Categrory: Quality

Design & Exterior 6/10

Interior & Comfort 8/10

On first acquaintance, the Model X feels big, spacious and airy. The clean cabin aesthetic contributes to that sense of space, with the dashboard dominated by a huge 17–inch touchscreen infotainment system that controls pretty much everything. Think genetically modified iPad and you’re about there… There are a few buttons and switches that car geeks may notice have been borrowed from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin, but that’s no bad thing.

The Tesla Model X can be ordered with five, six or seven seats, making it a rival in reality for cars like the plug-in hybrid versions of the Audi Q7 e-tron and Volvo XC90 T8. A threeseater bench can be ordered for the middle row and fold completely flat, with two occasional, collapsible seats in the back. Alternatively, the six-seat option provides two plusher, nonfolding chairs for the middle row, with an optional central storage console. The buttons to either move or fold any of the chairs are concealed within the top corner of the seat upholstery so make sure somebody shows you or you’ll be there for hours.

As a tech company, Tesla even likes to approach safety a little differently. While crash testing remains a pre-requisite the Model X has yet to receive a Euro NCAP rating but has received a maximum five stars in the US equivalent from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the company is thinking of safety more holistically. This remit ranges from a medical grade air filter, preventing any dangerous toxins from entering the cabin, right through to active safety measures that include collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking.

Ethically astute shoppers will also be pleased that the leather trim is in fact made from polyurethane, which is wipe clean and family friendly.

Reliability and Servicing

The Model X is too new for there to be much meaningful reliability data available. In our limited test, we recorded no faults and tested the falcon doors multiple times in a variety of parking scenarios. Despite their complexity, they worked faultlessly, but whether they’re robust enough to survive small children tampering with them or even hanging from them, remains to be seen.

But the Model X isn’t a rational purchase. It’s aimed at tech conscious early adopters and fans who want to assist in the future development of the car. The fact that Tesla is marketing (and securing orders for) a £2,800 ‘Full Self Driving Capability’ option that doesn’t yet exist, is testament to this.

• High motor power not permanently available (power reduction as heat protection)

With all the impressive automated door movements, it almost goes down that you can get in and out comfortably and that you will find good space in the interior and a lot of leather and Alcantara. As with the Model S, the operation takes getting used to and the huge touchscreen on the dashboard is the central control element geared to the smartphone generation.

The impression of generosity is most pronounced in the six-seater configuration that we had available for the test: in the second row there are then two individual armchairs with a wide gap in between. That's how business class works.

The third row is primarily suitable for children or young people. For them, access is not a major obstacle either: our test children competed between the single-piece in the second row. With the seven-seater, this is not possible – and then it is time to wait: Although the wing doors open a really large opening, the seats in row two have to be driven far ahead in order to release the access to the rear. There are extra switches that simultaneously move the front seats to create maximum space and make access as comfortable as possible. However, this process is simply too slow for everyday life. In any case, a simple mechanism like in a small car from 1980, which can be operated quickly by muscle power, carries less frustration.

In the shadow of the top performance models, however, the "Maximum Range" variants celebrate the greater sales successes: Our Model X is such a car, and there are also optimizations in this category. The latest software update on the Model X, for example, increases the range according to the WLTP measurement standard from 507 kilometers to 520 kilometers.

Processing quality

With all the impressive automated door movements, it almost goes down that you can get in and out comfortably and that you will find good space in the interior and a lot of leather and Alcantara.

Interior: Futuristic minimalism The interior of the Model X is almost similar to that of the Model S sedan. The two models have the same ergonomic layout and the 17-inch touchscreen, which allows you to operate almost all the functions of the car. There are three rows of seats for up to seven people. The interior is very variable and spacious.

THE CRASHTEST RESULT FOR THE TESLA MODEL X (2016) In the Euro-NCAP crash test, the Tesla Model X (2016) achieved a Funf star rating. The safety of adult inmates is stated at an outstanding 98 percent, while the protection of children on board is stated at 81 percent. Important insight: There is not enough space in the optional third row of seats to secure child seats. The protection of FuBgangers and cyclists receives a 72 percent rating. In particular, there were deductions for an increased danger of the pelvic area in the event of an impact. To avoid this, the Tesla Model X (2016) has appropriate assistance systems on board. These work very well, as the 94 percent rating shows.