2023 Tesla Model X

~791 lb-ft combined (dual-motor AWD, third-party figure); higher for Plaid

2023 is a carry-over year of the 2021 refresh within the single 2016-on generation; the volume dual-motor car keeps its 670 hp combined, far beyond the SUV band ceiling.

Torque

3.8 s (dual-motor AWD, mfr. claim); ~2.5 s (Plaid)

Tesla publishes no torque rating; the commonly cited third-party combined figure for the refreshed dual-motor car is ~791 lb-ft, and any plausible value clears the 500 lb-ft SUV band ceiling.

0–60 mph time

95/100

Tesla's claimed 3.8 s for the 2023 dual-motor Model X is sports-car quick for a three-row SUV, ahead of every non-performance luxury rival.

Powertrain refinement90

Instant, lag-free electric delivery with no engine, turbo or hybrid handoff; reviewers praise the immediacy, with only faint motor whine at speed.

Transmission behavior90

Single-speed reduction gears on each axle mean nothing to shift or hunt; delivery is continuous and regen blending is well judged.

Max towing capacity

5,000 lbs (tow hitch)

57/100

5,000 lbs is mid-pack for a full-size luxury SUV, below the Rivian R1S's 7,700 lbs and body-on-frame rivals, and towing cuts EV range sharply.

AWD/4WD availability82

Every 2023 Model X is AWD (dual- or tri-motor) with fast independent axle torque control, but no low range or terrain-specific modes.

Off-road capability36

Powertrain lineup breadth26

Adaptive air suspension lifts ride height and instant AWD helps on loose surfaces, but there are no skid plates, lockers, crawl control or off-road trim, and tires are street-biased.

102 MPGe combined (Model X AWD); 98 MPGe Plaid 20in, 91 MPGe Plaid 22in

Battery-electric only, in two tunes (dual-motor and Plaid); no gas, hybrid, PHEV or single-motor entry.

2Efficiency & RangeOne of the Model X's strongest categories.2.95B-

Combined fuel economy

107 MPGe city (Model X AWD); 103 Plaid 20in, 94 Plaid 22in

About 33 kWh/100 mi is respectable for a heavy three-row luxury EV but trails lighter electric crossovers.

City fuel economy

97 MPGe highway (Model X AWD); 93 Plaid 20in, 88 Plaid 22in

City is usually an EV's strongest figure, but the Model X's mass blunts it relative to lighter EV SUVs.

Highway fuel economy

348 mi EPA (Model X AWD); 333 mi Plaid 20in, 311 mi Plaid 22in

Its strongest rating relative to class: the low-drag body keeps the city-to-highway drop small for a tall SUV.

Driving range

21/100

250 kW peak on V3 Superchargers (native Tesla port)

348 miles leads most three-row electric SUVs of 2023 and comfortably clears road-trip needs; the 2024 re-rating dropped the same car to 335 mi.

DC fast-charge peak rate

72/100

#1 of 16 SUVsCompare all →

250 kW is quick and backed by the Supercharger network, but it is the ceiling of Tesla's 400V architecture; 800V rivals sustain high rates longer.

10–80% fast-charge time

~31 min 10–80% on a 250 kW Supercharger (~129 kW average)

50/100

#6 of 16 SUVsCompare all →

Tesla quotes no official 10–80% figure; a ~96 kWh usable pack with an early taper averages well below the 250 kW peak, landing mid-band.

Estimated annual fuel cost

$750/yr EPA estimate (Model X AWD); $750 Plaid 20in, $850 Plaid 22in

About $750 a year at EPA assumptions is a fraction of what gas luxury three-row SUVs cost to fuel.

Fuel requirements88

5 stars overall (latest tested year of this generation, 2021); 2023 listed but not re-rated

No fuel grade to manage and the best public-charging access of any 2023 EV via the native Supercharger port, with built-in route planning; held below the ceiling because the large pack makes charging without a home plug costlier.

3SafetyMid-pack among this car's ten categories.2.45C+

NHTSA overall rating

IIHS awards & crashworthiness40

NHTSA lists the 2023 Model X ('All Variants' and 'All Variants Later Release') with no published rating, so it was not re-tested for 2023. The car is the same 2016-on generation in its 2021-refresh form, and the 2021 refresh is the latest full test: 5 stars overall, frontal, side and rollover. That is the value this item takes.

Standard ADAS suite breadth80

IIHS has never put the Model X through its crashworthiness program. For 2023 it has no award and no small-overlap, side or roof-strength results, while the Model Y did receive an award. The 2023 car also carries several occupant-protection recalls: cabin doors that could unlock in a crash, front seat belts possibly not connected to their pretensioners, and a restraint-module calibration that could misjudge front-passenger airbag deployment. It sits low in the band below an untested car with no concerns.

Automatic emergency braking performance64

Autopilot comes standard on both 2023 trims (Long Range/AWD and Plaid). It includes Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Autosteer, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure avoidance, emergency lane departure avoidance and camera-based blind-spot warning, and none of it is trim-gated. It misses the top of the band because blind-spot warning shows on the screen rather than in the mirror and rear cross-traffic coverage is thin.

Blind-spot & cross-traffic coverage58

IIHS has never tested the Model X's front crash prevention. The 2023 car uses the same camera-only Tesla Vision stack as the Model Y, which IIHS did test. A 2023-specific recall for a misaligned forward-facing camera, which could degrade camera-based collision-avoidance functions, plus ongoing phantom-braking complaints, keep it below its tested stablemate.

Lane keeping & centering78

Blind-spot warning is standard but alert-only. It shows as a touchscreen marker and side-repeater camera feed rather than a mirror indicator. There is no active rear cross-traffic braking and no safe-exit alert. Two recalls specific to 2023 FSD-computer (HW4) cars affected the rearview camera image, which further undercuts the camera-based coverage.

Adaptive cruise & highway assist76

Autosteer is standard and centers smoothly on the highway. During 2023, software updates restored most of the speed and following-distance limits that the 2022 switch to vision-only had imposed. NHTSA's December 2023 Autosteer recall found the driver-engagement controls insufficient to prevent misuse, which keeps this below Tesla's best-case reputation.

Hands-free driving availability15

Traffic-Aware Cruise Control works across the full speed range with stop-and-go, and with Autosteer it gives a standard, well-integrated highway assist. Points come off for phantom braking on the vision-only system, which owners kept reporting, and for the misaligned forward camera on some 2023 builds.

The 2023 Model X has no hands-free mode. Standard Autopilot and the $15,000 FSD Beta both required hands on the wheel, checked by steering-torque sensing, throughout the 2023 model year. Cabin-camera-only monitoring did not replace the torque nag until FSD v12.4/12.5 in mid-2024. FSD Beta's broad surface-street coverage earns a little credit, but it was also recalled in 2023 (23V085000) for unsafe intersection behavior.

Headlight performance55

LED headlamps with automatic high beams are standard on both trims, but IIHS has never rated the Model X's headlights. The matrix-capable hardware's adaptive-beam function was not enabled in the US in 2023. Standard equipment across the range sets a reasonable floor, but with no independent test this is an estimate.

Outward visibility45

Child-seat (LATCH) usability60

The panoramic windshield gives an exceptional forward view, but thick A-pillars, small mirrors and a shallow rear window leave real blind zones. 2023 is the year Tesla removed the ultrasonic sensors from Model S/X production. Cars built before Vision Park Assist arrived in late 2023 had no parking distance sensing at all, and there was no 360° view or front bumper camera.

5 seats standard; 6 (captain's chairs) and 7 (bench) optional

The falcon-wing doors open a tall, unobstructed second-row aperture, so installing a seat and buckling a child is easy, and every second-row seat plus both outboard third-row seats has anchors. Against that, the lower anchors sit deep in stiff upholstery, the third-row opening is small with a tall step-in, and the six-seat captain's-chair layout rules out three-across in the second row.

4Space & ComfortOne of the Model X's weakest categories.1.96C-

Seating capacity

25/100

The 2023 Model X ships as a five-seater by default; the three-row 6- and 7-seat layouts are paid configurator options, so the volume build is scored at 5.

Front headroom

41.7 in

94/100

The tall cabin and panoramic windshield give generous front headroom, near the top of the SUV band.

Front legroom

41.1 in

24/100

41.0 in (5/7-seat); 40.9 in (6-seat)

Front legroom is below the norm for a large SUV.

Rear headroom

38.7 in (5-seat bench); 39.8 in (6-seat captain's chairs)

Second-row headroom under the falcon-wing doors is exceptional, beyond the top of the SUV band.

Rear legroom

73/100

Second-row legroom on the standard bench is good for the class, and more with the captain's chairs.

Third-row usability35

37.1 cu ft behind 2nd row; 15.0 cu ft behind 3rd row (3-row cars); plus 6.5 cu ft frunk

The volume five-seat car has no third row. The optional one is child-sized: 37.1 in headroom and 29.8–32.3 in legroom by layout.

Cargo/trunk volume

22/100

85.1 cu ft rear seats folded (5-seat); 91.6 cu ft incl. frunk

Space behind the second row is middling for a big SUV, but the frunk adds a separate small bay.

Max cargo volume

67/100

In-cabin storage & clever solutions76

Strong load space with the rear seats folded, though behind body-on-frame full-size rivals.

A frunk, a deep rear underfloor well and a covered center console beat most rivals. Door storage is thin, though, and the falcon-wing rear doors have no pockets.

Seat comfort70

Front seats are well cushioned with plenty of adjustment. Some testers find them firm, and the synthetic leather breathes poorly on hot days.

Ride quality64

Standard adaptive air suspension soaks up most bumps. Reviewers still flag a firmer, busier ride than the price suggests, worse on 22-in wheels.

Cabin quietness66

Climate & comfort features88

There is no engine noise and little road roar. The big glass areas and door seals let in noticeable wind noise at highway speed.

$81,380 at year-end (Long Range AWD $79,990 + $1,390 destination); $110,380–$122,380 earlier in MY2023

Heated seats in all rows, ventilated fronts, a heated wheel, tri-zone climate and HEPA filtration come standard. App preconditioning is also standard.

5Cost of OwnershipThe Model X's lowest-graded category.0.00F

Base MSRP

≈$101,380 (Long Range AWD at $99,990 + destination, the Mar–Aug 2023 price); $81,380–$122,380 across the year

MY2023 saw four list-price moves: Long Range opened near $120,990, fell to $109,990 (Jan 2023), $99,990 (Mar 2023), briefly gained an $88,490 Standard Range (Aug) and ended at $79,990 (Sep). The final entry price is what KBB/Edmunds list for the model year, still above the SUV band's $65k ceiling.

Volume-Trim Price

5-Year Maintenance & Repair Cost

Long Range AWD is the volume trim; its $99,990 list held for the longest stretch of the model year (March to late August), so it represents what a typical MY2023 buyer paid better than the late-year $79,990 clearance price.

≈$4,000 over 5 years (estimates range $1,841 CarEdge to $4,750–7,000 Recharged)

85/100

5-Year Resale Value Retention

The EV drivetrain needs no oil, plugs or transmission service; tires, alignment, cabin filters and brake-fluid checks dominate, with repair exposure rising after the 4 yr/50k basic warranty ends. Edmunds' 2023 page refused automated fetch, so the figure is set from the adjacent-year Edmunds estimate and corroborating trackers.

≈36% of MSRP retained after 5 years (est.; iSeeCars 38.9%, CarEdge ≈33%)

Tesla's own 2023 price cuts (≈$40k off list within the model year) reset used values hard, and a MY2023 car bought near $100k competes used against $80k new ones; KBB already prices a 2023 Long Range around $54,700 at three years.

Basic warranty

4 years / 50,000 miles

50/100

8 years / 150,000 miles battery & drive unit (70% capacity retention)

Tesla's standard basic coverage, matching the luxury-segment norm.

Powertrain warranty

60/100

Complimentary maintenance & perks55

Model S/X carry Tesla's longest battery and drive-unit tier, with a 150,000-mile cap well above most rivals' 100k-mile EV coverage.

Effective 5-Year Ownership Cost

No included scheduled maintenance, but 2023 was Tesla's most perk-heavy S/X year: 10,000 free Supercharging miles for Q1 deliveries, three years of unlimited free Supercharging for April 20–June 30 deliveries, and referral buyers got $1,000 off plus a 3-month FSD trial. The perks depended on delivery window, so a typical buyer got a meaningful but not multi-year benefit.

$68,883 (≈$64,883 depreciation + $4,000 maintenance)

$101,380 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (36% retained, or about $36,497) leaves about $64,883 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $68,883 in total.

6Reliability & QualityOne of the Model X's weakest categories.1.15D

Predicted reliability30

Brand reliability track record50

Consumer Reports rates the 2023 Model X less reliable than other cars from the same model year and singles out the falcon-wing doors as a trouble spot. Third-party aggregators of owner and complaint data rank 2023 as the weakest Model X year. That puts it well inside the below-average band, close to the 2024 reading (CR 27/100). 2023 is a carry-over year of the 2016 generation's 2021 refresh.

In the dependability data current for MY2023, Tesla sat well below the industry average. J.D. Power's 2023 VDS, the first to include Tesla in the industry calculation, put it at 242 PP100 against an industry average of 186. CR brand standings were mid-pack and starting to improve on the strength of the Model 3 and Model Y. That puts it at the bottom edge of the mid band, between the 2022 (48) and 2024 (52) scorecards.

Recall & TSB history40

Powertrain durability reputation77

NHTSA lists 17 campaigns covering the 2023 Model X, the heaviest load of any recent model year. Many were fleet-wide OTA software fixes (FSD Beta, Autopilot driver monitoring, cluster font size, seat-belt chime, hood latch). Several needed a shop visit or touched core safety systems: seat belts possibly not connected to the pretensioners, cabin doors that could unlock in a crash, passenger-airbag RCM calibration, a missing low-brake-fluid warning, forward-camera misalignment, and two airbag-module campaigns. No powertrain or fire campaigns, but the safety-system pattern is repeated.

Interior material quality64

This is the category's strength. The 2023 car uses the refreshed (2021+) ~100 kWh pack and dual- or tri-motor drive units that Tesla has refined across the S/X line, with no multi-speed gearbox, clutch or belt to wear. Fleet pack retention is around 85-90% near 100,000 miles. It stays out of the top band because early-generation drive-unit failures and very costly out-of-warranty high-voltage repairs on a low-volume model remain part of the reputation.

The post-2021 cabin carries over for 2023: a 17-inch landscape screen, a rear display, wood trim, ventilated seats and 22-speaker audio, all competitive at its ~$100,000+ price. The yoke (standard until a round wheel became a no-cost option in early 2023), haptic steering-wheel controls and a near-total lack of physical switchgear count against perceived quality next to the X7, GLS and Range Rover. It lands between the 2022 (60) and 2024 (66) scorecards.

Fit & finish45

Dealer & service network48

Build quality is below the mid band. Falcon-wing door alignment and sensor faults, panel gaps, wind noise, seal leaks and paint defects remain the signature 2023 complaints, and aggregators attribute the year's weak reliability rating largely to build quality and the complex doors. It sits between 2022 (40) and 2024 (48).

Parts availability & repair cost33

Coverage is thin by luxury standards: a couple of hundred company-owned US service centers, against the 1,000+ franchised outlets of German and Japanese rivals. In 2023 owners still reported long waits as Tesla's fleet outgrew its service capacity. Mobile service and app scheduling offset some of that, but door, suspension and body work need a shop.

17.0 in landscape center screen; 8 in rear-passenger screen; 12.3 in driver display

This is in the low band. Parts come only from Tesla, and collision parts for the low-volume S/X often wait weeks on backorder. The X carries unusually expensive assemblies: falcon-wing door mechanisms and glass, the one-piece panoramic windshield, an aluminum-intensive structure, and air suspension that becomes a cost once out of warranty. The independent-shop ecosystem is minimal.

7Technology & InfotainmentOne of the Model X's strongest categories.2.88B-

Touchscreen size

Infotainment UX & responsiveness84

One of the largest center screens in the class, plus a rear-seat display.

Wireless CarPlay / Android Auto15

The Ryzen-based computer is very fast and the layout is clean. Nearly every control lives on the screen, including touch-based gear selection.

Voice control & native navigation82

Tesla offers neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto, wired or wireless, by design.

Native navigation with live traffic and Supercharger routing is excellent. Voice commands cover most functions but stay command-based.

Audio system quality90

Digital instrument cluster82

A 22-speaker, 960-watt system with active road-noise reduction is standard and well regarded.

A crisp 12.3-in driver display is standard, though it is less configurable than German rivals' clusters.

OTA update capability99

Companion app & remote functions96

Whole-vehicle OTA updates regularly add features. During 2023 they brought vision-based Park Assist and Autopilot changes to existing cars.

Charging ports & device power82

A polished, free app gives phone-as-key, remote climate, charge control, Summon, Sentry view and location.

Keyless & remote access95

Fast USB-C ports front and rear and dual wireless charging pads are standard. There is no household AC outlet.

Phone-as-key, a key card, auto-presenting front doors, powered falcon-wing doors and a power liftgate are all standard.

Camera & parking aids50

Head-up display availability5

2023 builds dropped ultrasonic sensors and shipped without park-distance aid until vision Park Assist arrived by OTA in September 2023. There is no front bumper camera and no true 360-degree view.

Kid & car-seat practicality70

No head-up display is offered.

8Use-Case FitMid-pack among this car's ten categories.2.31C+

Falcon-wing doors open huge apertures that make car-seat installs easy. They are slow, fussy near obstacles, and third-row access depends on the seat layout.

Family safety package76

Family road-trip comfort76

AEB, lane keeping and Autopilot are standard on every trim, and NHTSA gave this generation 5 stars. The 2023 car was not re-rated, and IIHS has never tested it.

Heated seats in every row, an 8-in rear screen and tri-zone climate help. Luggage space with five aboard is good but tight with seven.

Daily driving ease78

Commuting cost efficiency68

Smooth one-pedal driving and standard Autopilot ease traffic. The new no-cost round wheel helps low-speed turns, but touchscreen gear selection and the car's size detract.

Parking & maneuverability48

At 102 MPGe combined, home charging makes it cheap per mile against gas luxury SUVs. Tires for 20/22-in wheels are costly.

A large footprint and a 40.8-ft turning circle make it a handful in town. 2023 builds also lost ultrasonic sensors, with only a later camera-based park assist to replace them.

Work capability55

Durability for work duty35

The 5,000-lb tow rating is strong for an EV, but range drops steeply while towing and there is no bed.

Jobsite & upfit practicality30

It is luxury-oriented, with complex falcon-wing doors and a below-average reliability reputation, so it is not a work tool.

Long-distance comfort & range84

A tow hitch is available, but there is no onboard AC outlet and little upfit ecosystem. The falcon-wing doors rule out conventional roof racks.

Outdoor & adventure capability60

348 miles of EPA range, the Supercharger network with built-in trip planning, and Autopilot make it an easy tourer. Wind noise and a firm ride are the limits.

Gear & luggage flexibility70

Dual-motor AWD, adjustable air-suspension height, Camp Mode and 5,000-lb towing help. It is still pavement-oriented with no roof-rack provision.

Fold-flat rear seats, a frunk and an underfloor well give 85+ cu ft. The falcon-wing doors rule out roof storage.

9Driving ExperienceGrades above the middle of the scale.2.81B-

Handling & agility75

The low center of gravity keeps body roll minimal and grip strong, but the mass shows in quick transitions.

Steering feel62

Steering is quick and precise but numb. A round wheel became a no-cost option in January 2023, easing the yoke's low-speed awkwardness.

Braking confidence76

Powertrain smoothness & response92

Brakes are strong and consistent, and regen blends well into one-pedal driving.

Drivetrain noise & vibration85

The 670-hp dual-motor setup responds instantly and seamlessly, reaching 60 mph in 3.8 s.

40.8 ft curb-to-curb (20.4 ft radius)

The EV powertrain is near-silent, with only slight motor whine under hard throttle.

Turning circle

15/100

Driving position & ergonomics62

A large turning circle for the class, a product of the long wheelbase.

The panoramic windshield gives a commanding view, and 2023 adds the round-wheel option. Most controls still live on the touchscreen, and the stalk-free layout takes getting used to.

Fun-to-drive factor70

Standard equipment generosity72

Acceleration is startling for a three-row SUV, but the car is heavy and short on feedback.

10Value & Market PositionMid-pack among this car's ten categories.2.13C

Feature value per dollar66

The Long Range comes with nearly everything Tesla offers bar paint, wheels, seating layout and FSD: falcon-wing doors, 17-inch center screen plus rear screen, heated/ventilated front seats, HEPA filtration, 22-speaker audio, adaptive air suspension and Autopilot are standard — content rivals gate behind packages. FSD as a $15,000 option keeps it below the top band.

Trim & configuration breadth38

Value improved sharply through MY2023 as list fell from ~$121k to $79,990 and the Long Range became $7,500-credit eligible late in the year; 348 miles of EPA range and Plaid's 1,020 hp at $94,990 are strong per-dollar. For most of the year, though, a ~$100k X priced well above an iX, EQS SUV or Escalade-class rival's comparable content, so fair rather than standout overall.

Sales popularity & market acceptance58

Essentially two trims, Long Range and Plaid, with a short-lived Standard Range (Aug–Sep 2023) briefly added; configurability is limited to paint, wheels, interior color, 5/6/7 seats and tow package. Narrow versus rivals' multi-trim ladders.

Brand desirability & image68

Price cuts drove 2023 to the generation's strongest US stretch (Cox estimates peaked around 7,000 units in a single quarter in mid-2023), putting the X near the top of six-figure EV SUVs, though volume still trails the Escalade and the delivery-date-extension rush faded once the cuts were absorbed.

Deals & incentive availability66

Tesla remained the default luxury-EV brand with a Supercharger network other makers spent 2023 signing up to use, but Musk's polarizing public profile after the Twitter purchase and the price cuts that angered recent buyers dented the halo relative to 2021–22.

A reversal from 2022: buyers saw repeated list-price cuts, $5,000 off inventory cars (June), free Supercharging offers, referral discounts and late-year $7,500 tax-credit eligibility. No haggling under direct sales, and the timing of each deal favored some buyers over others, so short of the top band.

Model freshness55

Critical reception & awards56

MY2023 is a carry-over of the 2021 'Palladium' refresh on a 2016 platform — interior and motors still current, but the body and architecture were seven years old with no announced successor; the line was ultimately discontinued in 2026.