Questions on current Model S vs X

[plasmo]

Coming from a household that already has a MX (wife's car), I just took delivery of a new MS for myself which was great.

One thing I already miss is the auto-presenting doors, and the ability to open the passenger door from the console.
The other thing I noticed is that our MX came with tinted windows. My MS did not.
Were these ever features on the MS, or is this how it's always been? thanks!

 

[Tam]

...how it's always been...

Correct. That's the way it has been since I picked up my classic Model S in 2012.

I don't think the early X had tinted windows and I think that feature was added on later.

 

[plasmo]

Correct. That's the way it has been since I picked up my classic Model S in 2012.

I don't think the early X had tinted windows and I think that feature was added on later.

Thanks for the clarification.
btw, it's amazing how fast technology is going, as your 5 year old car is now called a "classic"

 

[Dilbagh]

I'm curious what made you get a S after owning an X. I'm an S owner with kids and would love to trade up to a S given how easy getting in and out is and the higher headroom.
Also, this might have been answered elsewhere, but is the AP 2 blind spot detection really good, because AP1 is not good at doing that.

 

[plasmo]

I'm curious what made you get a S after owning an X. I'm an S owner with kids and would love to trade up to a S given how easy getting in and out is and the higher headroom.
Also, this might have been answered elsewhere, but is the AP 2 blind spot detection really good, because AP1 is not good at doing that.

We currently have both X and S. The X is primarily driven by my wife and for road trips. I fell in love with it, but don't need the extra space, and wanted to be completely gas-free, so sold my 328xi and got the S. (Original plan was to hold out until the 3 as I have an early reservation, but didn't want to wait...plus there might be more of a wait for dual motors).

If you asked me which vehicle I liked better... I would have to say the X.

 

[whitex]

I'm curious what made you get a S after owning an X. I'm an S owner with kids and would love to trade up to a S given how easy getting in and out is and the higher headroom.
Also, this might have been answered elsewhere, but is the AP 2 blind spot detection really good, because AP1 is not good at doing that.

Unless you regularly use the last row, X is no as practical as the S. We had an S while waiting to get an X, then after test driving it we just got a second S instead because X just seemed like S on higher suspension, third row which does not fold completely out of the way (so less trunk space), and has some really impractical doors - wing doors that require some patience to open/close, and front doors without actual handles, so unless you have self presenting doors (which also are problematic in a tight garage), you end up grabbing it by the glass. All that and worse range for the same battery. If you need the 3d row, you are kind of locked to an X, but if you don't, S is more practical (and cheaper).

 

[Tam]

...higher suspension...

Less chance for me to scrape the front bumper bottom especially because of those parking cement blocks.

...less trunk space

It used to have less trunk space until the 5 seater came out with foldable second row. So you can have more trunk space now.

...wing doors that require some patience to open/close...

It is slower than conventional manual closing doors but the difference is so tiny so I don't see any difference.

I had to fight with conventional Model S doors to load cargo but the Falcon Wing Doors are extremely helpful!

...front doors without actual handles, so unless you have self presenting doors (which also are problematic in a tight garage), you end up grabbing it by the glass...

I have self presenting door feature and it works fine in tight garage. You push on the fake handle and the door open for you if you don't have self presenting door feature. If I grab the door my self, I tend to grab the door edge near the fake handle, not on the glass, may be because I have been conditioned with the position of conventional door handles.

Yes, it is weird to grab the door edge instead of door handle but I instinctively do it because of the lack of real door handle and I never had to get used to it. The human action is just so adaptive.

...worse range...

I agree: You are correct about the less range and more expensive price.

I drove Model S for 5 years before switching to Model X.

If there were options for me to choose again, I would choose Model X, and not Model S.

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

Hopefully I'll get an MX loaner someday so I can check it out for myself. I think the Model X styling is acceptable for what it is, but the S is a much more beautiful automobile. I've never been a fan of ICE SUVs but a lot of that has to do with the high center of gravity and fuel consumption. A few days with an X might change my mind, though considering it doesn't have those two drawbacks. For me the X was just too new and mechanically problematic to consider buying one.

 

[whitex]

Less chance for me to scrape the front bumper bottom especially because of those parking cement blocks.

True. If scraping over cement blocks in the parking lot is a problem for someone, X is definitely a better choice.

It used to have less trunk space until the 5 seater came out with foldable second row. So you can have more trunk space now.

Didn't know it was available. Does it fold like in the S? The ones I saw only moved up towards the front. Still, if they do fold down like the S, then the trunk space is the same, number of seats is the same, so no gain.

It is slower than conventional manual closing doors but the difference is so tiny so I don't see any difference.

I had to fight with conventional Model S doors to load cargo but the Falcon Wing Doors are extremely helpful!

I timed it during the test drive, took over 6 seconds and 2 tries (there were no obstructions, the doors just beeped and stopped. Compared that with the <2s automatic sliding minivan doors the wing doors suck, especially when you live in Seattle where it rains a lot. For non-rainy climate like California I can see that being a worthy trade-off though. Btw, I did hear than since my test drive wing doors improved, but they are not under 2s open or close.

Agreed on the cargo part, but wouldn't you load most of the cargo through the back?

I have self presenting door feature and it works fine in tight garage. You push on the fake handle and the door open for you if you don't have self presenting door feature. If I grab the door my self, I tend to grab the door edge near the fake handle, not on the glass, may be because I have been conditioned with the position of conventional door handles.

Yes, it is weird to grab the door edge instead of door handle but I instinctively do it because of the lack of real door handle and I never had to get used to it. The human action is just so adaptive.

I don't grab the glass, but I have seen people grab onto the glass a few times on an X and wondered how often the window gets damaged that way. Agreed that as the driver/owner you'll adjust quickly, but having to explain to each passenger before they get in that there is no handle and they should not grab the glass just seems impractical, at least for me.

As for self presenting, we park the 2 Teslas in the garage such that their driver's doors face each other and there is just enough room to open one of them 80% (picture in this post). If the darn door would self present every time I'm walking between the cars, I would have to keep on shutting it back whenever I wanted to get into the other Tesla or simply wanted to walk between the cars to the driveway. If I had 2 X with self-presenting doors, I'd probably have a bunch of chipped or broken glass (if we were to open both S driver's doors in our garage today, they contact each other at the window glass).

I agree: You are correct about the less range and more expensive price.
I drove Model S for 5 years before switching to Model X.
If there were options for me to choose again, I would choose Model X, and not Model S.

Having a choice (again) between the S and X I would pick the S again. But that's me. That's what make the worlds interesting, people make different choices. I do think the X seems "cooler", but I'm at a point in my life where practicality wins. If I lived in California and/or didn't have kids (so much less usage of the wing doors) maybe I would go with the X.

 

[Tam]

...Didn't know it was available. Does it fold like in the S?...

Yes, just like the 5 seater S but Model X has better trunk measurement except for one: vertical height:

From Central Armrest to Trunk inner Lip:

Model S around 76" while Model X =80"

From back of front seat (adjust all the way forward):

Model S= 86", Model X=88"

Width at the narrowest part of trunk:

Model S=38 3/4", Model X= 41"

Trunk height:

Model S=28 1/2 ", Model X = 27"

Although the X's trunk height is shorter but it does have its hidden compartment where a third row seat is not installed:

 

[MDMGSO47]

We have two Model S and never considered the Model X because the exterior of the S looks soooo much better.

 

[whitex]

Yes, just like the 5 seater S but Model X has better trunk measurement except for one: vertical height:

From Central Armrest to Trunk inner Lip:

Model S around 76" while Model X =80"

From back of front seat (adjust all the way forward):

Model S= 86", Model X=88"

Width at the narrowest part of trunk:

Model S=38 3/4", Model X= 41"

Trunk height:

Model S=28 1/2 ", Model X = 27"

Although the X's trunk height is shorter but it does have its hidden compartment where a third row seat is not installed:

Thanks. I learned something new. Probably not enough to lean towards an X, but good to know as occasionally people do ask me for their opinion when considering a new car.

 

[Dilbagh]

Yes, just like the 5 seater S but Model X has better trunk measurement except for one: vertical height:

From Central Armrest to Trunk inner Lip:

Model S around 76" while Model X =80"

From back of front seat (adjust all the way forward):

Model S= 86", Model X=88"

Width at the narrowest part of trunk:

Model S=38 3/4", Model X= 41"

Trunk height:

Model S=28 1/2 ", Model X = 27"

Although the X's trunk height is shorter but it does have its hidden compartment where a third row seat is not installed:

Thanks a lot Tam for the sizing up the trunk space. Good info.