Tesla Model X (2016) Review

Judged in isolation, the interior looks fine. The minimalist design looks smart and progressive, while many of the materials have a pleasing finish. Man

y others, however, don’t, and with panel gaps that are often large and inconsistent, there’s a distinctly flimsy feel to the cabin. Well, to the whole car, actually, because you’ll find these iffy panel gaps on the exterior bodywork, too.

This is especially disappointing given the lofty price of the car, and it becomes even more noticeable when you compare the Tesla directly with impeccably built rivals like the Audi E-Tron and Mercedes EQC, both of which are considerably cheaper to buy.

The whole cabin is dominated by the huge portrait-orientated 17.0-inch touchscreen, partly because of its size, and partly because there’s so little other stuff to look at: everything is incorporated into the touchscreen system.

Considering how complex it is and the sheer number of functions it has to deal with, it’s actually pretty easy to find your way through the menus without getting too lost. One or two functions are tucked away in some odd places, but overall, the system is fairly intuitive.

Like all touchscreens, though, it’s not as easy to use on the move because you have to concentrate on pressing exactly the right bit of the screen. Some of the icons are a wee bit small, too, but there’s no faulting the speed and responsiveness of the system, and the graphics look really smart. 

Most of the functionality you’d expect is covered, including Bluetooth, DAB radio and Google maps navigation. If you're a fan of Apple Carplay/Android Auto, though, you’ll be disappointed, because Tesla refuses to support it.

Not only has Tesla been changing things constantly since the Model X was launched, but the way ranges (and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions) are tested has also changed during that time.

For example, compare the old P100D’s range of 351 miles with the latest Long Range version’s figure of 314 miles, and you’d think that the older car goes further in the real world. It doesn’t, though, it’s just that it was tested under the older NEDC standard rather than the later - and more stringent - WLTP one.

Compared with other electric cars, though the official range figures (even the Performance version manages 301miles) are significantly higher than those of most rivals. Like with any of them, though, you shouldn’t bank on matching that figure in the real world. Assume a figure of around 280 miles is more realistic in good conditions, and that’ll drop significantly in cold weather.

A 7kW wallbox charger takes around 15 hours to deliver a full charge of the batteries. Obviously, rapid chargers will juice your car up quicker, and the good news is that Tesla has its very own network of these dotted around the country for exclusive use by its customers.

As ever with Tesla, though, there’s some confusion around the terms. It was once completely free, then in 2017, Tesla changed its mind and began to start charging customers to use it, and then in 2019, the firm changed its mind again and made use of the network free once more for Model S and X customers. So, at the moment it’s free, but frankly, Lord knows how long that’ll remain the case for.

Choosing an electric car offers buyers savings in a lot of areas, but insurance isn’t one of them: it seems our friends in the underwriting world are less keen to encourage motorists into eco-friendly cars, and are more keen to get their cut.

As such, the Model X sits in insurance group 50, the most expensive group there is, which is hardly surprising given the astronomical cost of the car.

This is a rather confusing area, because the range chopped and changed pretty much constantly throughout the car’s life. It’d take all day to take you through all the various minuscule iterations, so it’s easier to just take you through how the naming convention works.

The most basic one was the 60D. The D referred to the fact it was a dual-motor car (as all Model Xs are) while the 60 referred to the battery capacity in kW.

Other models available included the 70D, 75D, 90D and 100D, and broadly speaking, the bigger the number, the longer the range and the higher the power output. See a model name with a ‘P’ on the front (P100D, for example), and that signifies that the model is a ‘Performance’ model that’s as quick as Model Xs get at that particular point in time. 

Then later, just for good measure, Tesla abandoned that naming convention altogether, and the models available were called ‘Performance’ or ‘Long Range’. Still with us? Hope so…

All versions, however, are fast. Even the slowest of them will smash from 0-62mph in around six seconds, and because electric motors deliver their full torque from the moment they begin spinning, there’s barely any delay between pushing the go pedal with your foot, and the rest of your body being pushed back in your seat.

The fastest ones, meanwhile, are among the fastest cars on the planet. The later Performance models could hurl you from 0-60mph in just 2.6 seconds, quicker than most Ferraris or Lamborghinis.

The Model X has achieved the full five-star score in Euro NCAP crash tests, which should give you peace of mind that you’ll be well protected if you become embroiled in a smash. 

However, the car will do its very best to help you avoid that smash in the first place. All cars come with automatic emergency braking and blind spot assistance as standard, along with the capability to support two different levels of semi-autonomous driving.

The first - known as Autopilot - will keep you a set distance from the car in front by speeding the car up or slowing it down accordingly, while the steering keeps you centred in your lane. The higher grade system also lets you change lanes automatically or summon your car out of a tight parking space using your smartphone.