When first announced back in 2015, the Model X was the world’s first electric SUV. The SUV instantly became a huge success, and while in its first year, the company sold only 2,725 examples, in 2020, sales figures went up to 31,000 copies. Over the years, however, people realized the Model X is not exactly the electric SUV it is promised to be, and, it does in fact have a lot of issues. As a result, in 2021, Tesla sold only 7,306 Model Xs. The question is, with all the cool electric SUVs that are arriving on the market on a regular basis, is it still worth buying the Model X? It may be one of the most powerful, fastest SUVs in the world, but is it worth paying over $100,000 for a car with so many issues? Here are 10 reasons, the first five being why you should buy it in 2023 and the following five for why you shouldn't.
1 The Most Powerful, Fastest Electric SUV Money Can Buy
The 2023 Model X comes in two configurations: one powered by a dual-motor setup, and the Plaid that features a tri-motor setup. In the base trim, the Model X delivers a total of 670 horsepower, while for the Plaid the output is increased to 1,020 horsepower. These numbers put the Model X on the top list of the most powerful SUVs in the world. The only one that promises to deliver more power than the Plaid is the Faraday Future FF91 - which will go up to 1,050 horsepower when it will be put on sale later this year. The only other electric SUV that comes closer to the Model X Plaid is the GMC Hummer EV SUV with a combined output of 830 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque. The Model X is also a very fast electric SUV: it goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds in base trim and in only 2.5 seconds in the Plaid one.
2 It Has One Of The Best Ranges In Its Class
Tesla is also the leader in terms of range. It may have lost the battle when it comes to electric sedans, as the Lucid Air has a total range of up to 516 miles, but it is still doing very well in the SUV market. The Model X has a range of 348 miles for the base model, but it goes down to 333 miles for the Plaid, which is not surprising considering the latter had to sacrifice efficiency for performance. Currently, the only SUV that comes closer in range to the Model X is the Rivian R1S with up to 328 miles. But Tesla will lose the battle once Rivian puts the Max Pack on sale later this year. Once the option is available, the R1S should be good for up to 400 miles.
3 The Model X Has A Decent Towing Capacity
The Model X may not be the electric SUV with the best towing capacity, but it still does quite well. With a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, the Model X is placed under the Rivian R1S (7,700 pounds), the GMC Hummer EV SUV (7,500 pounds), and BMW iX (5,500 pounds). It is also right on par with the Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor and a little over the Volvo EX90 (4,850 pounds). The Model X can also be had with an optional towing package that allows you to tow a trailer or carry skis, snowboards, or bicycles, by attaching an accessory carrier to the hitch. The towing package includes a two-inch hitch receiver that supports vertical loads of up to 120 pounds when, for example, you have bikes on an accessory rack.
4 Tesla’s Supercharger Network Is One Of The Fastest Out There
One of the best features of all Tesla models is that they have access to the Tesla Supercharger network. It includes more than 45,000 superchargers globally, and more than 17,000 are found in the U.S. This means that no matter where you are, at least one will be available somewhere nearby, and it will put you on the road very fast. Using one of the Superchargers, the Model X can add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Recharging your Tesla is not free most of the time, but it costs you about $25, which is a lot less than you would pay for a full tank of gas. The Model X can also be recharged at home using a wall connector that is very easy to install. In this case, it will take anywhere from 6.5 to 10 hours to fully recharge.
5 Comfortable Seats, Lots Of Interior Space
Like every other Tesla, the Model X has a very minimalist interior, yet somehow it’s ultramodern. It comes with up to three rows of seats, although the third row of seats is not exactly comfortable. The seats are wrapped in synthetic leather upholstery and offer heating and ventilating functions. Both the front and the second row of seats are comfortable and offer decent support for adult passengers. On the other hand, the third row of seats can only be used by kids. For the second and third row, customers can either go with bench-style or monopost seats. The Model X also benefits from 37 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 85 cubic feet when these seats are folded. Adding a third row of seats will reduce cargo space by 15 cubic feet. The frunk adds an extra 6.5 cubic feet of storage capacity.
6 You Can Get A Lot More Luxury For The Same Money
The 2023 Tesla Model X is not exactly a cheap electric SUV. Prices for the base model start from $97,490, while the Plaid is priced at $107,490. As for the additional options, Tesla is only offering an Enhanced Autopilot priced at $6,000 and Full Self-Driving Capability priced at $15,000. Considering the equipment level offered by the Model X, it is actually a very expensive car. For the same money, you can get the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV for example - priced from $104,400 – which is a lot more luxurious and offers a lot more technology. The BMW iX is also considerably cheaper: the iX xDrive50 is priced at $87,100 and the iX M60 at $111,500. The Cadillac Lyriq is priced anywhere from $66,690 to $75,590, and there is no need to detail again the level of luxury you will get with it.
7 The Falcon Wing Doors Are Very Hard To Operate
One of the coolest features of the Tesla Model X is its falcon doors. The problem is that the coolest feature is also the most problematic one. Tesla itself admitted right from the start that it was a real struggle to design and build the doors, but it also wanted to give the Model X something unique to identify with. The falcon doors have multiple joints that allow them to open and close even in very tight spots without any problems, and they give very easy access to the third row of seats. The thing is, however, that no matter how great they are, many customers have complained about lots of issues with the doors. The list of problems includes failure to open or close fully, poor alignment - which is a common issue for Tesla models - water leaks, wind noise, and the most disturbing one: the doors can open on their own, which is a big issue especially if you have children in the rear seats.
8 Poor Built Quality Has Become A Tesla Hallmark
One of the most common problems with all Tesla models is the poor build quality. This does not only affect the Model X, but even the most popular Model 3. And despite being such a common issue, Tesla hasn’t found ways to fix it yet. The most obvious problems are the paint quality or the misaligned parts and interior panels, but customers are also complaining about problems with panel gaps, fluid leaking issues, and system overheating. What's even worse is that clients also reported that the suspension tends to wear out quickly and, in some cars, it makes a very strange noise. The windshield is also very poor quality and only a small stone hitting it could crack it, ultimately causing visibility issues. Another big problem is the battery draining too quickly - which means you can't really enjoy the impressive range the Model X is offering.
9 The Touchscreen Is Hard To Operate
The Model X comes with three screens: a massive 17.0-inch landscape infotainment screen that dominates the dashboard, a smaller digital readout that serves as the gauge cluster, and a rear touchscreen that gives the passengers access to the car's entertainment system and some of its features. The infotainment screen controls everything in the car, the reason why it is a must for it to work properly. Except that this is not the case, and many customers have reported issues with the touchscreen. In fact, back in 2020, the NHTSA issued a huge recall to replace the touchscreen in over 63,000 affected models. It appears that the media control unit (MCU) failed prematurely causing functions like web browsing, climate control, and the rearview camera display not to work properly. When the touchscreen freezes, you will have to shift the car into park and reset the infotainment system.
10 Lots Of Safety Issues
The Model X received five stars from both EuroNCAP and NHTSA. These ratings made it the first SUV to receive perfect scores in every category of the NHTSA's crash tests, but this doesn’t mean the Model X is a safe car. In fact, only in 2022, the Model X went through 11 recalls and faced 42 complaints, ranging from the steering and electrical system to various safety features like forward collision avoidance. Customers reported that while on regular cruise control (not autopilot), the Model X started to abruptly decelerate, which can very easily cause major problems in traffic. Brakes, airbags, seats and seat belts, wheels, and tires are also on the list of problems listed for the Model X.