Aug. 19, 2022 12:51 pm EST franz12/Shutterstock The Tesla Model X remains the indomitable goalpost that future electric SUVs are attempting to beat. There is no shortage of competition in the premium electric SUV niche, and the German trio of the BMW iX, Audi e-tron S, and the Mercedes-Benz EQC is hot on the heels of Tesla's world-beating SUV. First introduced in 2015, the Tesla Model X underwent multiple delays before entering production, and most of it had something to do with the Model X's most defining and cool feature: those falcon-wing rear doors. Advertisement In 2016, Tesla filed a lawsuit against the U.S. subsidiary of Swiss hydraulics specialist Hoerbiger Holding, supplier of the hydraulics system in the Model X's falcon rear doors, for oil leaking issues and system overheating. Hoerbiger Holding and Tesla agreed to settle the lawsuit in September of that same year (per Fortune). This incident has left an indelible mark on one of the many build-quality issues and inherent problems of the Tesla Model X. Tesla Model X reliability issues Sjoerd Van Der Wal/Getty Images The Tesla Model X is a fast, stylish, and tech-loaded electric SUV. It's currently available in a dual-motor AWD variant and a hotrod tri-motor Plaid model that starts at just under $145,000. In return, you get a trio of high-performance, carbon-sleeved electric motors that collectively produce an eye-watering 1,020 horsepower. With that many horses, the Model X Plaid could zoom effortlessly to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and breach the quarter-mile in just under 10 seconds. Advertisement In addition, the Model X is brimming with industry-first tech features. It has Autopilot, Caraoke, in-car gaming & video streaming, and a bioweapon defense mode. The latter enables you to survive a military-grade biological attack (theoretically) just by sitting inside your Model X. However, it's not all peaches and cream, as the Model X is known for suffering multiple quality and reliability issues. The problems became so widespread that Motor Biscuit called the Tesla Model X the "worst electric car you should never buy" in 2020. The publication adds that Model X's inconsistent panel gaps, minor design flaws, and shoddy fit and finish are just a few of the problems. Consumer Reports also gave it a poor reliability rating despite the high scores for its performance. Advertisement