Model Y Review by a Hater

[Pianewman]

This endless suspension discussion is, in my opinion, based entirely upon regional road surfaces.

I could never tolerate the MYLR suspension if I lived in virtually any urban environment. Suburban Fort Worth is marginal for me, with vast stretches of 30-40 year old residential irregular concrete slabs. Some neighborhoods are impassable and I won't drive there. My "upscale" community is cursed with these slabs, and they're so rough my wife complains...every...time...! (Her 2019 Avalon Hybrid is marginally better. Daughter's 2017 Prius just shrugs them off, while making us all carsick!!)

Concrete roads last much longer than asphalt, but are ridiculously expensive and time-consuming to replace.

 

[Ratch]

Looks like both of you live/travel in the shitty parts of London and California and both only seen and know the visitor friendly areas of London and Californai

This is such a stupid post. Maybe delete it?

 

[Ratch]

This endless suspension discussion is, in my opinion, based entirely upon regional road surfaces.

I could never tolerate the MYLR suspension if I lived in virtually any urban environment. Suburban Fort Worth is marginal for me, with vast stretches of 30-40 year old residential irregular concrete slabs. Some neighborhoods are impassable and I won't drive there. My "upscale" community is cursed with these slabs, and they're so rough my wife complains...every...time...! (Her 2019 Avalon Hybrid is marginally better. Daughter's 2017 Prius just shrugs them off, while making us all carsick!!)

Concrete roads last much longer than asphalt, but are ridiculously expensive and time-consuming to replace.

Cars need to work everywhere.

 

[sleepydoc]

It's a 12/22 Austin build on 20 inch inductions. To call the MYLR suspension dog *sugar* really makes you sound like a princess

I have a 2020 MYLR and the best word to describe the ride is punishing. Virtually every small imperfection is perfectly transmitted with fidelity that rivals the best concert halls in the world. I’m convinced that Tesla naively paired with the American Chiropractic Association when designing it with the latter sensing a unique opportunity to increase business. Or it could be from the American Association of Dry Cleaners since every time I try to take a sip of my morning coffee on a road that is anything but pristine it spills down my front. (For a while I thought I was developing Parkinson‘s, but then I realized I had no problems holding a coffee cup in any other car.)

It’s not all bad, though - I’ve found that I can imagine myself bouncing across the savannah in a Land Rover being chased by lions. Then I’m just thankful they don’t get my coffee, even if half of it is on me instead of in me. I’ve also noticed that when I sing along with my favorite show tunes I now have a wonderful vibrato that I can’t seem to get at home.

 

[sleepydoc]

This endless suspension discussion is, in my opinion, based entirely upon regional road surfaces.

Yes and no - Ultimately, the quality of a suspension is determined by how well it handles the difficult situations. Any suspension can handle driving straight on glassy-smooth asphalt. A good suspension will ride and handle well on imperfect roads as well. The suspension also needs to be matched to the car - the reports I’ve read indicate that Tesla tried to simply transplant the M3 suspension into the MY. Unsurprisingly, the larger, heavier MY does worse.

Here in MN asphalt roads often suffer from frost heave around cracks creating small bumps in the winter. I have ridden in no other car that handles them as poorly as my Model Y.

Cars need to work everywhere.

Yes.

 

[Magnus0322]

I have a 2020 MYLR and the best word to describe the ride is punishing. Virtually every small imperfection is perfectly transmitted with fidelity that rivals the best concert halls in the world. I’m convinced that Tesla naively paired with the American Chiropractic Association when designing it with the latter sensing a unique opportunity to increase business. Or it could be from the American Association of Dry Cleaners since every time I try to take a sip of my morning coffee on a road that is anything but pristine it spills down my front. (For a while I thought I was developing Parkinson‘s, but then I realized I had no problems holding a coffee cup in any other car.)

It’s not all bad, though - I’ve found that I can imagine myself bouncing across the savannah in a Land Rover being chased by lions. Then I’m just thankful they don’t get my coffee, even if half of it is on me instead of in me. I’ve also noticed that when I sing along with my favorite show tunes I now have a wonderful vibrato that I can’t seem to get at home.

Well I can tell you I don't experience any bouncing as described. Have yet to spill my coffee. It feels similar to my Lexus IS 250 F Sport suspension. The Lexus was still cushier but I don't mind the Model Y

 

[Ratch]

the reports I’ve read indicate that Tesla tried to simply transplant the M3 suspension into the MY. Unsurprisingly, the larger, heavier MY does worse.

They would have had to fit stiffer springs which would then make sense. No damping and rock hard ride.

I’m kind of confused as to wether I have the newer suspension (my Y is a Chinese made ‘23) because I can’t imagine the older cars could be any worse. They’d be undriveable.

 

[SpenceW]

Certainly not my experience with my 10/22 Fremont build with the “comfort suspension”. It is not harsh at all. Settles down immediately over manholes or speed bumps. Very smooth with normal driving. Better than past cars I’ve had like 2016 CX5 and 2007 335i. I think China may be the reason….were there reports of China upgrading suspension like the US did?

Honestly, I don’t know. And I don’t know whether there’s a way to check the spec on any given car

 

[SpenceW]

Where was your M3LR built?

Also from China - they’re the only M3 and MY cars available in right-hand drive

 

[Pianewman]

Cars need to work everywhere.

Agreed, but I'd like to find a car that can handle I20, going through Shreveport, LA, at the posted speed limit.

Some of our urban road surfaces are as challenging as any offroad course, and...uhh...offroading suspensions are far from smooth.

 

[mexxdude]

Coming from a 2020 M3LR with 18” wheel to a 2023 MYLG with 20” wheel, the ride quality is fastly improved. I also have a 2010 BMW X3 and the MY is noticeably better in both ride comfort and noise insulation.

 

[SpenceW]

I have a 2020 MYLR and the best word to describe the ride is punishing. Virtually every small imperfection is perfectly transmitted with fidelity that rivals the best concert halls in the world. I’m convinced that Tesla naively paired with the American Chiropractic Association when designing it with the latter sensing a unique opportunity to increase business. Or it could be from the American Association of Dry Cleaners since every time I try to take a sip of my morning coffee on a road that is anything but pristine it spills down my front. (For a while I thought I was developing Parkinson‘s, but then I realized I had no problems holding a coffee cup in any other car.)

It’s not all bad, though - I’ve found that I can imagine myself bouncing across the savannah in a Land Rover being chased by lions. Then I’m just thankful they don’t get my coffee, even if half of it is on me instead of in me. I’ve also noticed that when I sing along with my favorite show tunes I now have a wonderful vibrato that I can’t seem to get at home.

I spent many hours on the back of Land Cruisers (not Land Rovers) at Christmas time & you definitely would NOT want to do that in a Model Y! Sadly, we didn’t see lions, but if it would mean getting chased, maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing!

In terms of the ride on our specific MY (noting that it is a December 22 China car), my issue is not so much with the after-effects of a ‘suspension input’ (bump, pothole, etc.), but your word ‘punishing’ is a good description. It’s the massive ‘thump’ through the car whenever the road surface is poor/broken and the high-frequency ’jitter’ at higher speed that really stands out. It makes it hard work, instead of feeling relaxing or comfortable.
If this was a sports/race car, (e.g. the ‘Performance’ version) or was cheap, then maybe that would be an acceptable compromise, but this is a family hatch/crossover thing costing the equivalent of US$80k. Whichever way you look at it, there’s no excuse for the ride quality to be so bad IMO.

 

[SpenceW]

Coming from a 2020 M3LR with 18” wheel to a 2023 MYLG with 20” wheel, the ride quality is fastly improved. I also have a 2010 BMW X3 and the MY is noticeably better in both ride comfort and noise insulation.

Are both of your cars -made? If so, this *may* be the (or, at least part of the) answer.
We have both a Jun 2021 M3 LR and a Dec 22 MY LR and I have driven exactly the same roads within minutes of each other in the two cars. Sadly, my experience is exactly the opposite of yours. That’s very disappointing, especially given the cost of the Model Y

 

[mexxdude]

Yes, I live in VA and both were made in Fremont CA.

 

[SpenceW]

Yes, I live in VA and both were made in Fremont CA.

So, it *may* be that there is a difference between the latest & cars. As above, my experience aligns much more with sleepydoc, despite my MY arriving in Dec ‘22

 

[Ratch]

Coming from a 2020 M3LR with 18” wheel to a 2023 MYLG with 20” wheel, the ride quality is fastly improved. I also have a 2010 BMW X3 and the MY is noticeably better in both ride comfort and noise insulation.

I find this very hard to believe. The only explanation is clearly the factors are fitting different parts. I had a 2005 X3 with B Sports suspension and it was a dream. As was our 2003 BMW 320d and our 2016 220i GT.

 

[enemji]

This is such a stupid post. Maybe delete it?

If this post is stupid, the source of this conclusion is the problem ie the two posts that stated those facts. I merely summarized them.

 

[Yelobird]

I find this very hard to believe. The only explanation is clearly the factors are fitting different parts. I had a 2005 X3 with B Sports suspension and it was a dream. As was our 2003 BMW 320d and our 2016 220i GT.

As do most when you say the Tesla is almost undriveable. It’s clearly an individual preference. To say he’s wrong on the BMW comfort equals your opinion of the Tesla comfort.

 

[Zcd1]

Currently driving a ‘23 MY - don’t know where it was built.

Definitely feel the extra weight vs my 3P, but the suspension seems well-controlled and comfortable.

Not surprisingly, it’s firmer than our GV60, but more controlled as well. It’s certainly softer than my 3P, but not wallowy, uncontrolled, bounding, harsh or any of the other adjectives I’ve heard some people use to describe it.

It also seems quieter/better isolated than my 3.

My only gripe is that the steering ratio seems quicker than would be ideal given the car’s mission statement, but it’s something one would adjust to, I’d think.

Also was surprised that the seats feel quite different than my 3. I don’t recall reading about the Y’s seats being new/different but they certainly seem to be. Side bolsters feel more aggressive and the padding seems different.

 

[Daekwan]

Well I can tell you I don't experience any bouncing as described. Have yet to spill my coffee. It feels similar to my Lexus IS 250 F Sport suspension. The Lexus was still cushier but I don't mind the Model Y

I get bounced around and spill coffee so often in my 2021 Y that I refuse to put it in a cup down in the holder unless I have a lid.

And I promise I take the most careful sips possible.