Driving comparison against Audi Q5 on 20" wheels?

[StuffOfInteres]

OK, I know this is a bit of a long shot, but I have to give it a try.

I've driven an Audi Q5 with 20" wheel (255/45R20 tires) for the past 11 years covering over 120,000 miles. I may finally move to a Tesla Model Y LR in a few months. I'd even consider a Performance, but I've had bad experience with long distance ride quality in sport models in the past. I'm trying to find the right balance between sportiness vs. comfort and noise levels. The Q5 has done admirably, even with the big wheels and rather short sidewall tires. I can drive it for hours without being fatigued and can still carry on a normal conversation in the car regardless of road surface.

Has anyone had first hand experience of the ride quality and noise with a Q5 on the 20" wheels vs. the Model Y and 20" wheels? Or to put it another way, if you drive for four hours without a break in the Model Y, will you be half deaf and feel like your backside has been kicked non-stop for those four hours?

 

[TuMadre1337]

The road noise on the 20's vs 19's isnt really much, the comfort is quite a bit different though. I'm currently running 18" wheels with 255/55r18's and it's the most comfortable ride I've had in a model Y yet. Funny enough, I sold my stock 19's yesterday to someone with a performance that wanted better comfort over 21's on road trips.

 

[gt2690b]

The road noise on the 20's vs 19's isnt really much, the comfort is quite a bit different though. I'm currently running 18" wheels with 255/55r18's and it's the most comfortable ride I've had in a model Y yet. Funny enough, I sold my stock 19's yesterday to someone with a performance that wanted better comfort over 21's on road trips.

im running 245/55R18s but i have an MPP lift so plan on going to 2x5/60/18s my next set so the wheel well gap doesnt look so big

 

[TuMadre1337]

im running 245/55R18s but i have an MPP lift so plan on going to 2x5/60/18s my next set so the wheel well gap doesnt look so big

I'm having my MPP lift put on this week, I feel like i'll regret not getting taller tires.

 

[gt2690b]

I'm having my MPP lift put on this week, I feel like i'll regret not getting taller tires.

u will.. good news is they wear out

 

[Andrew85]

OK, I know this is a bit of a long shot, but I have to give it a try.

I've driven an Audi Q5 with 20" wheel (255/45R20 tires) for the past 11 years covering over 120,000 miles. I may finally move to a Tesla Model Y LR in a few months. I'd even consider a Performance, but I've had bad experience with long distance ride quality in sport models in the past. I'm trying to find the right balance between sportiness vs. comfort and noise levels. The Q5 has done admirably, even with the big wheels and rather short sidewall tires. I can drive it for hours without being fatigued and can still carry on a normal conversation in the car regardless of road surface.

Has anyone had first hand experience of the ride quality and noise with a Q5 on the 20" wheels vs. the Model Y and 20" wheels? Or to put it another way, if you drive for four hours without a break in the Model Y, will you be half deaf and feel like your backside has been kicked non-stop for those four hours?

I had a model 3 and I am looking at a Model Y. I have taken it out a few times on overnight test drives to check car seats, cargo space, etc. and to have my wife drive it in case we need to swap vehicles as I currently take her SUV for camping trips.

I've driven a Q5 a few times and my wife has a Q7.

Road noise wise there shouldn't be too much of a difference unless the roads are poor.

With that said the ride comfort in the Y is much worse to the point my wife doesn't want it and was complaining about back seat comfort for the kids. Even as a driver she did not like it, this was all with the 20" wheels. It only became passable in her mind when we tested the 19" wheels with a lower PSI.

Keep in mind near our SC the roads are not great and it behaved decently on better roads. I would recommend taking an extended test on roads you drive and if you have a spouse/kids, then have them in the back seat to see how they like it.

I really wise they offered a softer suspension as that is my main gripe with the car

 

[StuffOfInteres]

I had a model 3 and I am looking at a Model Y. I have taken it out a few times on overnight test drives to check car seats, cargo space, etc. and to have my wife drive it in case we need to swap vehicles as I currently take her SUV for camping trips.

I've driven a Q5 a few times and my wife has a Q7.

Road noise wise there shouldn't be too much of a difference unless the roads are poor.

With that said the ride comfort in the Y is much worse to the point my wife doesn't want it and was complaining about back seat comfort for the kids. Even as a driver she did not like it, this was all with the 20" wheels. It only became passable in her mind when we tested the 19" wheels with a lower PSI.

Keep in mind near our SC the roads are not great and it behaved decently on better roads. I would recommend taking an extended test on roads you drive and if you have a spouse/kids, then have them in the back seat to see how they like it.

I really wise they offered a softer suspension as that is my main gripe with the car

Thanks. Not exactly what I would have hoped to hear but it does match up with what I suspected. I tool the family (wife and at the time 10yo) on a test drive a while back but it was on the 19" wheels and just on the local roads. Fortunately, the Tesla center is only three miles from home so I was able to drive around my neighborhood. Guess I need to go out on the highway. I hadn't heard of them doing overnight test drives. That would definitely give an opportunity to try a variety of the roads. Fortunately, most of the roads here in Northern VA are good but on the rare occasions I go into DC it can be a quite a bit rougher.

I really wish Tesla offered something in between the Model Y and Model X. That would likely be closer to Audi quality all the way around.

 

[purge00]

I really wish Tesla offered something in between the Model Y and Model X. That would likely be closer to Audi quality all the way around.

I have a 2023 Q5e with the air suspension, and also a 2023 MYP. Unfortunately, in terms of overall build and ride quality, there is no comparison. In fact, I would argue that the build quality of the Q5 likely matches or even exceeds that of the Model X, from my time playing around the Model X in the showroom. There is definitely some hard plastic used in the Q5, but anything that moves just feel so much more solid on the Q5.

I would argue that the ride quality gap between the Q5 and the MYP is greater than the noise gap. Maybe I got pretty lucky on my MYP and everything seals pretty well. I came from a 3-series before the MYP, and the MYP rides even harsher than that.

I also feel that the MY seats don't breathe very well. Even in ~80 degree weather, I noticed the bottom of my upper thighs are much damper than when in any of my previous cars (BMW, Audi, Acura leather). I do run the AC and the cabin is cool, and comfortable, yet I can't seem to avoid sweating everywhere I make contact with the seat.

 

[Andrew85]

I have a 2023 Q5e with the air suspension, and also a 2023 MYP. Unfortunately, in terms of overall build and ride quality, there is no comparison. In fact, I would argue that the build quality of the Q5 likely matches or even exceeds that of the Model X, from my time playing around the Model X in the showroom. There is definitely some hard plastic used in the Q5, but anything that moves just feel so much more solid on the Q5.

I would argue that the ride quality gap between the Q5 and the MYP is greater than the noise gap. Maybe I got pretty lucky on my MYP and everything seals pretty well. I came from a 3-series before the MYP, and the MYP rides even harsher than that.

I also feel that the MY seats don't breathe very well. Even in ~80 degree weather, I noticed the bottom of my upper thighs are much damper than when in any of my previous cars (BMW, Audi, Acura leather). I do run the AC and the cabin is cool, and comfortable, yet I can't seem to avoid sweating everywhere I make contact with the seat.

The Model 3 suspension being so stiff fits the description of a sports sedan and isn't overly stiff compared to others in the segment like the 3-series (although I still find it more comfortable)

The Model Y suspension does not really suit the segment and by comparison to rivals it is much more of a gap in comfort. At least more driver focused models like the X3 have options for an adaptive suspension, and even without it seem to soak up bumps better.

The best way to describe a Model Y is it is a sports sedan with more cargo space and higher riding position. If you do not like the traits/dynamics of a sports sedan than you will not like a Model Y.

It doesn't really match up well with other SUVs if you are looking for a typical traits of an SUV. As a seven seater it is even more of an anomaly