it did when the Model S was unveiled, 5.2 seconds from 0-60mph is not to be sniffed at in such a large, heavy car – especially when it’s done in virtual silence.

The Model X is very much a road-oriented 4x4, which means its additional weight is more of a disadvantage than it would be in a more off-tarmac-focused model. Indeed, the ride is firm to help keep body movements in check, and the handling is secure, if relatively inert. The Tesla is just as enjoyable and wieldy on B-roads as more conventional SUVs, and the Tesla is an extremely relaxing cruising car on the motorway, too.

The Government has recently doubled the benefit-in-kind tax liability on zero-emissions cars, which means you’ll pay tax on nine percent of its price. That’s the same as for a Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid or Audi Q7 e-tron. Meanwhile, April’s ‘premium rate’ road tax revamp will take annual VED from free to £310 for the first five years.

Using one of the multiple DC fast-chargers at any of Tesla’s 34 Supercharger locations in the UK, you can be back to full charge within an hour for less than £20. At home, the same charge would take more than 12 hours – longer still on a three-pin domestic plug – at around £10. We calculated our test car’s real-world range at just over 180 miles.

It’s maker’s hyperbole to say that the Model X is the quickest and most capable SUV yet. However much Tesla ramps up the SUV’s power, its handling will never match that of the Porsche Cayenne or Range Rover Sport SVR, while many conventional 4x4s are far more capable off-road.

Despite all of this, though, there really is nothing else quite like the Model X, thanks to its mix of refinement, spaciousness, tech, infotainment and innate desirability, combined with agreeably guilt-free pace and a respectable all-electric range. We predict it’ll have a sizeable impact on Tesla’s sales.

Sarah Bradley is a writer for AutoCar.