Matthew DeBord/Insider
- I've driven both the Tesla Model X and the Porsche Cayenne on numerous occasions.
- The Porsche Cayennes have ranged in price from $86,000 to $136,000, in several trim levels and with both V6 and V8 engine options.
- The Tesla Model Xs were what's now called the Performance trim, currently priced at $105,000.
- These are two of the best luxury SUVs on the market, the respective pinnacles of gas-powered and all-electric propulsion.
- I favor the Cayenne for now, but the Model X is something special.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
In this corner, we have the champ: the incredible Porsche Cayenne, lord of the gas-burning luxury SUVs.
And in this corner, we have the Tesla Model X, the Cayenne of all-electric utes — our challenger.
It's a fair fight. Well-equipped versions of each SUV can be had for around $100,000. Each offers stunning performance for an upscale hauler of people and stuff. The Model X can even cram in a third row, making it a seven-passenger utility.
The Model X is the newcomer, but only relatively. While the Cayenne has been with us since the early 2000s, the Model X didn't arrive until 2015 — but that means we've had about five years to savor the X, in all its falcon-winged glory.
I recently drove two different versions of the Cayenne: the Turbo and the new Coupé, a fastback take on the SUV form.
I drove the Model X not long after it debuted, and then a few years back when I took it on a 700-mile family road trip. I followed that up yet another couple of days behind the wheel.
Both vehicles are great. But one is better. Read on to see which SUV wins this comparison:
Up first is the Model X, probably the most flamboyantly high-tech SUV ever made. It debuted in 2015 with dramatic, upswinging "falcon-wing" doors.TeslaI've driven it several times. The pricing has moved around over the years, but at the moment, you can choose from two trim levels, before adding extras: the $85,000 Long Range Plus and the $105,000 Performance.Matthew DeBord/BI
Both current trim levels have a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system.Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
About those doors: They've been a one-off for Teslas. The engineering delayed the Model X's market arrival. Although they're quite cool, they're also tricky to build.Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
But they make getting into and out of the rear seats very easy. Still, Tesla isn't planning any new falcon-winged vehicles.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- After the pandemic, if you want to buy a car, you should seriously consider a Tesla. Here are some pros and cons.
- I drove Kia's $47,000 electric crossover and discovered what it's like to go green without the flashiness of a Tesla
- I flew on an Air France Airbus A380 2 years before the airline suddenly retired the world's largest passenger plane — here's what it was like
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