Model Y review from an mechanical and software engineer's standpoint.

[Manbutter]

I’ve never owned a Tesla before but two things wowed me so far:

1) yesterday I set navigation tosome place 8 miles away and to my surprise, the ending battery percentage was higher than it currently was! I then remembered it was mostly a downhill drive and the regen prob factored greatly - wow that is some good mapping and data

2) the regen braking blending is near perfect. I find myself almost every single time getting to exactly the perfect position at a red light or behind another car. I wonder if the car’s sensors detect the distance to the car ahead and changes the regen power accordingly. Or if my foot is subconsciously doing it.

 

[paulp]

I’ve never owned a Tesla before but two things wowed me so far:

1) yesterday I set navigation tosome place 8 miles away and to my surprise, the ending battery percentage was higher than it currently was! I then remembered it was mostly a downhill drive and the regen prob factored greatly - wow that is some good mapping and data

2) the regen braking blending is near perfect. I find myself almost every single time getting to exactly the perfect position at a red light or behind another car. I wonder if the car’s sensors detect the distance to the car ahead and changes the regen power accordingly. Or if my foot is subconsciously doing it.

You get to understand the regen length and lift off accordingly. Its a significant issue when you jump into a petrol car 6 months later. You lift off expecting it to slow down but it doesn’t.

 

[moa999]

^ as Paulp says you learn the regen pretty quickly.

It has improved over the years, was a little aggressive a few years ago. Equally low speed autopilot has been massively improved, used to hop like a learner in a manual.

 

[Manbutter]

You get to understand the regen length and lift off accordingly. Its a significant issue when you jump into a petrol car 6 months later. You lift off expecting it to slow down but it doesn’t.

That’s what I’m afraid of!!! I’m surprised I’ve gotten used to one-pedal driving so quickly. Although there have been several times where I quickly lifted off and the Tesla regens unintentionally.

I’d love to know how my rear brake lights are reacting. I always hated driving behind someone who constantly brakes when unnecessary and I’d hate to be “that guy.” Always prided myself on the slightest inputs: Coasting and braking as little as possible. Smooth driving.

 

[meloccom]

That’s what I’m afraid of!!! I’m surprised I’ve gotten used to one-pedal driving so quickly. Although there have been several times where I quickly lifted off and the Tesla regens unintentionally.

I’d love to know how my rear brake lights are reacting. I always hated driving behind someone who constantly brakes when unnecessary and I’d hate to be “that guy.” Always prided myself on the slightest inputs: Coasting and braking as little as possible. Smooth driving.

The pictograph of your car on the central screen lights up the brake lights when your actual brake lights are working.

 

[Vostok]

You get to understand the regen length and lift off accordingly. Its a significant issue when you jump into a petrol car 6 months later. You lift off expecting it to slow down but it doesn’t.

It doesn’t need to be ICE - I get that when I drive my LEAF (which my wife mostly drives these days). It has regen but not 1-pedal driving. I take my foot off the accelerator and hang on! Why aren’t I slowing down?! Where’s the braking?! . Also the stalks are the other way around!

LEAF braking is “blended“ - pressing on the brake pedal triggers regen and if you keep pressing harder mechanical braking will kick in.

 

[Vostok]

The pictograph of your car on the central screen lights up the brake lights when your actual brake lights are working.

It’s a shame it’s so tiny though you can’t really see it.

 

[BreatheSafe]

I love one pedal driving - Seriously cannot understand why most EV's don't have it. Makes the driving experience/effort so much better.

I went with my son and test drove the Atto 3 which he had on order (now cancelled after the test drive) and it was a shame that it didn't have it.
He is going to 'extend' himself and get a 3 LR or Y LR (if they ever come). He said if he was going to go EV might as well do it with all the benefits.

 

[paulp]

I love one pedal driving - Seriously cannot understand why most EV's don't have it. Makes the driving experience/effort so much better.

I went with my son and test drove the Atto 3 which he had on order (now cancelled after the test drive) and it was a shame that it didn't have it.
He is going to 'extend' himself and get a 3 LR or Y LR (if they ever come). He said if he was going to go EV might as well do it with all the benefits.

The one pedal driving is also very good in the polestar2. It’s very strong, which I quite like.

 

[Manbutter]

I love one pedal driving - Seriously cannot understand why most EV's don't have it. Makes the driving experience/effort so much better.

I went with my son and test drove the Atto 3 which he had on order (now cancelled after the test drive) and it was a shame that it didn't have it.
He is going to 'extend' himself and get a 3 LR or Y LR (if they ever come). He said if he was going to go EV might as well do it with all the benefits.

I wish Tesla would add paddles on the steering wheel (like MB) that can vary regen power. Although I am liking and getting used to being able to modulate the braking force with the accel pedal.

 

[TrevRex]

Speaking of regen sort of miss the paddles to adjust the amount of regen like on our Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV when driving the Model Y. The PHEV has 5 levels from B0-B5 where B0 is no regen. B0 is great for just coasting I think. But the PHEV doesn't have full 1 pedal driving which I do like on the Model Y. Have to bring the PHEV to a full stop with the brake pedal from slow speeds.

 

[Vostok]

Speaking of regen sort of miss the paddles to adjust the amount of regen like on our Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV when driving the Model Y. The PHEV has 5 levels from B0-B5 where B0 is no regen. B0 is great for just coasting I think. But the PHEV doesn't have full 1 pedal driving which I do like on the Model Y. Have to bring the PHEV to a full stop with the brake pedal from slow speeds.

I never understood regen paddles, because you already have one to control regen - your foot on the accelerator.

For regen, the harder the better in my book.

 

[TrevRex]

I never understood regen paddles, because you already have one to control regen - your foot on the accelerator.

For regen, the harder the better in my book.

Not sure whether your tried paddles but I especially love B0 (no regen) for just gliding along. Most EVs are heavy and they seem to glide beautifully losing so little speed over time when you lift your foot off IMO if they had B0 as set up on the PHEV. It's very efficient and so easily controllable I think.

Thinking of buying S3XY Buttons for Tesla to get the same control of regen for the Model Y.

 

[[Zombie]]

I've never understood the fascination with "coasting" when you lift off the accelerator. No matter how heavy the car you will lose speed (or increase speed if you're going down hill) which means you're constantly speeding up and slowing down. Very annoying for anyone following you, especially if they don't have adaptive cruise control and have to keep adjusting their speed to suit. Not to mention the amount of wasted fuel from everyone speeding up and slowing down.

If you want to cruise along at a constant speed there's a function for that - "cruise control"

 

[TrevRex]

I've never understood the fascination with "coasting" when you lift off the accelerator. No matter how heavy the car you will lose speed (or increase speed if you're going down hill) which means you're constantly speeding up and slowing down. Very annoying for anyone following you, especially if they don't have adaptive cruise control and have to keep adjusting their speed to suit. Not to mention the amount of wasted fuel from everyone speeding up and slowing down.

If you want to cruise along at a constant speed there's a function for that - "cruise control"

LOL. Where I live and the time of day I drive there is very little traffic to annoy.

 

[TrevRex]

Ok over 6 weeks with the Model Y now and still happy with my purchase.

Of the "gripes" or nuances I mentioned at the start of this thread I was still getting used to I have have started to overcome some of them through experience and or trial and error I think.

"Occasional unnecessary braking on adaptive cruise control": I turn off all "safety" features. Though Tesla still really need to get on top of this IMO.

"Not having physical buttons for certain functions and just using the large display is certainly different IMO. If the road is a bit rough hitting those smaller icons or sub menu shortcuts can be tricky.": By resting my fingers around the outside of the display and using my thumb to select small icons and submenu shortcuts solve this for me now.

"Even in chill mode I think the accelerator is too sensitive for my liking.": Turned off chill mode and sent my foot back into training and now chill mode is easy LOL.

"Auto dimming headlights I think are unusable for me. I manually control them instead." Still control them manually but that doesn't worry me. Hell my workday 4x4 diesel ute has a manual gearbox and hand wind windows. Great training car for my sons to have learnt to drive in and learn how to handle bush tracks etc which makes learning freeway driving and town/city driving relatively easy IMO. With no load in the back does great drifting on gravel (private) roads.

Been interesting to say the least in using my skills in starting to "tame" the Model Y to suit me.

 

[Way Downunder]

Interesting, I have my MYP on sport settings, but it took a while to get used to one pedal and the steering, Now I prefer the sports steering mode and sharper acceleration. What I do not like at all is the Emergency lane departure false alarms, it does not cope well on narrow roads with no lines, especially if there is a seam of shoulder bitumen, which is very common in Tasmania to widen the road a bit, it seems to think the seam is the line or the edge of the road. I have experienced phantom braking but it seems to be in long shadow conditions which confuse the car, generally not an issue. I also do not like the most often used/viewed smaller control screens all being located at the bottom of the screen, worst location from an eyes on the road perspective. The small screens, the popup control screens and the fav buttons should be in the general top right hand section of the screen. Tesla added scroll button customisation on the steering wheel which is essentially to partially overcome this deficiency. I would prefer the car animation off to the left with the Navigation screen and the control screen in the right 2/3rds of the screen too for a right hand drive car.

 

[TrevRex]

Interesting, I have my MYP on sport settings, but it took a while to get used to one pedal and the steering, Now I prefer the sports steering mode and sharper acceleration.

Yea I prefer sports steering myself at speed ie highway cruising. Around town I tend to use comfort steering now mainly to avoid all the potholes on some of our roads around here after all the rain.

What I do not like at all is the Emergency lane departure false alarms, it does not cope well on narrow roads with no lines, especially if there is a seam of shoulder bitumen, which is very common in Tasmania to widen the road a bit, it seems to think the seam is the line or the edge of the road.

Ok I have learnt to turn off at the start of each drive the setting for this in the menu on the display. Being able to go close to lane markings to avoid potholes around here make this a necessity to protect the wheels and suspension. Around our country roads where I live I would never own a MYP unless I put at least 19" or less rims on it because of the danger of damage to rims and tyres. But that is just my opinion.

I have experienced phantom braking but it seems to be in long shadow conditions which confuse the car, generally not an issue.

Previous cars I have owned or still own with adaptive cruise control don't show this behaviour of phantom braking. I definitely consider this an issue that is totally solvable if Tesla was willing to put the effort into it IMHO. Hell the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that I still own with a radar based adaptive cruise control shows none of this phantom braking crap.

I also do not like the most often used/viewed smaller control screens all being located at the bottom of the screen, worst location from an eyes on the road perspective. The small screens, the popup control screens and the fav buttons should be in the general top right hand section of the screen. Tesla added scroll button customisation on the steering wheel which is essentially to partially overcome this deficiency. I would prefer the car animation off to the left with the Navigation screen and the control screen in the right 2/3rds of the screen too for a right hand drive car.

None of this worries me too much but the placement of the stalks on what I consider is the wrong side for our market and when accidently hitting the wrong stalk instead of turning the wipers on like European cars you can engage cruise control or even put the Tesla in reverse. Something for maybe new owners to watch out for I think.

But after owning my Model Y RWD for approx 8 months I sold it in June, before the price drop, while I now wait for a Model Y LR I ordered in April. So I guess even with these "gripes" I mention my family and I still want to be involved with the ownership of what we consider will be a better Tesla for our needs.

 

[paulp]

Yea I prefer sports steering myself at speed ie highway cruising. Around town I tend to use comfort steering now mainly to avoid all the potholes on some of our roads around here after all the rain.

Ok I have learnt to turn off at the start of each drive the setting for this in the menu on the display. Being able to go close to lane markings to avoid potholes around here make this a necessity to protect the wheels and suspension. Around our country roads where I live I would never own a MYP unless I put at least 19" or less rims on it because of the danger of damage to rims and tyres. But that is just my opinion.

Previous cars I have owned or still own with adaptive cruise control don't show this behaviour of phantom braking. I definitely consider this an issue that is totally solvable if Tesla was willing to put the effort into it IMHO. Hell the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that I still own with a radar based adaptive cruise control shows none of this phantom braking crap.

None of this worries me too much but the placement of the stalks on what I consider is the wrong side for our market and when accidently hitting the wrong stalk instead of turning the wipers on like European cars you can engage cruise control or even put the Tesla in reverse. Something for maybe new owners to watch out for I think.

But after owning my Model Y RWD for approx 8 months I sold it in June, before the price drop, while I now wait for a Model Y LR I ordered in April. So I guess even with these "gripes" I mention my family and I still want to be involved with the ownership of what we consider will be a better Tesla for our needs.

The car will not go into reverse above a certain speed which is quite low. Accidently tried it.

 

[Way Downunder]

The car will not go into reverse above a certain speed which is quite low. Accidently tried it.

I suspect every honest Australian driver of a Tesla has done the same, more than once too.