Model Y - Initial Impressions - Delights, surprises, disappointments and concerns

Bought a 23 Model Y without a test drive (no test drive available, but have test driven an older MY 3 some time back). Some initial perspectives after a week.

Delights:
1. Very spacious- doesn’t look like it from outside. Leg room and head room are pretty good.
2. Smooth app experience in-car and on phone
3. Plenty of storage

Surprises:
1. Ride quality is not bad at all. Much better than the Model 3. Comparable to other EVs. Not as soft as Hyundai Sonata Hybrid that we have but does soak up bumps reasonably well
2. Good turning radius for a car of its size

Disappointments/Annoyance
1. Regen levels are not adjustable
2. No 360 view for a 65K+ car in 2023
3. Not the best implementation of blind spot safety. No visual or audible alerts with turn signals on for the left side. Audible when there is a car in blind spot is the safest implementation despite minor annoyance. Now I have to get used to looking right and then looking left to turn.

Concerns:
1. Heavy low frequency resonance- just figuring out this is a problem that many are facing - just hoping it’s fixable and not really a torsional rigidity design flaw - Set up service appointment in 2 weeks
2. No rear safety- no cross traffic alerts, no auto brake for objects or pedestrians- almost ran into another reversing BMW but fortunately that car had better tech to stop
3. . Lane departure warning / assistance doesn’t work reliably. Low end cars give warning when straddling or drifting lanes.

Overall well built car and drives well. But certainly some concerns and disappointments.

"Tesla Model Y Dual Motor Solid Black (4)" by Damian B Oh is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog feed thumbnail

 

[arbitrage000]

I love Tesla's door handles.

Me too.
I use the thumb on the wider part and then 1-3 fingers to pull the handle. 2nd nature now after 2 months with the car.
You can actually double push your thumb on the wider part and then the door will usually pop open enough to open it by the window or door sill.
You can also use that new feature in the app to have the door pop open...I actually haven't tried that yet so not sure if it pops it enough to be able to open it from the window/door without using the handle.

 

[Yelobird]

I don't want to be labelled a Hyundai troll but here's is what is included in Ionoiq6. I checked to see what AP actually does. My previous Prius did more than that
Here's Ioniq 6 specs 2023 IONIQ 6 Trim Details - USA

Congrats hope you enjoy it! If possible I personally prefer to support US companies but that‘s just me. Funding South Korea is a choice but I see a long term value in supporting US manufacturing and labor.

 

[mjwojtukiewicz]

Congrats hope you enjoy it! If possible I personally prefer to support US companies but that‘s just me. Funding South Korea is a choice but I see a long term value in supporting US manufacturing and labor.

I wasn't commenting on American manufacturing and labor. My key point is the Hyundai has MANY more safety features than Tesla without adding EAP 6K or FSD 15K

 

[nate704]

I wasn't commenting on American manufacturing and labor. My key point is the Hyundai has MANY more safety features than Tesla without adding EAP 6K or FSD 15K

What many more safety features are you referring to??

 

[exxxviii]

What many more safety features are you referring to??

• Rear cross traffic
• 3D surround view - like the best I have used on any car
• Superior lane keep assist
• Vastly superior blind spot warning

 

[nate704]

• Rear cross traffic
• 3D surround view - like the best I have used on any car
• Superior lane keep assist
• Vastly superior blind spot warning

Superior lane keep assist? Superior???

Tesla cars show you what kind of cars or motorcycles or trucks or humans near your car on screen. Superior BSM??

 

[exxxviii]

Superior lane keep assist? Superior???

1. Hyundai will immediately suspend LKA when you hit the blinker to change lanes and then automatically reengage when you finish the lane change (Tesla doesn't always disengage and then you have to manually reengage), or
2. Hyundai will do an automatic lane change on their current models (this is $6K extra in Tesla)
3. Tesla functionally lacks blind spot. It has no forward view situational awareness, and its notifications and interventions are week. Hyundai, on the other hand, alerts you multiple ways in your natural field of view and really fights you from hitting another car.

I have both and drive them regularly. Tesla is the worst LKA (without EAP) and worst blind spot of any car made in the last bunch of years.

 

[woolymammoth17]

Superior lane keep assist? Superior???

Tesla cars show you what kind of cars or motorcycles or trucks or humans near your car on screen. Superior BSM??

Yes. My Genesis vehicles and my Mercedes GLE with Driver Assistance Package is worlds better than my 2023 Model Y on the highway. No comparison, and they don't nag me and beep beep beep constantly either.

 

[CharlieMY]

Yes. My Genesis vehicles and my Mercedes GLE with Driver Assistance Package is worlds better than my 2023 Model Y on the highway. No comparison, and they don't nag me and beep beep beep constantly either.

I agree with you…I have a 4 year old volvo that has fantastic lane assist… I think many Tesla drivers never had any other car with lane assist.

 

[hmmwv]

Teslas are designed to be either self driving or almost completely driven by the meat bag, it lacks an "assisted driving" mode which allows you to move the steering wheel without disengaging the active lane assist, I find it very annoying that every time I need to move the steering wheel to avoid a pothole or pass a slow car I have to reengage AP. Even less capable systems like Honda Sensing or Toyota Safety Sense functions better in this area.
On the other hand if I'm in AP cruising on the highway I fully trust it over any other systems (maybe the only one comes close is Super Cruise).

 

[kpanda17]

We jumped in, Dec 12 with MYP purchase and delivery. Maybe it's my geek side, IT pro, but I really enjoy the tech aspect of EVs. Amazingly, my wife, non tech, grinned during her first test drive back in Nov and loves the vehicle. The forums are amazing and we really enjoyed the research, reading and preparing for delivery. Our path summarized: preparing and reading "life with an EV," financial analysis, decided its a go, I test drove, wife test drove, researched and developed our delivery checklist, prepared for immediate window tint, PPF and ceramic, prepared with accessories we wanted, finalized the trade in, Tesla was very fair, and took delivery. From the Tesla virtual salesperson, to the in person sales person, to the service manager, we have a down/up window issue and had to recalib, the experience was a positive paradigm shift from the old vehicle process. Btw, before the purchase, Genesis told us their process is old school, there is a markup on the price putting the GV60 up to $80K and not sure what they will due now, post price reduction, and they also told us they don't consider they are competing with Tesla which is down the street from them; wow! Post purchase, 30 days, we are in Tesla nation and it feels right, have no regrets, not unhappy we actually lost $8K due to the price reduction, and very happy we jumped in. Working on friends and family to do the same. Hoping to put the 20ish children into M2s when they arrive. Btw, you never know, we might trade the MY for the 2024/5 CT, gen 2, when its available. Good luck.

 

[kpanda17]

One more thing, with the 3d mats, we could not get the underseat containers to be able to be pulled out and returned them. The high edge of the mat, prevents the container from moving out.
Anyone else experience this?

 

[arbitrage000]

I agree with you…I have a 4 year old volvo that has fantastic lane assist… I think many Tesla drivers never had any other car with lane assist.

So far the Tesla has the least disengagements/takeovers of any car that Out Of Spec has tested in their Driver Assistance Hogback Challenge. It doesn't have the highest score because it doesn't have enough bonus points for some features BUT it had the least negative points for doing stupid stuff. They have tested almost every major system out there. If you watch their latest test with the EQS AMG you will see them discuss this at the very end of the video. EQS has top spot but that was only because of extra points awarded in the beginning for more features.

Unless you guys are talking about pushing you back in the lane when you can't manage to keep your car in between the lines? In that area I'd agree that Tesla isn't the greatest. But if we are talking about letting the car drive you and keep you in the lane then Tesla seems to be one of the best systems out there. I'm sure when single stack FSD v11 drops it will take the highway performance to a vastly different level seeing what FSD can do on city streets (despite all of its goofiness it is still pretty remarkable).

 

[exxxviii]

Unless you guys are talking about pushing you back in the lane when you can't manage to keep your car in between the lines? In that area I'd agree that Tesla isn't the greatest.

This thread branch is all about Tesla’s basic AP (and blind spot) relative to others in the market. Not self-driving.

 

[BitJam]

One more thing, with the 3d mats, we could not get the underseat containers to be able to be pulled out and returned them. The high edge of the mat, prevents the container from moving out.
Anyone else experience this?

I used a rubber cutter to trim the mats. It has been very handy for other things too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K6JIM78

 

[arbitrage000]

This thread branch is all about Tesla’s basic AP (and blind spot) relative to others in the market. Not self-driving.

Yes that is what Out of Spec was testing as their test is on highways where FSD Beta is not active. So the system is using the regular AP code. Also they did the test with a car that didn't have FSD.

 

[TigerNinety]

Welcome!


You can adjust regen levels if you buy the S3XY Buttons. But they are not cheap.


I bought wide-angle side mirrors. You can get them for under $50 now. No more blind spots!

Yes, it's a bummer we have to go to after-market to fix stuff like this. Oh well.

How do these buttons adjust regen levels that aren't adjustable?

 

[TigerNinety]

Bought a 23 Model Y without a test drive (no test drive available, but have test driven an older MY 3 some time back). Some initial perspectives after a week.

Delights:
1. Very spacious- doesn’t look like it from outside. Leg room and head room are pretty good.
2. Smooth app experience in-car and on phone
3. Plenty of storage

Surprises:
1. Ride quality is not bad at all. Much better than the Model 3. Comparable to other EVs. Not as soft as Hyundai Sonata Hybrid that we have but does soak up bumps reasonably well
2. Good turning radius for a car of its size

Disappointments/Annoyance
1. Regen levels are not adjustable
2. No 360 view for a 65K+ car in 2023
3. Not the best implementation of blind spot safety. No visual or audible alerts with turn signals on for the left side. Audible when there is a car in blind spot is the safest implementation despite minor annoyance. Now I have to get used to looking right and then looking left to turn.

Concerns:
1. Heavy low frequency resonance- just figuring out this is a problem that many are facing - just hoping it’s fixable and not really a torsional rigidity design flaw - Set up service appointment in 2 weeks
2. No rear safety- no cross traffic alerts, no auto brake for objects or pedestrians- almost ran into another reversing BMW but fortunately that car had better tech to stop
3. . Lane departure warning / assistance doesn’t work reliably. Low end cars give warning when straddling or drifting lanes.

Overall well built car and drives well. But certainly some concerns and disappointments.


View attachment 896494
"Tesla Model Y Dual Motor Solid Black (4)" by Damian B Oh is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog feed thumbnail

On Disappointments, I agree a 360 degree view would be nice and appropriate; but the Tesla cameras are designed more for FSD than 360 degree view. Also, for better or worse, I'm not very sympathetic to the idea that you need a light on a mirror to handle this; it's just proper mirror adjustment and driver training.

On Concerns, I've heard this about MYs (I don't have one, so I can't speak to it). On rear safety, I wholeheartedly agree: I have a feeling that Tesla is going to make a series of feature updates to be more competitive and this is low-hanging fruit. On Lane Departure warning, I get warned EVERY SINGLE DRIVE, many times, so I'm not sure what the issue is.

Good luck!

 

[BitJam]

How do these buttons adjust regen levels that aren't adjustable?

Good question! They have a dongle that taps into the internal Can Bus network in the car. When Tesla took away the ability to adjust regen, they just removed buttons from the touchscreen UI. The commands still exist on the CAN Bus. This interface also allows them to do other actions based on things like how long you hold/press the door handles.

Here are all the current functions:

S3XY Buttons Functions

Check out all supported functions of the S3XY Buttons made by Enhance. Just like your Tesla, many more features will be added over time.

enhauto.com

There are other gadgets that tap into the CAN Bus that give you tons more information than what is available on the touchscreen. ScanMyTesla and TeslaFi are two that come to mind.

 

[kpanda17]

I used a rubber cutter to trim the mats. It has been very handy for other things too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K6JIM78

Thanks for the advice. The point of modern mats is rhe containing ability with the high edges. I was not ready to trim the mats. If on a few road trips, we feel more storage within reach is necessary then I’ll revisit the underseat boxes and mat trimming. Again thanks