BMW X6 VS Tesla Model X
BMW X6
Likes
- Thoroughbred on-road handling
- Practical and luxury features
- Updated technology looks great
Dislikes
- Polarising exterior looks
- Lots of good features embedded in extra-cost packages
- Updated multimedia system takes a while to get used to
Tesla Model X
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
BMW X6
First launched in 2008, the BMW X6 created history (and a new car category) with its coupe styling on an SUV framework.
It was a polarising effort but one that opened up the SUV market for those wanting the size and presence of an SUV without compromising on the sporty styling of a smaller car.
The 2024 X6 has had a facelift and that brings a more athletic and robust kerb-side appeal that might swing a few fence sitters onto the side of liking it.
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The already pleasant interior has been polished with extra customisations available on trims and accents. The technology has seen the biggest upgrade and it now features a more streamlined mild-hybrid component to the engine. It all positions the X6 well and truly within the rank of luxury.
For the last week I’ve been driving the mid-spec xDrive40i M Sport variant to see how the facelifted model holds its own against rivals, the Audi Q8 55 TFSI Dynamic Black and Mercedes-Benz GLE450 4Matic Coupe.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 9.3L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Tesla Model X
Tesla - love the brand, or hate it - has done a lot for the automotive industry. It has made electric cars a talking point, something that competitor companies are finally acting on.
The Tesla Model S sedan, to me, was the vehicle that put Tesla on the map. But does the Model X - a big SUV with up to seven seats - hit the spot for family buyers?
I spent a week in the 2018 Tesla Model X 75D, which happens to be the most affordable version of the US company’s crossover. Affordable? Well, that’s really going to depend on your salary.
Read More: Tesla Model X 2018 review
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
BMW X68.3/10
I was not expecting to like the BMW X6 xDrive 40i M Sport as much as I do. The styling is still polarising but the facelift will throw more people towards the liking rather than disliking side of the fence. The cabin and boot are super practical and the X6 nails all the premium elements you expect at this level. It’s driving and handling are what win me over, though.
My son loves this one and doesn’t want to hand it back. My husband also noted how nice he thought the X6 was… and that’s saying something for a born and raised 'country boy'!
Tesla Model X7.9/10
The Tesla Model X in 75D specification offers a lot of technology for buyers who want to dip their well-heeled toe all the way into the electric mobility pool. There are more conservative and compelling options for customers who think plug-in hybrids are the first step, though - and if you’re not hellbent on a full EV, then we’d suggest maybe you have a bit of a look at what else is on offer.
Could you live with an electric car? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Design
BMW X6
SUV coupe styling with its raised platform and pinched bum just doesn’t do it for me usually but I like it on the new X6 model. The facelift helps the X6 appear more athletic and just plain meaner than the previous version.
The front end sees the most change with new adaptive LED headlights and a bigger 'kidney' grille. The kidneys are illuminated, which adds to its night-time presence and the extended blacked-out intake vents at the front and around the car make it look sharp as hell.
The weird prong on the side mirrors has been dropped in favour of a more seamless design (hurrah) and the 22-inch alloy wheels give total va-va-vroom sport-vibes.
On the interior, the dashboard has been revamped with a more pronounced shape and a curved display panel that houses the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.8-inch multimedia system.
The air-vents now blend more into the dash but the little knobs for them might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The ambient lighting is customisable and the quilted seats look beautiful but purists will wince on learning it’s synthetic leather, especially at this price point, but it feels and looks very nice.
Tesla Model X
I hate it. I think the rear doors are pretentious and silly. I think the roofline looks wrong. And I think it actually looks more like a bloated hatchback than a ‘real SUV’.
That’s just me, and like everyone I’m entitled to my opinion. I know there are people out there who absolutely love the exterior design of the Model X. If you’re one of them, let me know - I have a great optometrist I can refer you to.
Seriously, though - the Falcon Wing rear doors are design overkill. No-one needs back doors that open up like that, and the amount of compromise that has been built into the rest of the vehicle’s design because of them is noticeable - I couldn’t open the back door on the driver’s side of my test vehicle at home because I was apparently parked too close to the bin - the axis angle at the top of the door limited how far the bottom of the door would open. I can’t understate how rubbish this would be if your home parking space was tight.
Plus this example (and the few I’ve seen/sat in prior) had some issues with quality, like mismatched panel gaps around the doors and hatch. Take a look at our photos to see for yourself.
The massive windscreen stretches to above the front occupants’ heads, and it’s tinted to try and eliminate sunlight overhead - and Tesla has added a mesh shield visor that you can slot in, and although it is welcome, it’s flimsy, and would be easy to knock down when you’re moving the actual (magnetised) sun visors.
Now, as a piece of design, the glass is great - but other vehicles with big glass have smart solutions integrated into them, like the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, with its pull-down blinds and proper sunvisors.
I guess it’s a bit like an architecturally designed house that’s really cool the first time you see it, but really hard to live with. The sunvisors are very thin, and it’s difficult to position them to block the sunlight, especially driving in an easterly direction in the morning (as I do) and a westerly direction in the afternoon (yep, that’s me). Plus, the visors don’t have vanity mirrors - a disaster for makeup artists on the move.
Things I like? The LED headlights and LED daytime running lights are exceptionally good, and the wheels that this model comes with as standard are nice, even if they look a bit dwarfed by the bulk of this slab-sided high-rider.
And if you’ve ever wondered why every Tesla Model X has its rear spoiler in the ‘up’ position at all times, it’s because it’s a fixed spoiler.
Practicality
BMW X6
You know you’re in a large SUV when you slide into the X6 because the cabin has a lot of space in both rows.
But also because of the higher centre console design, you feel tucked into the car despite the higher seating position. It makes it feel far sportier than your typical SUV.
Even back rowers enjoy decent legroom and headroom, despite the panoramic sunroof and sloping roof design. Six-footers should be relatively comfortable in both rows but it's best to reserve the middle seat as a sometimes position for adults. The raised floor won’t allow true comfort for a longer trip.
Let’s chat luxury because there’s plenty to be had with the electric front seats and their cloud-like comfort.
The electrically-adjustable side bolsters and adjustable lumbar support makes it feel like you’re being cuddled by the seat and also hold you in place in a turn. The extendable under-thigh supports minimise leg fatigue on a longer trip.
However, the back seat is almost as comfortable as the fronts in terms of cushioning. You also sit in, rather than on top of the seats which is a nice change for an SUV.
Individual storage is great in both rows and up front you get a dual-opening middle console, glove box and a handy utility area that houses the cupholders and two phone pockets.
There is also a storage nook on the driver’s side that will comfortably hold a wallet.
In the rear you enjoy two map pockets on the front seat backs and retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest.
The armrest houses a shallow device holder and sits at a good height. Both rows enjoy deep storage bins in each door and a large drink bottle holder.
Happily, the holder is tilted towards the user, rather than away which is what you usually see.
The boot is a great size at 580L with all seats in use. There’s a little lip that has practical metal scuff plates but otherwise the loading space is level.
The hands-free powered tailgate is welcome and the handy 40/20/40 split on the back row opens up your storage options.
You get a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor and it’s cool how the floor has a gas strut, which makes the area much easier to access.
The concertina-style cargo cover is a bit dicky to use but I like how solid it is. It could easily double as a shelf by itself.
Charging options are abundant with a total of two 12-volt ports, a USB-A port, three USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad to choose from throughout the car. But it is annoying to use the pad when the front cupholders are in use.
I like having hardened kickplates on the backs of the front seats because my seven-year old loves putting his feet on everything.
The higher ground clearance makes this an easy car to get in and out of but it also makes for a great view for my son. He finds the doors a little heavy to close but the massive door grab handles help!
Amenities in the rear row make it a pleasant space to be in for kids and adults alike. You have reading lights, map pockets, two storage shelves and directional air vents.
There is manual climate control in this row, too, but it feels at odds with the rest of the high tech in the car.
On that note, the updated technology looks gorgeous.
The head-up display is clear and the digital instrument panel offers plenty of customisation. It's a super handy feature to access your recent call log via the steering wheel controls and see it pop up on the instrument cluster.
The touchscreen multimedia system is responsive but you can also use the rotary dial to get around it. There is a stack of information in it, though, which will take a bit to get your head around. Can’t fault its graphics, it looks hot, but some users may feel flustered at first.
The system has built-in satellite navigation that features an augmented reality feature, which overlays dynamic instructions on the video feed. What makes it practical is how it can be viewed on your instrument cluster, which means more on-road focus for the driver.
There is wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, with the latter being simple to connect to. You don’t have the important climate control buttons/dials up front and I find it annoying to access the multimedia screen to change climate and fan speed settings.
What you lack in controls there is more than made up for in the centre console. There are a lot of buttons, from the push-button starter, rotary control wheel and everything in between.
Even after a week, my mind still has a mini freeze looking at them while on the go.
Tesla Model X
There are good and bad elements to the interior design.
The ingress and egress to the third row is better than some SUVs because the floor is so low - meaning it’s easy to step in and out of - but also worse than some SUVs because the shape of the opening is odd.
Space in the third row is better left for children or small adults with limited legroom and headroom, and while there are vents back there the vision for occupants is limited; the seats are low, and if you’re little you won’t be seeing much.
If the Model X had electric sliding doors rather than the Falcon Wing doors, it would be more practical. If you park in a tight space, a sliding door allows you to still get out, but these doors won’t even open all the way if the sensors detect they are unable to. That’s annoying, because this is a really wide vehicle, and some parking lots seem to be making spaces smaller and smaller.
Anyway, I’m not going to win the battle of sliding vs gullwing doors here, am I?
The boot space is good - with seven seats up you can make use of the hidden compartment below the floor, and with five seats in use the cargo capacity is very good, too. Then there’s the front trunk - no engine means you get bonus storage, and Tesla claims total cargo capacity for the Model X is 2492 litres for the five-seat version.
You can get a five-seat, six-seat or seven-seat version of the Model X. This vehicle used to have electric sliding and folding second-row seats, but now there’s a push-button system, which still uses some form of electrical pulse to unlock the rails below the seats. While it’s quicker than electric would have been, it's not as simple as, say, a lever like you’d find in the Mazda CX-9.
For outboard second-row occupants the space is okay - I set the driver’s seat in my position and had enough legroom and headroom to be comfortable in the second row. But anyone in the third row would have been squished. The middle-row middle-seat of our test car was less than impressive, with little head room and not much width available.
Storage is well sorted up front, with two large centre bottle holders, plus bottle holders in the front doors (none in the rear, for obvious reasons) and a pair of cupholders up front. The storage situation is poor for those in the back: there are no cup receptacles at all for the second row, but there are dual USB ports. In the third row there are two cup holders, and all three rows have air vents.
Price and features
BMW X6
There are three variants for the X6 before you jump up to the performance M grade. Our test vehicle is the mid-spec xDrive40i M Sport model and will cost you $144,900 before on road costs.
That places it in the middle of its rivals and you get a well-specified model for the price tag but our test vehicle has also been fitted with a few extras, like the 'M Sport Package Pro' which adds a darkened grille and accents throughout the car, an M Sport exhaust system, red M Sport brake calipers and the M Sport signature colour stitching in the seat belts. All of that adds $2308.
Our test model also has the 'Enhancement Package' which tacks on $4616 but you get some great items like the crystal glass accents on the rotary dial and push-start button and a premium Harman Kardon surround sound system.
It also adds big 22-inch alloy wheels, a tyre pressure monitoring system and a temporary spare tyre which replaces the standard run-flat tyres on the base model.
Oh, and the 'M Brooklyn Grey Metallic' paintwork adds $1539. Just sayin’ it will cost you a pretty penny but it’s not outrageous for a luxury SUV.
Other standard equipment includes synthetic leather trims, electric front seats with heat function, electrically adjustable steering wheel, sports paddle shifters, M Sport styled scuff plates and badging, exterior puddle lamps and a full suite of LED lights including adaptive headlights.
You also enjoy a panoramic sunroof, adjustable lumbar support on both front seats, as well as extendable under-thigh support.
The drivers seat features two memory positions and comfort entry/exit functions (the seat and steering wheel slide back for you to get in and out of car).
For practicality, there is a hands-free powered tailgate, pre-entry climate control with programable entry time and a boot floor that features a gas strut for easy access.
We’ll touch on the tech later but the highlight is a new curved display panel that houses the 12.3-inch digital instrument screen and 14.8-inch touchscreen multimedia system.
Tesla Model X
How much is a Tesla Model X? It isn’t cheap, that’s for sure. But this 75D version is currently the lowest cost model in the brand’s SUV price range.
The price of the 75D kicks off at $125,000 plus on-road costs, or $142,475 drive away - but where you live will determine the drive-away price, because different states and territories have different stamp-duty implications for electric cars. ACT buyers ($142,475 RRP) get a much better dealer than those in WA ($151,174 RRP), for instance.
Pricing jumps significantly if you want the more performance-focused 100D, which also gains extra battery range (prices from $173,805 drive away) or the flagship P100D we tested recently (from $247,385). That’s right - the Model X we have is more than a hundred grand cheaper than the top model.
The Model X comes pretty well equipped from the factory, with a 17.0-inch touchscreen media display featuring Google Maps sat nav with realtime traffic updates, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, digital DAB radio and integrated TuneIn app connectivity. There's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, though.
Other standard items include keyless entry and a self-opening (and self-closing) driver’s door, an electric tailgate, interior ambient lighting, air suspension with ride height adjustment, auto headlights with auto high-beam lights, LED fog lights, power adjustable and auto-folding heated auto-dimming side mirrors. You get 20-inch wheels as standard, but there's no spare wheel - tyre-pressure monitoring is fitted, and if you get a flat, you'll need to call roadside assist.
There are standard heated seats for every occupant and there’s a heated steering wheel, heated windscreen washer nozzles to help defrost if you’re heading to the snow, and if you download the app you can adjust the temperature inside the car remotely - cold starts on winter mornings are a thing of the past.
The app also allows you to monitor the vehicle’s state of charge, enable someone else to drive your car without the keys present (you just have to input your password in the app), and you can unlock/lock the car and/or open the front or rear trunks, start it, honk the horn, flash the lights, set the speed limit or enable ‘valet mode’, so those pesky parking attendants don’t go using all your juice doing speedy starts.
How many seats in the Tesla Model X? Well, you can have it with five seats as standard, six seats for an additional $8300 (with or without a rear centre console) or seven seats for $4100.
Other options fitted to our vehicle included grey painted 20-inch wheels (as opposed to the silver rims you get on the standard version: $2800), the White Premium interior pack ($4600) and the carbon-fibre upgrade ($350), Deep Blue metallic paint ($2100) and the Enhanced Autopilot system ($6900).
So, in the end, our affordable Model X cost more than $175,000 on the road… ouch. You can get any one of a number of petrol or diesel SUVs from competitor luxury brands for less money, and plenty with plug-in practicality, too.
If you want a luxury plug-in hybrid SUV, consider the Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid from $122,900, or a Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid from $135,600, or the Mercedes-Benz GLE500e for $129,500, or the Audi Q7 e-tron from $139,900, or the BMW X5 xDrive40e from $124,990.
Admittedly, none are full EVs, but the Audi e-tron model is due next year…
You should also be aware of the wait time associated with a Tesla - the vehicles are built to personal specifications, so unless you’re buying a second-hand car, or a demo from the company’s (small!) stock list, it could mean a wait time of about three months. The Tesla web configurator allows you to get an idea of approximate delivery dates. Some buyers will take that with a grain of salt, though, given customers have waited about two years for their Model 3s.
If you don’t want to wear the depreciation, you could consider a used car - there are pre-owned Model X and Model S examples on Tesla’s website.
Under the bonnet
BMW X6
The xDrive40i M Sport has a 3.0-litre, inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with maximum outputs of 280kW and 540Nm. That’s 30kW and 90Nm up from the previous model.
It has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission and is all-wheel-drive.
The facelift sees the addition of a new mild-hybrid system which makes for almost imperceptible stop/start functionality when idling and a smidge better on-road fuel economy.
With a 0-100kmh sprint time of 5.4-seconds, it’s obvious that it has plenty of power to have fun with.
Tesla Model X
Not so much an engine, but a 75kWh battery pack with a claimed 210km/h top speed and a 0-100 claim of 5.2 seconds. The claimed driving range for the Tesla Model X 75D is 417 kilometres. You don’t have gears to play with - Tesla’s run a single-speed transaxle, but the stalk to control it is sourced from Mercedes-Benz.
Remember, this isn’t the ‘fast’ Model X. But the D in the name signifies that it has Tesla’s dual-motor all-wheel drive system, ensuring excellent traction for super-quick acceleration.
As you might expect, stepping up to the Model X 100D with a 100kWh battery pack and dual motors increases the performance considerably (0-100: 4.9sec; 250km/h top speed), and also adds more electric driving range (565km claimed).
Go all out on the P100D and apparently your Model X will do 0-100 in 3.1sec, thanks to the addition of Ludicrous Mode, but the battery range drops away slightly (542km). Tesla says it’s the quickest SUV in history - and even in 75D guise it’s pretty rapid.
Every Tesla Model X is prepped for towing, too - the towing capacity is rated at 750kg for an un-braked trailer, and 2250kg for a braked trailer. The tare mass for the Model X is 2352 kilograms.
Efficiency
BMW X6
Expectations for a thirsty engine were high, considering the hefty power available, but this version of the X6 has proved to be quite economical.
The xDrive40i M Sport variant has an official combined cycle fuel economy figure of 9.3L/100km but my real-world usage averaged 8.8L/100km.
That’s after mostly open-road driving with only a little ‘city’ thrown in but I didn't hesitate to use the power, so I'm happy with the result.
The X6 has a big 83-litre fuel tank and based on my usage, you’d see a driving range of around 943km, which is great.
BMW only recommends a minimum 95 RON petrol to be used.
Tesla Model X
None. Well, it consumes electricity, so if you’re getting your energy from green sources, you can drive carbon-neutral in the Model X.
As mentioned above, a full charge will get a claimed 417km. On test, we picked the Model X up will a full ‘tank’, and got it down to 7 per cent remaining over about 400km - so the claim is pretty truthful.
But yes, I got range anxiety, and yes, I Googled “how long does it take to charge a Tesla Model X?”
The charge time really depends where you do it. If you go to a Supercharger - Tesla’s network of high-amperage, big power output (up to 120kW per car) fast-charge stations, you can expect to get to 80 per cent from empty in about 45 minutes, or all the way to full in a bit more than an hour. It used to be free to recharge at Superchargers, then increased demand saw Tesla introduce a pay-per-use fee, but all Tesla owners get 400kWh of credits to use every year.
If you charge at a destination charger like I did, the results are far, far worse. I parked up at the Supercheap Auto Penrith charge point, which is capable of up to 22kW’ of power output at just 6 amps, and left the car there for a full business day. It started at 7 per cent, and when I got back, it was at 53 per cent.
These destination chargers make sense if you’re going away for the weekend and can leave the car plugged in while you relax at the resort, but you need to know they’re not Superchargers. The network of Superchargers is getting bigger and bigger, and theoretically you can drive from Adelaide to Brisbane using them now.
Every Tesla comes with a wall connector for you to install at home, but there are options for how powerful it can be, and can be “tailored to your home’s supply” - be it three-phase or single-phase. On single-phase power, the output can be 16, 20, 24 or 32 amps. According to Tesla’s Australian site, 16-amp three-phase power will charge at a rate of about 50km per hour, while at 24-amp you could see 80km per hour added (meaning about five hours to fully charge in this spec).
If you want the specs and figures, our Model X had used 136kWh over the total 507km of its life to date, at an average of 269Wh/km. So, if your energy company bills you $0.22 per kWh, it’ll cost you about $30 to do 500km. Not exactly cheap, but you’re not buying a Tesla to save money - and if you have a good home solar array setup, you should be able to run your house and your car at no extra cost.
And Tesla has a deal with AGL so you can charge your car for $1 per day. That means you can theoretically fill it up every evening with energy, and you won’t spend more than $365 for a year of driving.
So, the Model X gets a 10 out of 10 for fuel consumption. But if these ratings included a ‘time-consumption’ figure, it would be a lot less!
Driving
BMW X6
The X6 is a thoroughbred on the road. It’s wide stance and massive wheels provide a well-balanced and grippy on-road ride experience.
Seriously, the tyres feel glued to the road even in the wet. Confidence is high with this one.
There is plenty of power to enjoy and you don’t feel like you’re digging deep for it, either, when you have to get up to speed or overtake.
It has the handling and power of a much smaller and sportier car but at no point does it feel wild or reckless to drive. It’s got a certain elegance and maturity to its handling.
Despite those massive wheels, the ride comfort is fantastic with the adaptive suspension. You still feel the road but you’re not knocked about by it. It’s very much a driver’s car in that sense but passengers still feel well-cushioned.
The cabin is insulated and you get basically no road noise or wind noise but occasionally you get some feedback from the tyres depending on the road surface. Longer journeys are comfortable and quiet.
The steering is light enough that you don’t feel like you’re hauling a massive SUV around but is still responsive. Meaning you can tackle a winding road or urban traffic easily.
When it comes time to park it, you’ll love having the 360-degree view camera system. It’s the best and clearest system I’ve sampled.
Add the front and rear parking sensors and no car space is an issue. But if you’re unsure, you can use the Park Assist feature to help out.
Tesla Model X
With two electric motors and a huge bank of lithium-ion batteries to work with, the acceleration of the Model X is impressive. Throttle response is good, and from a standing start you will still impress your friends - even if you don’t buy the Ludicrous version.
On-the-move acceleration is good, too, because there’s no transmission or turbo lag as you’d find in any of the Model X’s natural competitors. It’s quick, and even if you’re driving it sedately it’s nice to know there’s power in reserve if you need it.
It is a heavy vehicle, but the weight is mainly down low, with Tesla’s skateboard battery platform between the axles making it feel suctioned to the ground. The 20-inch rims with Michelin rubber (255/45 front, 275/45 rear) offer tremendous grip, and the traction is better than you’d likely find in other, more traditional SUVs.
The air suspension does a decent job of cosseting those in the cabin from the road surface below, provided it’s smooth. Some shortcomings are noticeable over sharp edges, such as speed humps, where it can feel a bit stiff-legged, and there’s the typical side-to-side wallow you see from airbag suspension.
The electric steering system offers nice accuracy and response, with a linear weighting that means it’s easy to turn the wheel, whether you’re pushing it through corners or simply trying to park it at the shops.
Some things that could be better? The visibility is the biggest issue, for me. This is a big vehicle, and the rear-view mirror is tiny, as is the vision it offers. If you have people in the third row, there’s almost no point even trying to use it.
I used the Enhanced Autopilot system on my commute, and it worked very well, you just need to ensure there’s some pressure on the steering wheel. This isn’t a full autopilot system, and shouldn’t be treated as such: you need to maintain control of the car and be conscious of your surroundings, because it isn’t perfect, and if you disobey its commands to ‘keep light pressure on the wheel’, it will disable for the rest of your drive.
I was surprised there wasn’t a surround-view camera system fitted to this car, especially given there are so many driving-system cameras and radars fitted.
Other concerns? The creaking and groaning of the body and the rubbers as you turn corners, particularly over offset low-speed bends in car parks and the like. This isn’t the sort of thing you hear in the established luxury SUVs.
And of course, if you’re getting a Tesla, spend the money and get the best home-charging solution you can. It’ll put your mind at ease. Or just move close to a Supercharger.
Safety
BMW X6
The X6 has an extensive safety list and I like the SOS emergency call button and front cross-traffic alert. Both are great to have but the latter is particularly useful on a large SUV like this, especially in the city or driveways.
Other standard safety equipment includes blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking, LED daytime running lights, forward collision warning, side collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure warning, intelligent seat belt reminders, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree view reversing camera, traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue monitor, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality. As well as an SOS emergency call button and stolen vehicle tracking.
The X6 hasn’t been tested by ANCAP, so it’s unrated but it is based on the X5, which achieved a five-star rating in 2018. However, it only features six airbags which is low for a family car.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top tethers in this row. Two seats will fit best but I reckon you could squeeze a third in if you had to.
There’s plenty of room for front passengers when you install a 0-4 rearward facing child seat, too, which is good.
Tesla Model X
There is no ANCAP or Euro NCAP crash test rating for the Tesla Model X, but the vehicle scored extremely well in NHTSA testing the US, scoring the highest rating in history for any SUV.
The Model X sold in Australia gets an array of safety gear, including a collision-warning system and autonomous emergency braking, a reversing camera and parking sensors front and rear, plus there are airbags for first and second row occupants, but no curtain airbag coverage for those in the rear row.
Models fitted with Enhanced Autopilot (which will be all of them, we reckon) have four cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors that monitor the road and the vehicle’s surroundings. Engaging autopilot means the car works to maintain the vehicle’s line in a lane of traffic, it can change lanes at the tap of the indicator stalk (thus letting the car do the blind-spot checking for you), and it can adjust speed to mimic other road users. It slows to a complete stop, and will take off again when things get moving once more.
In better news for parents, there are ISOFIX child seat anchor points in four of the five rear seats, plus top-tether attachments for all five rear seats - so baby capsules shouldn’t be an issue.
Ownership
BMW X6
The ongoing costs are surprisingly reasonable for a large luxury SUV! Like its rivals the X6 enjoys a five-year/unlimited km warranty.
However, you can pre-purchase a servicing plan for up to five years or 80,000km, whichever occurs first, for a flat $2400. Or an average of $480 per service which is inexpensive for this class.
Service intervals are also good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
Tesla Model X
Tesla offers a strong eight-year/160,000km warranty for the vehicle, and the warranty extends to unlimited kilometres for the drivetrain.
The company asks owners to service their Model X (or Model S) every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever occurs soonest. And with few moving parts, you’d expect service costs to be pretty low - however, there is no capped-price-servicing plan.
Considering a Tesla? Make sure you check out our Tesla problems page to read up on any issues, faults, common problems and complaints or defects and recalls issued.