We recently took delivery of a 2023 Model X LR 7 seater and here are my first impressions so far after 1 week of use including a 200 mi round trip in Southern California. I'll preface this by saying this is our third Tesla (currently own a '19 MS 100D and '22 3 Standard LFP) and that purchasing the X was sort of a last minute change since we were originally planning on getting an R1S for our growing family. I hope this is helpful to anyone who's interested in purchasing a new Model X LR and coming from an older S/X, model 3, also interested in an R1S, or anyone generally interested in knowing more about the refresh X LR from an owner's perspective.
Overall fit and finish
First, the fit and finish exceeded my expectations although I had very low expectations to begin with. Sure if I press down firmly on a few spots I can feel certain trim pieces or side molding flex a bit but no rattles or squeaks as far as I'm concerned. Not sure about panel gaps, it looks fine to me. No damage to the interior/exterior minus the back of the third row carpeting not sitting completely flush in the corner. Everything else appears well constructed and tightly fit.
Round steering wheel
Round steering wheel is fine but it does interfere with the dashboard visibility somewhat depending on your seating and steering height position. Some folks say it feels "thin" but I like it. It feels like the 3 in a good way where as the pre-refresh S felt overly big. I do see the weird vein in the middle of the wheel and thought that was only visible on the yolk. It's not a big deal.
Seat quality
Seats are comfortable enough and the cooled seats work great but I still think the 3 is a little more comfortable for my tush. The R1S felt better on the bottom but I like the way the X hugs on the sides and back. The white seats require more attention. Yes, we have kids and no I did not choose white but went with an inventory vehicle to get FUSD transferred before Dec 31 deadline. Hopefully the ventilated seats hold up (I read horror stories on TMC about the ventilated holes ripping) so fingers crossed.
Seat comfort ranking from best to worst:
1. 2022 Model 3
2. R1S (first impression)
3. 2023 Model X
4. 2019 pre-raven S
Regen
The regen is ok but slightly disappointing as I had high expectations coming from a S 100D that doesn't have one-pedal driving due to the AC induction front motor. Surprisingly, our RWD Model 3 has stronger regen. We live on a pretty steep hill and the 3 comes to a complete stop quicker than the X. I assume this is due to the overall heavier weight of the vehicle. Clearly my knowledge in physics is on par with a baby chimpanzee... The R1S has exceptional regen but I wasn't able to test how it performed on our steep hill.
X Windshield
The windshield is cool.
Falcon Wing Doors
The FWD are outstanding and my favorite feature (minus the attention they draw in public places) by far since we have little ones. I was worried since friends and folks on TMC have posted about their buggy behavior. We have a relatively low garage ceiling height and it has worked great so far. Recently we were in a tight parking spot and it worked flawlessly. Love it until it breaks and limited warranty expires.
Automatic Door entrance
The auto front door opening is... meh. I don't really care if they swing open all the way or only a few inches, and I can close the door myself (I'm already lazy enough). But it is odd that I have to wait a few seconds for the door motors to fully disengage before manually opening or closing the door. First world problems I suppose!
Auto Shift out of Park
On the other hand, one tech/software feature I do appreciate and very much enjoy using is the automatic reverse/drive after applying the brakes. I'm not sure if this is unique to the S/X or a new feature on all vehicles but it's pretty nice to use. It sounds gimmicky and probably pointless to many drivers, but for me this is the the one function where I prefer software over a physical stalk to switch out of park. It does require some override on occasion (e.g. wanting to go into drive when nothing is in front or behind the vehicle.
Swipe to reverse/drive function on the touchscreen is meh (unless used to override auto shift out of park). The optional touch button P R N D below the wireless charging function is ok but I have to apply the breaks pretty firmly for the P R N D lights to display.
Stalkless & driving functions
Turn signals take some getting used to but now they're fine. Prefer turn signal on stalks. I rarely use the horn so relocating the horn to a button on the side of the wheel doesn't bother me personally... Silently engaging TACC with the press of a scroll button is nice. Is that feature enabled on all S/3/X/Y cars now with the latest update?
Autopilot (HW 2.5, 3, 4)
Haven't used it on the X and don't use it anymore on the 3 or S. The few times I used autopilot on the model 3 (HW3) it was like having a micromanager repeatedly telling me everything I was doing wrong in life every 20 seconds. Then she would be silent for a while... Then I would slowly drift my eyes to the main screen or my phone without moving my face or body and immediately be yelled at again. I filed for divorce.
I very much enjoyed using AP (2.5) and EAP on the legacy S when on long road trips and used with a weighted AP buddy steering ring (feel free to yell away like mrs. AP) until they implemented the hands-free device detected warning in a software update in early '22. The arguments escalated and eventually, I filed for divorce.
Touchscreen swipe to reverse/drive function is meh. The optional touch button P R N D below the wireless charging function is ok but I have to apply the breaks pretty firmly for the P R N D lights to display.
Refresh frunk/subfloor cargo
Frunk/subfloor compartment space is not that much bigger than our pre-refresh S. A little bigger sure. Trunk/Subfloor divider feels cheap and is a little difficult to move around with the third row seats up.
S/X Refresh interior
Interior is nice. Simple, clean lines like the 3 and the visibility is excellent. The dashboard is one of the things I liked about the 3 over the legacy S so it's nice to see a similar design on the refresh S/X.
Instrument cluster (updated version 2023.44.1)
Like others have mentioned, it's a bit strange that you cannot customize the screen like you could on the legacy S/X cars. I liked having my tire pressure displayed on the right at all times. Seems like an easy thing to fix in software but I could be wrong... The upgraded instrument cluster screen is nice.
Suspension
Suspension is good. A little smoother than the older air suspension on our 100D but IMO it's not a night and day difference. Some might think disagree.
Accelleration
Fast enough. Compared with the S, the 100D feels faster off the line, but the X LR pulls harder especially from 30-60 mph. My foot has gotten [forced by wife to become] lighter over the past few years but I still like to keep up every once in a while and not get cut off by every aggressive driver. On paper the S100D (uncorked) 0-60 time is 3.7 and the X LR is 3.8. They both get blown out of the water by the M3 competition. Still a pretty quick soccer mom vehicle.
Other features
Homelink is nice. I forgot that feature is included with the S/X since it didn't come with the 3.
1 yr premium connectivity is nice. Can't remember if that came with the 3 or if it was only a month.
The supercharging speeds are outstanding compared to the older S/X. The lack of a charge port door light doesn't bother me. We charge the 3 at home but I assume the charging rate/speed of the 3/Y would be similar to the new S/X. Really impressive.
Third row passengers
The third row is a little tight for taller passengers (above 5 ft 10 in) and the middle seats pushed all the way forward but not uncomfortable even for longer trips. HVAC on the 3rd row pillar vents are very weak but my wife and 3 year old didn't complain on a 1 hour drive granted it was only 75 degrees outside (wife even requested that I turn off the AC even though it was on the lowest fan speed). I on the other hand prefer sitting in a blast chiller so this was the most disappointing feature on the X.
Range and Efficiency comparison (R1S vs. Model X)
The last thing I want to mention especially for anyone considering the X or R1S are the pros and cons for both vehicles when it comes to range and efficiency. The R1S has more real world range over the X so if you opt for the long range 352 mi pack you'll get very close to that EPA range. That is not the case with the X even with the AC off, on chill mode and driving under 70 mph... On the other hand, the X has a smaller battery pack (100 kWh vs 135 kWh) resulting in lower cost of charging for those without solar.
Either way, both vehicles are great. Hopefully this helps. Good luck!
"Tesla Model X" by crash71100 is marked with CC0 1.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail
Overall fit and finish
First, the fit and finish exceeded my expectations although I had very low expectations to begin with. Sure if I press down firmly on a few spots I can feel certain trim pieces or side molding flex a bit but no rattles or squeaks as far as I'm concerned. Not sure about panel gaps, it looks fine to me. No damage to the interior/exterior minus the back of the third row carpeting not sitting completely flush in the corner. Everything else appears well constructed and tightly fit.
Round steering wheel
Round steering wheel is fine but it does interfere with the dashboard visibility somewhat depending on your seating and steering height position. Some folks say it feels "thin" but I like it. It feels like the 3 in a good way where as the pre-refresh S felt overly big. I do see the weird vein in the middle of the wheel and thought that was only visible on the yolk. It's not a big deal.
Seat quality
Seats are comfortable enough and the cooled seats work great but I still think the 3 is a little more comfortable for my tush. The R1S felt better on the bottom but I like the way the X hugs on the sides and back. The white seats require more attention. Yes, we have kids and no I did not choose white but went with an inventory vehicle to get FUSD transferred before Dec 31 deadline. Hopefully the ventilated seats hold up (I read horror stories on TMC about the ventilated holes ripping) so fingers crossed.
Seat comfort ranking from best to worst:
1. 2022 Model 3
2. R1S (first impression)
3. 2023 Model X
4. 2019 pre-raven S
Regen
The regen is ok but slightly disappointing as I had high expectations coming from a S 100D that doesn't have one-pedal driving due to the AC induction front motor. Surprisingly, our RWD Model 3 has stronger regen. We live on a pretty steep hill and the 3 comes to a complete stop quicker than the X. I assume this is due to the overall heavier weight of the vehicle. Clearly my knowledge in physics is on par with a baby chimpanzee... The R1S has exceptional regen but I wasn't able to test how it performed on our steep hill.
X Windshield
The windshield is cool.
Falcon Wing Doors
The FWD are outstanding and my favorite feature (minus the attention they draw in public places) by far since we have little ones. I was worried since friends and folks on TMC have posted about their buggy behavior. We have a relatively low garage ceiling height and it has worked great so far. Recently we were in a tight parking spot and it worked flawlessly. Love it until it breaks and limited warranty expires.
Automatic Door entrance
The auto front door opening is... meh. I don't really care if they swing open all the way or only a few inches, and I can close the door myself (I'm already lazy enough). But it is odd that I have to wait a few seconds for the door motors to fully disengage before manually opening or closing the door. First world problems I suppose!
Auto Shift out of Park
On the other hand, one tech/software feature I do appreciate and very much enjoy using is the automatic reverse/drive after applying the brakes. I'm not sure if this is unique to the S/X or a new feature on all vehicles but it's pretty nice to use. It sounds gimmicky and probably pointless to many drivers, but for me this is the the one function where I prefer software over a physical stalk to switch out of park. It does require some override on occasion (e.g. wanting to go into drive when nothing is in front or behind the vehicle.
Swipe to reverse/drive function on the touchscreen is meh (unless used to override auto shift out of park). The optional touch button P R N D below the wireless charging function is ok but I have to apply the breaks pretty firmly for the P R N D lights to display.
Stalkless & driving functions
Turn signals take some getting used to but now they're fine. Prefer turn signal on stalks. I rarely use the horn so relocating the horn to a button on the side of the wheel doesn't bother me personally... Silently engaging TACC with the press of a scroll button is nice. Is that feature enabled on all S/3/X/Y cars now with the latest update?
Autopilot (HW 2.5, 3, 4)
Haven't used it on the X and don't use it anymore on the 3 or S. The few times I used autopilot on the model 3 (HW3) it was like having a micromanager repeatedly telling me everything I was doing wrong in life every 20 seconds. Then she would be silent for a while... Then I would slowly drift my eyes to the main screen or my phone without moving my face or body and immediately be yelled at again. I filed for divorce.
I very much enjoyed using AP (2.5) and EAP on the legacy S when on long road trips and used with a weighted AP buddy steering ring (feel free to yell away like mrs. AP) until they implemented the hands-free device detected warning in a software update in early '22. The arguments escalated and eventually, I filed for divorce.
Touchscreen swipe to reverse/drive function is meh. The optional touch button P R N D below the wireless charging function is ok but I have to apply the breaks pretty firmly for the P R N D lights to display.
Refresh frunk/subfloor cargo
Frunk/subfloor compartment space is not that much bigger than our pre-refresh S. A little bigger sure. Trunk/Subfloor divider feels cheap and is a little difficult to move around with the third row seats up.
S/X Refresh interior
Interior is nice. Simple, clean lines like the 3 and the visibility is excellent. The dashboard is one of the things I liked about the 3 over the legacy S so it's nice to see a similar design on the refresh S/X.
Instrument cluster (updated version 2023.44.1)
Like others have mentioned, it's a bit strange that you cannot customize the screen like you could on the legacy S/X cars. I liked having my tire pressure displayed on the right at all times. Seems like an easy thing to fix in software but I could be wrong... The upgraded instrument cluster screen is nice.
Suspension
Suspension is good. A little smoother than the older air suspension on our 100D but IMO it's not a night and day difference. Some might think disagree.
Accelleration
Fast enough. Compared with the S, the 100D feels faster off the line, but the X LR pulls harder especially from 30-60 mph. My foot has gotten [forced by wife to become] lighter over the past few years but I still like to keep up every once in a while and not get cut off by every aggressive driver. On paper the S100D (uncorked) 0-60 time is 3.7 and the X LR is 3.8. They both get blown out of the water by the M3 competition. Still a pretty quick soccer mom vehicle.
Other features
Homelink is nice. I forgot that feature is included with the S/X since it didn't come with the 3.
1 yr premium connectivity is nice. Can't remember if that came with the 3 or if it was only a month.
The supercharging speeds are outstanding compared to the older S/X. The lack of a charge port door light doesn't bother me. We charge the 3 at home but I assume the charging rate/speed of the 3/Y would be similar to the new S/X. Really impressive.
Third row passengers
The third row is a little tight for taller passengers (above 5 ft 10 in) and the middle seats pushed all the way forward but not uncomfortable even for longer trips. HVAC on the 3rd row pillar vents are very weak but my wife and 3 year old didn't complain on a 1 hour drive granted it was only 75 degrees outside (wife even requested that I turn off the AC even though it was on the lowest fan speed). I on the other hand prefer sitting in a blast chiller so this was the most disappointing feature on the X.
Range and Efficiency comparison (R1S vs. Model X)
The last thing I want to mention especially for anyone considering the X or R1S are the pros and cons for both vehicles when it comes to range and efficiency. The R1S has more real world range over the X so if you opt for the long range 352 mi pack you'll get very close to that EPA range. That is not the case with the X even with the AC off, on chill mode and driving under 70 mph... On the other hand, the X has a smaller battery pack (100 kWh vs 135 kWh) resulting in lower cost of charging for those without solar.
Either way, both vehicles are great. Hopefully this helps. Good luck!
"Tesla Model X" by crash71100 is marked with CC0 1.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail
