Elon Musk's Latest EV Play Sparks Savage Rebuff: 'Worst in Tesla History,' 'No Thanks'

The reputation of Tesla Inc. TSLA as a trailblazer in electric vehicles has long rested on bold innovation and disruptive design. But the latest updates to its flagship Model S and Model X cars by Elon Musk‘s EV maker, announced on Friday, have landed with a thud—even among the brand's fans and industry watchers, who are voicing disappointment over what many see as minor tweaks paired with a major price hike.

Minor Changes, Major Price Hike

The 2025 Model S and Model X refreshes come with a $5,000 price increase across all configurations, pushing the Model S Plaid over the $100,000 mark and the Model X Plaid to $106,630.

For that, buyers get a handful of updates: a new Frost Blue paint color (which itself is a $2,500 option), updated wheel designs for improved aerodynamics, a front bumper camera for better visibility, dynamic ambient lighting, adaptive driving beams, and slightly improved suspension and noise cancellation.

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The Model S Long Range now boasts up to 410 miles of range, a modest increase from the previous 402, while the Model X gets a bit more third-row space.

‘Disappointing, To Say The Least’

The response has been swift and largely negative across media platforms.

The Verge called the upgrades minor changes “that only the most dedicated Tesla fans will be sold on”, while EV news outlet InsideEVs suggested an average car buyer will struggle to spot the differences between the new and old versions of the Model S car. Tesla-focused media platform Teslarati called the changes “slim”.

Automobile news website Carscoops said the upgrade comprised minor product tweaks and large price increases. Electrek, another EV news outlet, called the update "quite a disappointing update, to say the least," highlighting that the changes are "very mild" and fail to deliver the technological leaps many expected.

`Worst’ Update In Tesla History?

On Musk’s own social-media platform X, the criticism was less restrained.

“I hate to say this, but this is the worst ‘update’ in Tesla history,” an X account holder, who uses the name Imran Raz, wrote in a post on Friday. “This is precisely the same car with hardly any new features except for a few improvements, which is expected. I’m very disappointed with this so-called ‘new’ model X. I’ve been waiting for this refresh for years to finally get one with a proper third row. Tesla keeps ignoring high-end customers.”

“Barely anything major new… and for an extra 5 grand? No thanks,” another user, Scott Jones, wrote. “Maybe you should copy companies that are vastly improving their EV's versus minuscule changes with the same battery power.”

On YouTube, Tesla-focused channels such as Tesla Jigsaw questioned whether the updates were enough to tempt even the most devoted fans.

Where’s The Innovation, Elon?

At a time when Tesla is striving to recover from the first quarter’s steep 13% slump in vehicle deliveries, the bad publicity isn’t helping.

The much-hyped Cybertruck model has also faced setbacks. Tesla recently announced multiple recalls due to software bugs and mechanical issues, further dampening enthusiasm for the futuristic pickup.

For years, Tesla's ability to push boundaries has set it apart in the EV space. But this latest refresh has left many asking if the company is coasting on its legacy rather than leading with new ideas. With even the most loyal fans expressing disappointment and industry experts calling out the lack of meaningful upgrades, the question for Elon Musk and Tesla is clear: Where's the innovation?

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