Undecided following test drive of both S and X

[FutureEV]

I took the plunge of going for a Test drive of both S and X.

• First drove a blue 90D, black premium interior. Was very impressed. I'm used to driving a hybrid SUV, so being low down took a little getting used to. Handling was great, quality of interior was better than I expected and 'luxury' enough in my opinion.
  • Tried out autopilot which was very strange, but in a good way! I'm sure I could get used to it.
  • Acceleration and performance was ample and instantaneous. you can easily make passengers feel sick! I personally can't see the need for a P model.
  • Rear Seats - I really don't like the older rear seats that the car had. This puts me off the new inventory cars as none of them appear to have the contoured seats. The showroom S had the new seats like this photo: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/attachments/img_20170913_190136-jpg.248169/
• Then took a 6-seater X for a spin.
  • Size - My worry with the X was always that it was too big and narrow streets would be a problem. To my surprise it wasn't and the sensors help guide you down any narrow gaps. Placing the car in the road was fine.
  • Seat position is more like what I'm used to and it felt great. the 3rd row seats did not give much legroom, so I would go for a 5-seater (also so that the 2nd row can fold flat)
  • Rear doors - amazing technology but I can't help feeling there's a lot more to go wrong in the long term. I guess not a worry during warranty.
  • Black textile seats are very good. Might go with that as a lower cost option.

So I'm undecided.. both are great cars. The X offers better comfort for the family but the S is more sporty.
I'd be really happy with either - From a cost perspective leaning towards a new S 75D.

There are some 'new inventory' S 100Ds with ~10k miles that are arguably better value especially as there's a lower interest rate on 90 and 100 cars but I don't like the bench rear seat.
All inventory X seem to be 6-seat option.

 

[thegruf]

the rear seat obviously concerns you - but who uses it and how many people and for what sort of journeys?

ie if you are just doing the school run with 3 kids in the back - I really wouldn't let it bother you.
however if e.g you are regularly 5 up on weekend trips to the country then I would choose the MX

Beyond that though is more down to the usual comparisons of saloon vs SUV.

as you say though .. both are great cars ... ultimately whatever you choose will be great to own.

 

[NewTMSMan]

We have both and they both have their positive and negative attributes. To be honest I find the FWDs on the X a nuisance more often than a benefit. Inside our garage they are inconsistent in opening, and at times will not open at all.

Both cars have had issues with reliability for me, but the X has had more issues, alebeit only one including the FWDs which was a sensor that needed replacement.

I do like the automatic drivers door on the X and in the S ish it had that feature.

Regarding cargo capacity, the S actually seems like it has more space than the 6 seater X to me, but I never checked the data.

The back seats on the X are far superior to the seats in the back of the S.

There is also a minor range advantage for the S as well, but I would not let this sway my decision.

In the end I would bash my decision on the need for passenger comfort and space, where the X is superior. If you only need rear seat passenger accommodations periodically I would choose the S.

 

[WannabeOwner]

the S is more sporty

Only a hair's width in it 0-60, but maybe you meant "chuck it round a corner"?

I find the MS wallows doing that, compared to other things I've owned which were more taut, but it weights a lot of course, and I don't hear other people making that comment.

My worry with the X was always that it was too big and narrow streets would be a problem

My wife leaves the MS at home when she has to park at the station etc. But she takes a Golf for that, rather than a Range Rover! so I suppose it depends what you are comparing it with.

Assuming Google has the right data then:

1,964 mm 77" MS
2,020 mm 80" MX
1,983 mm 78" Ranger Rover
1,807 mm 71" Golf

IME there is loads of luggage space in the MS (we have an ICE people carrier too ...). If you need to fit a Roofrack / Top Box then there are some considerations for model type. Only the MX offers a tow-hitch.

 

[FutureEV]

Thanks for the comments. Mostly it will be 2 kids in the back and rarely a third there so I'm leaning towards the S.
The 'sportiness' was more about lower driving position than anything else.

 

[jlund]

For me it’s about comfort vs drive handling. Classic car vs SUV conundrum.

We have an X and recently had an S loaner. Driving the S was a very different experience. Being over 1k pounds lighter and lower to the ground, the response handing and acceleration was noticeably better (shocking!). I had a touch of buyers remorse.

Then we got our X back. And as soon as I got in, it was a relief to have so much headroom. I realized how boxed I felt in the S. The X was back to flying first class. One of the main reasons for this, and one of the strongest features of the X is the windshield. Honestly I can’t get enough of it.

For us, with our road trips, kids and big dog, the X is the better option. Perhaps I’ll satisfy the sporty longing I have of the S with a model 3 dual motor performance edition some day down the road.

If you are truly split down the middle, that’s a hard decision, particularly because you can’t go wrong! Though it sounds like the S might be the better option for you. I think if I was in England/Ireland, I’d be leaning on the S.

Takes up less space on the road, has more range, driving is more fun, and you don’t need to deal with the FWD. FWD are very cool and I marvel at them all the time but get frustrated with them in a lot of situations too.

 

[BrokerDon]

If you write your Tesla off as a business expense, I believe the Model X write off under the new 2018 tax law may fall under a different category where 100% is now deductible in first year:

Time running out for Model X 2017 *massive* business-use tax deduction

Time running out for Model X 2017 *massive* business-use tax deduction

 

[JayDixonUK]

I’ve just done the same thing just over a week ago. Loved them both in different ways.

I think the S is the better looking of the two, but the X kept growing on me recently.

I felt like the S was more ‘dynamic’ to drive, but the X felt so much more spacious inside.

The rear seats felt too low to the floor in the S for me and my Wife, which means your knees end up too high. We found this uncomfortable after a short drive. This isn’t the case in the X. The rear seats in the S would be fine for kids I guess.

I’m 45, and have been driving SUVs for the last 10 years (XC90 then VW Touareg). I felt much more at home with the driving position in the X, and although I know I’d enjoy the relative ‘sportiness’ of the S from time to time, most of the driving I do is frustrating commute type stuff, so I wouldn’t get that much of a chance to enjoy it anyway.

With ageing parents, we also felt that getting them in and out of the S would be a lot harder, whereas with the FWDs on the X combined with the higher platform it would be a breeze. There’s only 3 of us in our family, but the 7 seat option in the X also meant we could take another family of 4 with us for day trips.

After totting all this up, we found ourselves leaning more one way than the other. We’ve ended up ordering an X 75D with 7 seats. Just the wait for it to arrive now!

 

[WannabeOwner]

I believe the Model X write off under the new 2018 tax law

I'm not aware that anything has changed viz 2018 tax rules? 100% first year tax write-off has been possible for several years, but its far from that simple as there are all sorts of BiK complications ... not to mention the tax on purchase vs. the tax on resale.

 

[WannabeOwner]

The rear seats felt too low to the floor in the S for me and my Wife

They are a real struggle for my aged in-laws to get out of. I would need excessively-high Air suspension to allow them an easy exit (which i believe is a feature of some recent launch - Audi may be?)

 

[JayDixonUK]

I'm not aware that anything has changed viz 2018 tax rules? 100% first year tax write-off has been possible for several years, but its far from that simple as there are all sorts of BiK complications ... not to mention the tax on purchase vs. the tax on resale.

BrokerDon is in the US, so he's probably talking about US tax rules.

In the UK, all Teslas have 100% First Year Allowance as they have no emissions.

 

[JayDixonUK]

They are a real struggle for my aged in-laws to get out of. I would need excessively-high Air suspension to allow them an easy exit (which i believe is a feature of some recent launch - Audi may be?)

That was one of the big pros of the X for us. With the FWDs fully open, they could walk under them, turn around and be lowered down onto the seat (which is at the right height) and then swivel into position. I can only just get in and out of the S - my in laws would never manage it!

 

[BrokerDon]

BrokerDon is in the US, so he's probably talking about US tax rules.

In the UK, all Teslas have 100% First Year Allowance as they have no emissions.

Correct. I'm in the US. Sorry for the confusion for you UK buyers.

 

[CotswoldSara]

Hi @FutureEV welcome to the club

I've recently (December) moved from a Lexus RX450h to a MS 75 RWD & I had the same concerns as you re: moving from an SUV back to effectively a sports car. It did feel a bit funny to start with but I've got used to it again now. My decision making was made easier by funding constraints I simply couldn't spring for the extra £10k for a MX in the same spec as I wanted. I had concerns about the range on a MX 75 too. The MS 75 should be ok for a fairly regular cross country trip we do to see family just outside Bedford from where we live just outside Gloucester, we'll need to pop in for a top-up at Newport Pagnell (I think, not actually done the trip yet) on the way then we should have enough for a run-around locally plus the return trip. I think we'd be pushing it with the MX 75. I also couldn't spring for the cost of the larger 100 battery.

Anecdotally, from the FB group, there seems to be more issues with MXs but I guess that's because they're newer and have more complicated bits aka more to go wrong.

Ultimately if cost isn't an issue then potentially ask for an extended test drive in both - a couple of days with each - & choose whichever suits your lifestyle best.

If you need a referral code from anyone please just message them & I'm sure they'll oblige

 

[Peteski]

If I was on the fence I would probably take the S. But for us the X was a no-brainer with two growing kids, mountain bikes and loads of luggage on weekend trips. I love the space in the X cabin and that windscreen! The S feels cramped by comparison, although not exactly a small car in its own right. Even thinking of getting an S as a second EV.

 

[WannabeOwner]

a top-up at Newport Pagnell

You can get into it from the non-motorway side (i.e. from the side road on the East side); its probably a long way round to get to it, from Gloucester, by having to be travelling South on the M1

we should have enough for a run-around locally

Plug in when you get there? 13 AMP plug will give you 5 MPH, over a weekend that's a full recharge ... I carry a heavy duty extension lead rather than relying on friends lawn mower extension cable!

Just in case you haven't come across it A Better Route Planner is handy for figuring out whether a journey is doable ... or if not to help with planning where to charge.

 

[FutureEV]

Hi @FutureEV welcome to the club

I've recently (December) moved from a Lexus RX450h to a MS 75 RWD & I had the same concerns as you re: moving from an SUV back to effectively a sports car. It did feel a bit funny to start with but I've got used to it again now. My decision making was made easier by funding constraints I simply couldn't spring for the extra £10k for a MX in the same spec as I wanted. I had concerns about the range on a MX 75 too. The MS 75 should be ok for a fairly regular cross country trip we do to see family just outside Bedford from where we live just outside Gloucester, we'll need to pop in for a top-up at Newport Pagnell (I think, not actually done the trip yet) on the way then we should have enough for a run-around locally plus the return trip. I think we'd be pushing it with the MX 75. I also couldn't spring for the cost of the larger 100 battery.

Anecdotally, from the FB group, there seems to be more issues with MXs but I guess that's because they're newer and have more complicated bits aka more to go wrong.

Ultimately if cost isn't an issue then potentially ask for an extended test drive in both - a couple of days with each - & choose whichever suits your lifestyle best.

If you need a referral code from anyone please just message them & I'm sure they'll oblige

Thanks! This is funny because I’m coming from a RX400h. Very similar thought process and conclusion.
I’ve decided on a custom S75D down to cost and range. Now just have to wait!

 

[CotswoldSara]

@WannabeOwner there's surprisingly little in it between going cross country (A40) and up & round (A46 + motorways) in terms of distance. Last time we did the trip it was faster to come home using the M1, M45, A46 route by about half an hour. So I reckon dropping in at NP wouldn't actually be that awkward.

We have the issue at the brother & sister in law's place that they have on street parking. So I'll take an extension lead but it'd be easier if I didn't have to plug in. I've got A Better Route Planner bookmarked already

I’ve decided on a custom S75D down to cost and range.

Congrats (hope you had a referral code) ... what spec did you go for??

 

[WannabeOwner]

there's surprisingly little in it between going cross country

Makes sense, I too have choice when going your way ... nothing much in it going to Bristol either via M11, M25 and M4 for the "southern route", or even "up" (or so it seems to my head!) to Birmingham ... or through the middle to Oxford. I let my mate Waze make the choice for me Convenient Supercharging at a mid-point by all three routes, and a poxy Polar charger at the carpark when I get there which does the job (but mostly just makes me appreciate how straightforward connecting to a Supercharger is!)

on street parking

Ah, hadn't thought of that. Can you get them to move to somewhere with off-street parking ... and a charging point?!! Thought you probable would have ABRP bookmarked, sorry about Granny+Eggs ...

 

[FutureEV]

Congrats (hope you had a referral code) ... what spec did you go for??

Yes. I have a friend and used their code.
Went for blue, with black premium/light headliner, PUP and EAP.