“The Tesla Model X is the best SUV ever made, from safety, to performance, to ultra advanced updatable technology. Faster than a Lambo, safer than a Volvo.”
2021 Tesla Model X: What's New, Specs & Features
Last updated August 4, 2026
The biggest 2021 Model X change arrived late in the year, when Tesla introduced a major redesign with a new powertrain, revised chassis, and new exterior and interior. Earlier 2021 examples kept the original design but gained more driving range.
About the 2021 Tesla Model X
Original first-generation Model X, last year for the old vertical-screen design and for the Long Range Plus/Performance trim names before the late-2021 redesign that set up the 2022-era Long Range and Plaid lineup.
Tesla positioned the Model X as a family-sized electric SUV that mixed seating and cargo flexibility with dramatic Falcon Wing rear doors, strong safety, long-range EV travel, and sports-car-like acceleration. Compared with rivals, its appeal was less about traditional luxury-cabin richness and more about distinctive access, big-screen tech, over-the-air software updates, Supercharger road-trip usability, and very quick performance in a roomy SUV shape.
Early Long Range Plus models were positioned for road trips, with an EPA-rated 371-mile range and dual-motor all-wheel drive. Performance models emphasized acceleration with Ludicrous and Launch modes, while both versions retained the Model X’s power-operated Falcon Wing rear doors and standard five-seat cabin.
What changed, by category
Powertrain
Early Long Range Plus models increased their EPA-rated range from 351 to 371 miles. The comparable Performance rating rose from 305 to as much as 341 miles on 20-inch wheels, and late-year redesigned models adopted a new powertrain setup.
Styling
Late-year Model X production brought a redesigned exterior and interior, replacing the original body style and vertical-screen cabin used by earlier 2021 examples.
Structural
The late-year redesign included a revised chassis.
2021 Tesla Model X specs and features by trim
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Dual AC Electric Motors | Dual AC Electric Motors |
| Transmission | Single-Speed Fixed Gear | Single-Speed Fixed Gear |
| Drivetrain | AWD | AWD |
| Fuel Type | Electric | Electric |
| Max Towing | 5000 lb | 5000 lb |
| Trunk/Cargo | 88 cu-ft | 88 cu-ft |
| Rear Legroom | 38.4 in | 38.4 in |
| Seats | 7 | 7 |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Electric Range | 341 | 371 |
| MPGe Combined | 97 | 105 |
| Adaptive Cruise Control | ||
| Alarm System | ||
| Automatic Emergency Braking | ||
| Blindspot Sensors | ||
| Lane Departure Warning | ||
| Park Assist | ||
| 360 Camera | ||
| Alloy Wheels | ||
| Fog Lights | ||
| LED Headlights | ||
| Navigation System | ||
| Premium Audio | ||
| Smartphone Interface | ||
| Heated Front Seats | ||
| Heated Steering Wheel | ||
| Push-Button Engine Start | ||
| Third Row Seat | ||
| Ventilated Front Seats | ||
Frequently asked questions
Was the 2021 Tesla Model X redesigned?
Yes, but only later in the model year. Early 2021 vehicles retained the original body and vertical-screen interior, while late-year vehicles received a redesigned exterior and cabin, a revised chassis, and a new powertrain setup.
Did the 2021 Tesla Model X gain driving range?
Yes. The Long Range Plus rating increased from 351 to 371 miles, while the comparable Performance version rose from 305 to as much as 341 miles on 20-inch wheels.
How do early and late 2021 Model X vehicles differ?
Early 2021 examples use the original design and the Long Range Plus or Performance names. Late-year examples reflect Tesla’s transition to a redesigned body, cabin, chassis, and powertrain, along with a move toward the Long Range and Plaid naming used for the updated lineup.
Was the 2021 Model X a completely new generation?
No. The 2021 update is best treated as a major mid-cycle redesign rather than a completely new generation of the whole model line. The year also included earlier vehicles built in the original design.
2021 Tesla Model X Reviews
What owners are saying about the 2021 Tesla Model X.
4.1
2021 Tesla Model X
(31 reviews)
“I LOVE MY MODEL X LOOKING TO WHAT MODEL I WILL GET NEXT.I LOVE NOT HAVING TO GET GAS JUST PLUG UP AT HOME”
“The Tesla is a superior car to anything I've ever owned. Cost of ownership is dramatically lower than a gas car. Besides almost zero maintenance, charging cost about $.05 a mile compared to $.15 a mile for gas for my last SUV.”