A fully electric SUV that’s capable of 0-100km/hr in 3.1 seconds may not sound like the best baby carrier, but it certainly works. The Tesla Model X is available in multiple configurations including 5, 6 and even 7 seats, with our review vehicle being the 6-seat variant. The 3 rows of 2 seats means the middle row has loads of room. The bucket seats of the front extend through the center row and these not only provide comfort for adults, but the seats also support ISOfix connection points.
For those unfamiliar with car seats, ISOfix is the the standard internationally that details attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars. This is designed to secure a combined weight of seat and child of up to 33kg. Ultimately the task is to ensure your most precious cargo is safely secured and with the speed available in the Model X, its best to be sensible about your throttle application with bub on-board.
To access the ISOfix connections, look for the small ISOfix buttons sewn into the seat. Just below this is a small, velcro attached strip of leather that when foldeded up, reveals the mount points. Anyone with a car seat will understand the dramatic improvement this new standard offers over the traditional seat-belt passthrough technique. After folding the ISOfix belts from the underside of the car seat, you simply clip them into place on each side and pull the strap tight to secure in-place until the green indicator is shown. The final step is to attach the seat to the anchor point, which in the case of the middle-row seats in the Model X, is at the base of the back-side of the seat. Keep in mind you may need an extension cable, we already had one.
With the car seat safely installed, it was time for our baby and luggage before heading off for a drive. The boot space in the Model X (remember 3 rows of seating), isn’t massive. There is a compartment under the rear floor where your 240V charger is stored, so keep that in mind, you may fit a couple of back packs in there. Then of course there’s the front trunk for additional storage where a combustion engine would normally be found.
In the with the rear seats folded down, you’ll easily have enough space for a couple of suit cases and a stroller. This means it is practical to transport a family away for a weekend. In this configuration, there’s space between seats 3 and 4, and even under the front seats, so if you get creative, you could slow in a lot more. These options get a lot more limited should you choose the 7-seat option, which with more bodies comes more need for storage, which could be an issue, making the Model X a better daily commute, than holiday transportation device.
Finally there’s some pretty great moments when you transport your growing family in the Model X, like seeing your daughter looking out the glass roof above her head, watching the clouds go by. While the gullwing doors draw attention to the car, the inclusion of glass panels (tinted) at the top of them was a genius idea. I suspect the primary motivation was to make the cabin feel bigger, making this eventration, more of a happy accident.
