Its makers will tell you that the Tesla Model X is an SUV, but it’s basically people carrier version of the Model S. Like the S, this is also an electric car and it uses similar components, but they’re wrapped up in a more practical body.As such, it’s a unique car in today’s market. Sure, you could also buy a BMW X5 hybrid, Audi Q7 e-tron or Range Rover P400e, but they can’t match the breadth of the Tesla Model X’s on-paper abilities and none can turn as many heads. From its party piece ‘Falcon Wing’ rear doors that are hinged at the top and lift up, to the 17-inch screen that takes up almost all of the centre console, the Telsa Model X makes many non-electric SUVs feel about as high-tech as a VHS tape in a world of 4K ultra-HD TVs.

Thankfully, despite the sheer number of gizmos you’ll find under the Tesla Model X’s space-age skin, it’s still a very practical electric family car. There’s plenty of room in the front seats for a couple of adults and it’s easy for almost anyone to get comfy thanks to the wide range of adjustment on the steering wheel and driver’s seat – all done electrically, of course.

You can order your Tesla Model X as a five-, six- or seven-seater, but whichever you choose, those upwards-hinging rear doors make it fantastically easy for the rear-seat passengers to get in. And, once they’re in, they’ll have plenty of room. In the second row, all three seats can be adjusted independently of the others.

Admittedly, the mechanism for the fancy rear doors slightly reduces the headroom for the centre-seat passenger, but the wide body and flat floor mean that it’s possible to sit three adults abreast in comfort. If you’re taking rather younger passengers, it couldn’t be easier to use the ISOFIX mounts, which are tucked away under a leather flap that’s held in place by Velcro when they’re not in use.

Unlike most seven-seat SUVs, there’s enough space for adults to get comfy in the Tesla Model X’s rearmost seats and it’s dead easy to climb in thanks to the sliding middle row of seats. The boot isn’t all that big with seven seats in place, but there’s still space to pack a couple of small suitcases. And, by virtue of having no engine in the front, the car also has an extra ‘boot’ under the bonnet with enough space to carry the car’s charging cables and a set of golf clubs.Given how expensive this car is, the build quality and the standard of fit and finish are really nothing like as good as they should be .

However, it’s not all good news inside. For a start, the quality isn’t as good as you would expect on a car that can cost well over KSH 15M – and nowhere near as good as in a petrol- or diesel-powered Mercedes or Audi.

On top of that, while the huge touchscreen looks amazing it isn’t particularly easy to use when you’re on the move – it’s quite literally a hit-and-miss-affair when you try to adjust the temperature of the climate control. It would be easier if the car had more conventional controls.

Charging the electric Tesla Model X is a nightmare in Kenya. Tesla’s ‘Supercharger’ public charging points which can top up its batteries from 0-80% in around 40 minutes are unheard of in kenya. Using a wall-mounted charger at home will take approximately 14 hours, however, while plugging it into a three-pin household plug will result in a 33-hour charge time.

Once you’re on the move, you’ll find the Tesla Model X is a doddle to drive. Being an EV means it’s super quiet and the regenerative braking (which uses the motors to slow the car and recharge the batteries in the process) lets you can drive around using just the accelerator pedal most of the time.

Beyond the city limits, it’s the Tesla Model X’s performance that grabs your attention. Even the cheaper Long Range models can sprint from 0-100kmph in less than 4.4 seconds while the Performance version shrugs off the same sprint in a supercar-shaming 2.7 seconds. The acceleration is almost addictive and every so often you find yourself accelerating flat out just for the hell of it.

Well, you do until you notice the effect this has on how far you can go. The Model X’s range depends on which model you buy – Tesla claims Performance models will manage more than 482 kilometers while Long Range versions can eke out 505 kilometers. That’s some way off the range you’ll get from a petrol- or diesel-powered SUV, but you need to consider that fully charging the Tesla Model X’s batteries can set you back less than a third of what it costs to fill a large SUV’s fuel tank.

Among the other advantages of the Tesla Model X is the wide range of autonomous technology available, while the car handles better than you would expect of something so big. And, every model comes with four-wheel drive – thanks to its two electric motors – so it shouldn’t get stuck if you find yourself faced with a slippery mud-covered upcountry road.

But, wherever you’re driving you can’t fail to notice that the car feels the bumps a bit more than alternative SUVs. On top of that, the Tesla Model X also can’t tow as much as equivalent SUVs. However this is not a problem since we don’t too much here. Do we?

The electric Tesla Model X leads the field in terms of safety tech, though. You get plenty of advanced systems designed to help prevent collisions and it will even steer, accelerate and brake for you on highways– providing you keep your hands on the wheel, that is.

Ultimately, it’s easy to see the attraction of the Tesla Model X, and this is one of the few electric cars that will make genuine petrolheads stop and think.

Practicability

The Tesla Model X is very spacious and very practical, but it only comes with five seats as standard – you have to pay extra if you want to carry a sixth or seventh passenger.The Tesla Model X has more space for seven than most other large SUVs and the individually adjustable back seats and huge rear doors make it very easy to climb in and out. 

 

 

What’s it like to drive?

Easy to drive, immensely fast and packed with safety kit – the Tesla Model X almost has it all. Other large SUVs are more comfortable over bumpy roads, though. You’ll never tire of using the Tesla Model X’s supercar-like acceleration to thrill – or scare – your passengers. 

 

What’s it like inside?

The uber-minimalist interior and high-tech infotainment system make the Tesla Model X’s cabin feel more futuristic than most. It’s let down by some cheap-feeling materials, though.

 

Style

Save for the uber-minimalist Tesla Model 3, the Tesla Model X has one of the simplest interiors of any car on sale. The air vents are neatly integrated into the sweeping dashboard and thanks to the huge central touchscreen, there aren’t any physical buttons cluttering up the place.

It might not be quite as elegant as the cabin you get in a Mercedes GLE or have the sporty character of a BMW X5, but the Tesla Model X’s interior will leave your passengers wide-eyed in an instant. It’s especially memorable if you go for a two-tone design with glossy black plastic trims on the dashboard and white leather on the seats.

Unfortunately, the way some of these parts feel isn’t on par with the likes of the Mercedes, BMW or Audi. The drive-select and indicator stalks, for example, feel like they belong on a car costing half as much and there’s more flex in the door trims and armrests than you get in a similarly pricey German SUV. The Tesla Model X’s vast touchscreen is a doddle to use when you’re parked but its small icons and complex menus make it tricky to operate when you’re driving.

 

Infotainment

The Tesla Model X’s massive portrait infotainment system isn’t just one of the biggest in the business – it’s also one of the most responsive. Flicking through its various menus feels just like using an iPad and the crisp, clear map graphics load far faster than those in a BMW, Mercedes or Audi.

You control almost all of the car’s features through this screen – from altering the regenerative braking settings to closing the rear doors and adjusting the position of the back seats. Unfortunately, the sheer number of functions the screen has to perform means that some of the menu icons are quite small. As a result, this massive display is quite tricky to use while you’re driving.

You can split the screen into upper and lower windows to let you have two menus open at once – handy if you’re using the sat nav and need to adjust the cabin temperature – but it all takes a bit more getting used to than the conventional physical controls you get in a Mercedes GLE or BMW X5.

The Tesla Model X’s digital driver’s display looks similar to the ones you get on these cars, however, and it’s just as easy to scroll through the various menus using the buttons on the steering wheel. Sure, you can’t get full-screen satellite maps such as those in an Audi Q7, but the Tesla’s screen is bright, clear and easy to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source Carwow

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