Model S Ride Comfort compared to Model 3

[Sunshine Speed]

I have a 2018 Model 3 with 18s. Awesome car but my biggest two complaints are bumpy suspension on crappy Los Angeles streets and road/tire noise at highway speed. I'm considering to buy a 2015/2016 Model S with air suspension and pano roof and 4-year warranty from Tesla CPO. Can anyone who drives both cars confirm:

The Model S 90D with air suspension and 19s:
- Will have a more comfortable ride quality on bad city streets compared to Model 3.
- Will be quieter at highway speeds compared to Model 3.
- Will have more back seat space and more storage space and fresh air from pano roof will be awesome compared to Model 3.

 

[thefortunes]

I have a 2018 Model 3 with 18s. Awesome car but my biggest two complaints are bumpy suspension on crappy Los Angeles streets and road/tire noise at highway speed. I'm considering to buy a 2015/2016 Model S with air suspension and pano roof and 4-year warranty from Tesla CPO. Can anyone who drives both cars confirm:

The Model S 90D with air suspension and 19s:
- Will have a more comfortable ride quality on bad city streets compared to Model 3.
- Will be quieter at highway speeds compared to Model 3.
- Will have more back seat space and more storage space and fresh air from pano roof will be awesome compared to Model 3.

2013 S vs 2020 ≡ here...

Yes, yes and yes (although we rarely open the pano roof).

 

[glide]

The 2015/2016 builds were very inconsistent. I have been in some that are quiet and others that sound like you’re in a wind tunnel.

Unfortunately, when purchasing from Tesla, you will not have the opportunity to test drive. So it’s a real roll of the dice.

If you’re expecting Merc/BMW quiet it will not happen. If you’re just lookin for better-than-Model 3, you could get lucky.

Ride quality with air suspension will be better *if* you get the 19” wheels.

Storage space is ample.

The piano roof is noisy and, in my experience, causes a lot of issues with wind noise.

 

[cucubits]

I have a 2018 Model 3 with 18s. Awesome car but my biggest two complaints are bumpy suspension on crappy Los Angeles streets and road/tire noise at highway speed. I'm considering to buy a 2015/2016 Model S with air suspension and pano roof and 4-year warranty from Tesla CPO. Can anyone who drives both cars confirm:

The Model S 90D with air suspension and 19s:
- Will have a more comfortable ride quality on bad city streets compared to Model 3.
- Will be quieter at highway speeds compared to Model 3.
- Will have more back seat space and more storage space and fresh air from pano roof will be awesome compared to Model 3.

Yes on all three but not by much. As it was said above, it's pretty much a gamble if you buy from Tesla.

 

[thefortunes]

Yes on all three but not by much. As it was said above, it's pretty much a gamble if you buy from Tesla.

#3 the rear seats in the S have significantly more leg and hip room compared to the ≡ . You aren't fitting 3 teens/adults in the ≡ for anything other than a quick ride.

 

[voltage]

I have a 2018 Model 3 with 18s. Awesome car but my biggest two complaints are bumpy suspension on crappy Los Angeles streets and road/tire noise at highway speed. I'm considering to buy a 2015/2016 Model S with air suspension and pano roof and 4-year warranty from Tesla CPO. Can anyone who drives both cars confirm:

The Model S 90D with air suspension and 19s:
- Will have a more comfortable ride quality on bad city streets compared to Model 3.
- Will be quieter at highway speeds compared to Model 3.
- Will have more back seat space and more storage space and fresh air from pano roof will be awesome compared to Model 3.

I sold my Model 3 because of the ride quality. Just couldn’t take the jarring ride. I bought a Raven Model S and couldn’t be happier. The right quality is fantastic. Like night and day. I can’t speak for 2015/2016 Model S.

 

[ChadS]

In 2018 I went from a 2015 Model S P90DL with air suspension and 19" wheels to a Model 3 with 18" wheels.

As cucubits said, yes, the Model S had better ride quality, was quieter, and had twice the storage space (and it was easier to get at). The rear seat is wider, although I don't remember it as having more headroom or legroom. I think the 3 is more fun around town, but on longer trips the S was more relaxing.

But also as cucubits said, the differences weren't enormous, and can vary by car. Tire choice can also make a significant difference.

The pano roof on my 2015 S was quiet, although I didn't use it much. We did have some early noise problems with the pano roof on my wife's 2012 S (which she used more often), but Tesla re-sealed it at some point and it was fine after that.

I like fresh air and I know some people live by the pano roof, but my car before that was a Roadster, and the pano experience didn't come close to matching the top-off experience, so I didn't bother to open the pano on my S much.

 

[Sunshine Speed]

These replies are extremely helpful, Thanks! Note that the pano roof was redesigned for cars delivered after July 2015 to improve quality and ability to service/repair it.

 

[Alysashley79]

I have a p85d. It has air suspension. And a pano roof. Other than a slight creek from the pillar it’s quiet. I bought it as CPO from Tesla (yes yes yes I realized used not cpo but leave it at that) last May. I test drove a 2020 pm3 which really was a stealth sleeper because it had 18” wheels not even the 20’s. And the VERY first thing I noticed was 1)how LOUD it was in the car and 2)how rough a ride it is compared to my 4.5 year old car. I noticed this all in the first few blocks from the service center. I drove back to Tesla and dropped their car off.

i disagree with the whole you yet what you get. I specifically asked to look at the car before I signed anything. I asked to drive it before I signed anything. They allowed both. I drove it around the,block and it was enough for me to know it was good. THEN I signed the papers and drove away. I think most people just don’t ask. Or they get a bad service center.

 

[cucubits]

I asked to drive it before I signed anything. They allowed both

They don't do this anymore. Anywhere. It's clearly written too.

 

[r1200gs4ok]

have a 2019 (Jun) Model 3 LR) and a 2020 Model S LR (Jan 2020)

I find the ride of the M3 to be much harder than the MS....The seat in the MS are much more soft and adjustability in the seat are great....The M3 is just a damn fun car to drive within 150 radius of home and for my wife’s in town driving....My MS is a wonderful highway ride and longer trips.....around town, I find it just fine also....very comfortable.....

I prefer the MS with air suspension and great range

 

[dethman]

The piano roof is noisy and, in my experience, causes a lot of issues with wind noise.

whenever you put a piano on your roof it tends to be noisy.

 

[PWlakewood]

whenever you put a piano on your roof it tends to be noisy.

Then your piano must be out of tune.......

 

[mswlogo]

I have a 2018 Model 3 with 18s. Awesome car but my biggest two complaints are bumpy suspension on crappy Los Angeles streets and road/tire noise at highway speed. I'm considering to buy a 2015/2016 Model S with air suspension and pano roof and 4-year warranty from Tesla CPO. Can anyone who drives both cars confirm:

The Model S 90D with air suspension and 19s:
- Will have a more comfortable ride quality on bad city streets compared to Model 3.
- Will be quieter at highway speeds compared to Model 3.
- Will have more back seat space and more storage space and fresh air from pano roof will be awesome compared to Model 3.

That’s exactly why I switched from Model 3 to Model X. At first I thought it was tolerable but noise and firmness gnawed at me over time.

 

[erniejenson]

I am used to driving a number of sport cars and I live in Camarillo, not LA. It seems like the Model 3 is just fine in handeling but a littly noisy at freeway speeds. I am sure that the OE tires are hard rubber to improve rolling resiatance. How about sacrificing a little mileage and buying softer tires? Most people charge at home and don't normally need the extra range. The tire and wind noise may seem louder but there is no engine, transmission, turbo or supercharger and loud mufflers to cover it up. Just a thought.

 

[mswlogo]

I am used to driving a number of sport cars and I live in Camarillo, not LA. It seems like the Model 3 is just fine in handeling but a littly noisy at freeway speeds. I am sure that the OE tires are hard rubber to improve rolling resiatance. How about sacrificing a little mileage and buying softer tires? Most people charge at home and don't normally need the extra range. The tire and wind noise may seem louder but there is no engine, transmission, turbo or supercharger and loud mufflers to cover it up. Just a thought.

300 wh/mi (which is around 270 wh/mi with charging losses) is around 32 mpg for my electricity cost (With OEM tires). So your saying I have to drop down to 25 mpg to quiet it down?

Recent ICE cars I’ve owned were much quieter than Model 3. My last ICE car had acoustic glass and active noise cancelation. Quiet often if I got distracted after starting the car, I’d forget I started it because I couldn’t hear the engine and try starting it again. Most ICE cars are loud when you stomp on them. But when Cruising the dominant noise was tire and wind noise. You could easily tell because both my ICE and Model 3 were much quieter on fresh smooth asphalt. On rough asphalt both got louder but the Model 3 was way worse. Model X is way better than Model 3 but still just a little shy of my ICE.

 

[Sunshine Speed]

I am used to driving a number of sport cars and I live in Camarillo, not LA. It seems like the Model 3 is just fine in handeling but a littly noisy at freeway speeds. I am sure that the OE tires are hard rubber to improve rolling resiatance. How about sacrificing a little mileage and buying softer tires? Most people charge at home and don't normally need the extra range. The tire and wind noise may seem louder but there is no engine, transmission, turbo or supercharger and loud mufflers to cover it up. Just a thought.

Good suggestions, but I bought Pilot Sport 4S tires for my Model 3 a year ago, and it helped with grip and stopping distance but no help with tire/road noise in the cabin, and no help with bumpy suspension on bad LA streets. I also had my PSI set at 44, then 41, and now I use 38psi. The lower PSI is a bit more comfortable but not really.

 

[Tummy]

I had a 2016 S with 19” on the base spring suspension and the ride was better than our 3. My 2018 S has the air suspension and the ride even on 21” wheels was better. I downgraded to 20” Tsportline TSS with the Continental DWS tires and it’s even softer and a good balance for me between the 21 and 19.

On 19” and air I found the body had too much roll but I think it would depend on the tire sidewall stiffness. The loaner car I drove with 19” were running Pirelli Cinturato. There is definitely more floaty roll than my old 2016 on springs and 19”.

I hear the Raven suspension is fantastic, but I don’t want to drive one because I’ll be tempted to trade in.

 

[Alysashley79]

They don't do this anymore. Anywhere. It's clearly written too.

actually NOT true. Was with a friend last week and they allowed it.

also when I bought mine. It was same thing take it leave. I kindly asked and they allowed it. My car was also queued up for delivery right out front.

 

[cucubits]

actually NOT true. Was with a friend last week and they allowed it.

also when I bought mine. It was same thing take it leave. I kindly asked and they allowed it. My car was also queued up for delivery right out front.

ok, I stand corrected. This just shows how disorganized and how localized they do or don't respect their rules.