Tesla has unveiled a refreshed 2025 Model X, aligning its premium electric SUV with the updated Model S to deliver improved range, new styling, and advanced technology. Launched on June 13, 2025, in the U.S., the facelifted Model X introduces a front bumper camera, ambient lighting, a Frost Blue paint option, and enhanced noise reduction, while the Long Range variant achieves an EPA-rated 410 miles, Tesla’s longest-range vehicle yet. Following a challenging production ramp-up, the update aims to bolster Tesla’s position in the luxury EV market against rivals like the Rivian R1S and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. This article explores the Model X’s upgrades, performance, market context, and enthusiast reactions, drawing on reports from autoweek.nl and related sources.
Key Updates to the 2025 Model X
The 2025 Tesla Model X, spotted earlier at Tesla’s Fremont factory, builds on its 2021 facelift with subtle yet impactful changes, per autoweek.nl. Highlights include:
- Extended Range: The Long Range model now offers up to 410 miles (EPA), a significant leap from the prior 348 miles, thanks to optimized battery architecture and efficiency gains. The Plaid variant maintains a 326-mile range.
- Front Bumper Camera: A new camera enhances visibility for parking and Autopilot, addressing a long-standing request from owners, as noted by @BabyTesla3 on X.
- Ambient Lighting: Dynamic interior lighting strips, similar to the Model 3 Highland, add a premium touch, showcased in Tesla’s June 13 X post.
- Frost Blue Paint: A new color option, shared with the Model S, complements the updated exterior, per @niccruzpatane.
- Noise Reduction: Improved sound insulation, active noise cancellation, and refined suspension reduce wind and road noise, making the cabin “even quieter,” per Tesla’s announcement.
- New Wheels: 20-inch designs for the Model X (without aero covers) and 21-inch for the Model S Plaid, spotted by @TeslaNewswire.
- Metal Pedals: A sporty interior upgrade, noted in inventory sightings, per @TeslaNewswire.
The iconic Falcon Wing doors remain unchanged, preserving the Model X’s distinctive silhouette, while the steering yoke is now optional ($1,000), addressing usability concerns raised in earlier reviews.
Performance and Powertrain
The 2025 Model X retains its dual-motor Long Range and tri-motor Plaid configurations:
- Long Range AWD: Delivers 670 hp, 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds, and a top speed of 149 mph, with the new 410-mile range, per tesla.com.
- Plaid AWD: Boasts 1,020 hp, 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds, and a 163-mph top speed, maintaining its status as the fastest SUV, with a 326-mile range.
A revamped battery thermal architecture enables faster charging (up to 250 kW) and sustained performance, allowing repeated sprints without degradation, per tesla.com. The Model X’s towing capacity remains class-leading at 5,000 lbs, outperforming electric rivals like the Rivian R1S (7,700 lbs but shorter range), per caranddriver.com.
Pricing and Availability
Pricing for the 2025 Model X starts at $79,990 for the Long Range and $94,990 for the Plaid in the U.S., with Australian estimates at AU$150,000 (US$97,800) for the base model, per autoweek.nl. Deliveries began in the U.S. on June 13, 2025, with Tesla stores expected to display refreshed units within days, per @TeslaNewswire. Orders are open, with European and Australian deliveries slated for Q3 2025, pending regional homologation.
The price increase over the 2024 model ($77,990) reflects added features, though Tesla’s lease incentives, like $16,750 off 2025 Model Y leases, may extend to the Model X to boost sales, per electrek.co. X users like @sydney_ev praised the 410-mile range but noted the “premium price tag,” while @Lonso0 questioned affordability compared to the Model Y Juniper ($44,990).
Safety and Technology
The Model X continues to excel in safety, with a 5-star NHTSA rating and IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ potential, thanks to its low center of gravity and reinforced structure, per iihs.org. The front bumper camera enhances Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities, though FSD remains a $12,000 option with regulatory hurdles, per caranddriver.com. The 17-inch horizontal touchscreen, now tiltable, runs Tesla’s latest software but lacks Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a persistent critique since the 2021 update, per vroom.be.
Interior upgrades include ambient lighting, metal pedals, and a quieter cabin, addressing past complaints about minimalism, though haptic controls for climate functions remain divisive, per vroom.be. X post @evshift called the tech “next-level,” but @AutoSpies echoed concerns about the yoke’s ergonomics, even as an option.
Competitive Landscape
The 2025 Model X competes in the luxury electric SUV segment:
- Rivian R1S: Offers 410 hp, 321-mile range, and 7,700-lb towing for $75,900, with off-road prowess but less range, per caranddriver.com.
- Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV: Delivers 288 hp and a 300-mile range for $74,900, with a plusher interior but slower performance, per autoevolution.com.
- BMW iX: Provides 516 hp and a 324-mile range for $87,250, with premium build quality but a polarizing design, per caranddriver.com.
- Genesis Electrified GV70: Boasts 483 hp and a 250-mile range for $67,000, with a luxurious cabin but shorter range, per autoevolution.com.
The Model X’s 410-mile Long Range and Plaid’s unmatched acceleration give it an edge, though rivals offer more conventional controls and connectivity, per vroom.be. X user @JunaidSamodien_ highlighted the Model X’s “range supremacy,” but @CarGurus noted the Rivian’s value for off-roaders.
Tesla’s Broader Strategy
The Model X refresh aligns with Tesla’s 2025 updates, including the Model S facelift and Model Y Juniper, launched to maintain momentum amid softening EV demand (7% U.S. sales growth in 2024), per electrek.co. Tesla’s Fremont factory, producing 500,000 Model Ys annually, has overcome Model X/S production delays from 2021, with Lars Moravy confirming upgrades in February 2025, per @TeslaNewswire. The upcoming “instapmodel” (starting June 2025 production) and Cybercab pilot in Saudi Arabia signal Tesla’s cost-cutting and autonomous ambitions, per shop4tesla.com.
Challenges include tariff pressures on Chinese imports, impacting Tesla’s Shanghai-built Model Y, and NHTSA probes into FSD-related crashes, per jalopnik.com. Tesla’s free NACS adapters for 2025 models, unlocking 20,000 Superchargers, enhance charging convenience, per autoevolution.com.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The 2025 Model X excels with its 410-mile range, class-leading performance, and futuristic tech, earning praise as “Tesla’s longest-range vehicle,” per @Tesla. The front bumper camera and ambient lighting address owner feedback, while Falcon Wing doors remain a unique selling point. However, its $79,990 starting price, lack of CarPlay/Android Auto, and divisive yoke option draw criticism, per vroom.be. The 250-mile range gap to the Genesis GV70 and conventional rivals’ interiors challenge its luxury appeal, per @AutoSpies.
Market Context and Fan Sentiment
The Model X’s refresh follows a 2021 overhaul that introduced the yoke and removed physical buttons, polarizing owners, per olino.org. Posts on X reflect excitement, with @niccruzpatane calling the Frost Blue and 410-mile range “game-changers,” though @sydney_ev noted the price hike’s impact on accessibility. Tesla’s 2024 sales of 1.8 million vehicles, led by the Model Y, contrast with Model X/S’s niche 2% share, per electrek.co, underscoring the refresh’s role in boosting premium sales.
Who’s It For?
The 2025 Model X targets tech-savvy luxury buyers, families needing seven seats, and performance enthusiasts drawn to the Plaid’s 2.5-second sprint. Its $79,990 price and 410-mile range suit long-distance commuters, but traditionalists preferring physical controls or CarPlay may opt for the BMW iX or Genesis GV70.
Conclusion
The 2025 Tesla Model X, launched June 13, 2025, refines its premium electric SUV status with a 410-mile Long Range, front bumper camera, Frost Blue paint, and ambient lighting, following the Model S’s facelift. Priced from $79,990, it retains its 670-hp Long Range and 1,020-hp Plaid powertrains, boasting class-leading range and acceleration. Despite production hurdles and competition from the Rivian R1S and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, the Model X’s tech and safety prowess shine, though its price and lack of CarPlay draw scrutiny. As Tesla eyes 2025 growth with the Model Y Juniper and Cybercab, the refreshed Model X cements its role as a futuristic, high-performance SUV for luxury EV enthusiasts.
