Powerstromer between genius and madness

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Some cars are already forgotten as soon as they land. Tesla’s new Model X Plaid is definitely not one of them. Not a day went by when the electric crossover did not surprise us both positively and negatively in ten days of testing. If Tesla boss Elon Musk (51) were to reincarnate as a car, it would likely be the Model X Plaid: somewhere between genius and insanity. We’ve documented the five biggest strengths and weaknesses of the new Super Tesla.

Weighing nearly 2.5 tons and over five meters tall, the Model X is an imposing sight. Tesla has not been opening the doors with the key for a long time – here the smartphone acts as a door opener. And what opens up behind the mighty “Falcon Wings” is impressive: there are six or seven seats, depending on the version, with room for even larger guests in the 3rd row. And it’s not for nothing that the Model X, like all Teslas, has a camping mode: two adults can sleep comfortably side by side in its 2600-liter cargo area.

We agree: Even in the everyday life of a car tester, the urge to play sometimes overwhelms ecological concerns. Instead of the particularly efficient “Casual” mode, we were often in “Sports” or “Plaid” mode. In other words: more driving pleasure, less range. That said, we’re assessing the situation: 450 kilometers per day on the Model X easily. The theoretically possible 543 kilometers (WLTP) with an economical driving style also looks realistic. At the moment, almost no manufacturer can match Tesla’s efficiency.

While Tesla continues to make headlines with questionable operating conditions, the developers of the Model X’s entertainment software seem to be enjoying their work. Whether it’s a fart horn, a rainbow-colored display when autopilot is activated, or a perfectly staged light and tech show with flapping gull doors, the models’ acting is good for the otherwise dead serious auto industry. But the software also scores where it’s supposed to, and it doesn’t just do it: There’s no better route planning than a Tesla with precisely timed charging stops.

For the price of a test car exceeding 140,000 francs, writing “perfect” sounds crazy. But when you consider what you’re getting for the price – an ultimate power tool with over 1,000 horsepower and room for up to seven people – the Model X Plaid can be said to be value for money without a twinge of conscience. Performance is currently unrivaled, with competitors like the BMW iX or Mercedes EQS SUV sometimes much more expensive than the Tesla. Still boasting impressive 670 hp system performance, the cheaper 4×4 version of the Model X starts at CHF 107,990.

The highlight of the Model X Plaid is the “Drag Strip” mode. If the system is preconditioned via the monitor, which takes about half an hour, Tesla will unleash the maximum possible 1020 hp for the all-wheel drive vehicle. To test the craziness, we head to the building of the ASSR non-slip school in Regensdorf ZH. After confirming “Peak power ready” on the screen, Tesla gives us these instructions: left foot on brake, right foot on gas. The Model X takes the “cheetah” position with the front lowered, similar to a dragster in the US. After a few seconds it means: fire, sorry, no electricity! With no loss of traction, the X launches like there’s no tomorrow. Madness! On the almost 200-metre-long slope, we reach a good speed of 130 km/h even after the sixth iteration!

While some of the stuff on the Model X Plaid was ingenious, it drove us crazy with other details. The following five points were really weak in the test:

It is well known that Tesla has had problems with processing quality for a long time. Sitting in the cockpit of “Made in USA” Stromer, we’re all even more surprised: Carbon, leather and Alcantara everywhere, plus a razor-sharp 17-inch touchscreen that can be ergonomically aligned to the driver or passenger: the Model X sees really neat! It’s even more frustrating when we notice a nasty squeak and squeak from the left corner of the dashboard just a few meters later – even the biggest Tesla fans won’t understand it for sure.

did it go crazy? No, this is Tesla yoke madness! Yoke is the name of the new, rectangular steering wheel that can replace the round steering wheel if desired. We do not understand the meaning: Since the steering angle is the same, you often have to follow the maneuvers as usual – this means that you are constantly reaching into the gap with the yoke. Does the indicator come on when exiting the intersection? It is almost impossible when the steering wheel is upside down – there are no levers on the yoke either. An innovation that misses its purpose for us – to make the life of drivers easier.

Worse still, with the Model X you have to hold the steering wheel more often than with other SUV-thick ships. The culprit is the extremely large turning circle: Tesla officially says 12.4 meters – it feels like it’s even more. In practice, this means we can easily exit the underground parking garage with other cars, running out of space in the Tesla. Just for comparison: The Mercedes EQS SUV, which is around ten centimeters taller, has a turning circle of just eleven metres, thanks to rear-axle steering, and is just 11.9 metres, even without the high-tech extras.

For now, we’ll stay in the underground garage where the Model X didn’t do well in testing. Wing doors called “Falcon Wings” are responsible for this: The highly complex articulated construction has to ensure that the doors open even when the car is in a very narrow space. But the less space the doors need on the side, the same amount of space they need to open fully. The test was repeated over and over that we could not open the doors at all, or that in flat underground car parks there was just a crack and the passengers could not get out at all. On one occasion, the sensors also missed a small pipe in the ceiling, which was later revealed by two small scratches in the paint.

Today, every manufacturer offers assistive systems that support us on the road. But only Tesla was smart enough to describe the interaction of spacers, lane guards and cruise control as an advertising autopilot – cars still aren’t allowed by law to drive themselves (also interesting: did Tesla cheat with autopilot?). Fortunately, we couldn’t get very far at Tesla because we’ve often experienced that Tesla suddenly disables the autopilot while driving and then fails to re-engage. Even the simple cruise control comes off – incredibly annoying.

Source: Blick

Ella

I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.