Tesla Model X First Drives: Falcon Wing Doors Work Like Robots, SUV Drives Like Model S

In a move that was not necessarily surprising, we found out the SUV feels quite like a Model S from behind the wheel. You have to keep in mind that we are dealing with a different body that uses the same platform as the sedan.

Another key feature we wanted to see in action is the set of Falcon Wing doors at the back. These use parking sensors, so you don’t have to worry about incidents in underground parking lots.

The doors act a bit like Tesla’s prototype robotic charger, which could find the car’s charge port and connect to it on its own. To be more precise, the doors will always open a little bit, up to the limit of what the sensors detect. This means that you should be able to squeeze outside the car even in the tight parking situations. It’s all shown in the footage below, which comes from CNET.

On paper, the fact that the Model X has the largest windshield of any production car in the world may not sound like all that much, but the perspective changes once you get inside the car.

Oh, and as for the “fastest SUV in the world” claims based on the 3.2s 0 to 60 mph sprint, we won’t mention something like this until a Nurburgring time is released. As the Cayenne Turbo S can demonstrate, the 8-minute mark is the one to beat.

As for the top speed, the Model X may go all the way up to 155 mph and this is where the Bentley Bentayga and its 187 mph maximum velocity step in.

Just in case you’re in the market for a Model X right now, you should know grabbing one won’t be easy. For one thing, Tesla currently only sells the Signature Edition, which starts at $132,000. Even if you have the money, you’ll have to wait for the EV maker to cover the 30,000 pre-orders the Model X has registered.