We all are facing the consequences of global warming and all sorts of pollution; for instance, our glaciers are melting, the temperature of the Earth is increasing day by day. The burning of fossil fuels in cars has played a pivotal role in the above climatic conditions. So, car makers are coming up with electric cars that have 0 carbon emissions but, why am I talking about this? As today we are going to drive the pioneer of the electric cars, Tesla Model X. Tesla has officially announced its entry in India and we are going to drive the flagship SUV Model X.
Exterior
I have noticed that the designs of the Tesla cars are quite understated yet elegant, whether you consider Model S, 3, or Y, and the Model X is no different. Upfront, it gets a small piano black grill with the Tesla logo. As you go lower down, there are fog lamp housings that are sleek and aren’t protruding as some of the SUVs present in the market. The headlamps look ravishing and the DRLS are quite prominent, even in bright sunshine. It isn’t the same boxy and tall SUV instead; it has a low nose which helps it in better aerodynamic efficiency. The body is low slung and the roof is also designed like a coupe. The side profile is quite clear without those striking lines on the door and c-pillars being a common trait of the traditional SUVs. The rear end will remind you of BMW X6 (pre-facelift one) due to the design of the boot hatch and the taillamps. There is also a spoiler that helps to improve MODEL X’s aerodynamic efficiency. Overall, it is a sleek and understated-looking SUV that has its own persona.
Interior
The interior is something you have never seen or even dreamt of. The windshield is larger than As you enter the interior of the MODEL X, the first thing you will immediately notice is the falcon doors that open upside. This is the coolest feature in the MODEL X and fact, these doors help the ingress and egress from the cars quite easier and also reminds of the spaceship, heading to Mars. After entering the cabin, the first thing noticeable is that the interior is quite minimalistic and isn’t shouting loud like a German or Swedish SUV. The dashboard is dominated by a 17-inch touchscreen that is loaded with gizmos. There are ac-vents placed around it that look a bit cheap to me. Even the fit finish of the cabin is justifiable to the price or even it doesn’t match with the Germans which is quite shocking. You get a multitude of seating options like 5,6- and 7-seater, and also you can choose from the different trims and options like white, black, and wood. About the seating comfort, the front seats are extremely comfortable. You will get a good amount of under-thigh, lumbar support with decent side bolstering, and you can adjust it in a multitude of ways for optimum comfort. The rear seats are also exceptionally well, there is a sumptuous amount of headroom, knee room, and legroom. The 6-seater version is the best for the chauffeur-driven owners, which will there in India. The third row isn’t comfortable for adults, but it is for kids. It has decent legroom and knee room but absolutely unacceptable headroom due to the sloping roofline. Not to mention, the roofline is of budget quality and doesn’t feel expensive at all. The storage spaces are in plenty; you will get two of them in the center console, one huge cooled glove box, four cup holders in the second row, and bottle holders in the door pads which make it quite practical. Overall, the MODEL X is spacious enough for a 6-seater but I think Tesla needs to improve the finesse of the cabin.
Features
There is a crazy number of features in Tesla Model X which makes it different from other luxury SUVs. First up, there is a 17-inch touchscreen which I must say is the control room of the car because it controls every setting of the car which includes the climate control, battery data which lets you know that how battery it’s consuming, how much regen is happening and also it displays the real-life range depending upon how you accelerate, also you can monitor your car’s health through this touchscreen infotainment. There is preloaded entertainment which includes games too. I haven’t seen games in a car’s infotainment in my life. In 2021, MODEL X gets the panoramic glass which lets in a lot of airy feeling in the cabin. Some essential bits include rear ac-vents, digital dials, apple carplay, android auto, 3-d maps which are very futuristic, rear entertainment screen, air purifier, 11-way powered front seats, powered rear seats for better comfortable sitting position, and powered trunk. There are some cool bits in this Tesla like the autopilot which steers the car or drives the car on its own without the driver’s intervention. So, the Tesla MODEL X is very loaded with features but I am quite skeptical whether these features will make their to India or not
Performance
The Tesla MODEL X is powered by dual AC induction motors where one motor powers the first axle and the other one for the rear, resulting in 518 hp and 660 Nm of torque right from 0 RPM. The MODEL X performs absolutely brilliantly on the road. It feels quite nimble and agile on its feet even though it’s a very heavy SUV. The performance is so splendid that it just throws you in the seat and acceleration remains for a lot of time. In fact, the MODEL X does 0 to 100 in just 4.40 secs, which puts this in the performance SUV segment. One issue which I noticed is that when you accelerate briskly, the range severely drops which isn’t the case with its rival, the Mercedes Benz EQC.
Ride Quality and Handling
The ride quality is pretty good as it has got the air suspension but the suspension is a bit stiff because of which, there will be some potholes and bumps intruding in the cabin. So, it isn’t as plush as Mercedes or BMW cars. As far as handling is concerned, the Tesla MODEL X is quite impressive even though the larger battery is put down. The handling is at par with some Porsche cars because it has a lower center of gravity.
NVH levels
The NVH levels are absolutely stupendous and are at par with Mercedes S-class and BMW 7-series. It is pin-drop silence in the cabin at lower speeds; but as and when the cap picks up pace, there is a bit of tire and wind noise.
Verdict
The Tesla Model X is a great package with a good range of 200 miles, remarkable features, low cost of ownership, good designs but the fit-finish is pretty average. So, the cost of MODEL X will reach 1.5 crores which is a bit high.
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