Compare the2022 Chevrolet BoltVS 2021 Tesla Model X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Bolt are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Bolt offers optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Bolt’s optional cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Bolt has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Bolt and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Bolt is safer than the Tesla Model X:

	Bolt	Model X
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	24%	26%
Neck Compression	17 lbs.	33 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Bolt is safer than the Tesla Model X:

	Bolt	Model X
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	74	101
Abdominal Force	132 G’s	157 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	417 lbs.	625 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Bolt the rating of “Top Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 160 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Model X has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The Bolt’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and 50,000 miles longer than the Model X’s (6/100,000 vs. 4/50,000).

There are over 22 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bolt’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Bolt’s reliability 75 points higher than the Model X.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 109 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 34th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 30th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 8 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Bolt gets better fuel mileage than the Model X:

		MPGe
Bolt
	Electric Motor	131 city/109 hwy
Model X
	Long Range Electric Motors	109 city/101 hwy
	Plaid Electric Motor	100 city/95 hwy
	Plaid 22” Wheels Electric Motors	89 city/83 hwy

Tires and Wheels

The Bolt has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Model X doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Bolt can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Model X doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Bolt’s turning circle is 6 feet tighter than the Model X’s (34.8 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

Chassis

The Chevrolet Bolt may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1600 to 1800 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Bolt is 2 feet, 11.1 inches shorter than the Model X, making the Bolt easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bolt is 9.2 inches narrower than the Model X, making the Bolt easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

Cargo Capacity

The Bolt’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

Ergonomics

The Bolt’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Bolt has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Bolt’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Bolt has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Bolt offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Bolt owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Bolt with a number “5” insurance rate while the Model X is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Bolt is less expensive to operate than the Model X because typical repairs cost much less on the Bolt than the Model X, including $671 less for a water pump, $32 less for front brake pads, $185 less for front struts and $407 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Bolt was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2017. The Model X has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Bolt was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2017. The Model X has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bolt as the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The Model X has never been chosen.