Model Y review from Model S/X driver

[Electric Steve]

I have both S&X and the Y is my favorite. IMO it's the perfect size for a large city and the power of the LR is more than sufficient for me.

I think you get a fairer comparison with the non-perf Y against the non-perf X and the Perf Y against the non-perf S.

A non-perf X goes 0-60 in 4.4s, which is comparable to 4.8s of a non-perf Y.

A non-perf S takes 3.7s, which is basically the same as the Perf Y's 3.5s.

Of course, the Perf X is 2.6s, while the Perf S is 2.3s, so if you want to spend much more money, you do get something for it. But it really is a lot more money.

A non-perf Y is $46k, while a non-perf S is $75k and a non-perf X is $80k so why are we even comparing them?

A Perf Y is $60k while the Perf S and X are $95k and $100k. Again, not even in remotely the same price range.

Actually, the difference is greater, in practice, because the S/X have more options to upgrade to, including interior colors. The bigger tires on the S are $4.5k all on their own.

My Y is Perf and FSD, which bumps it up to $68k even before the premium for go-fast red and the hitch. Add in the assorted fees and taxes, plus the nearly $10k I spent on detailing, tinting, PPF, and ceramic coating, and we're talking serious money.

I'm sorry, but while I can, in some sense, afford an S/X, I can't reasonably justify it. The Y is plenty of car for me; if I was being honest, probably more than I actually need.

Thanks for encouraging me to think this through and do the numbers. I think that, if I had to do it over again, I'd go the same way. Of course, ask me again after Battery Day, or as we call it Buyer's Remorse Day.

 

[Electric Steve]

Having sold an S for a Y, and being an early M3 (AWD LR Dec '17), my impressions are:
MS (ours was 70D with coil springs) is "floaty," "dreamy" and handles very well. Sedate yet spirited when asked.
M3 is our "go-kart" that handles twisties with alacrity. That said, the ride is significantly harsher than the MS. My wife could not wait to get out of the MS to go back to the M3 while I had commandeered it for my work commute (carpool stickers).
MY is interesting. In some ways, it reminds me of the S in terms of handling small road imperfections, but it is clearly harsher than the S. I do not feel the MY can be pushed on twisties like the M3 (or MS for that matter), as it feels like it might lose its bite. I haven't pushed it to see if that's just a perception or if it really could be more aggressive.

Thanks, that's a helpful comparison. My take on this, albeit from my more limited experience, is that the Y is more sporty than the S or X, despite even the performance trim having a less acceleration than either performance trim of the high-end cars.

I can tell you that my Perf Y (with the now-standard PUP) definitely takes turns better than the ponderous S I had for a few days. Granted, I think it was an S85D with a bunch of miles on it, so it might not have been the best example. But size matters, and not always as a positive. (That's what she said, whoever she is, whatever it was she was talking about.)

The S definitely felt floaty and dreamy, very much like some of the larger luxury vehicles (mostly Lincolns) that I've driven. It's not bad, but it's not as much fun. Granted, I'm used to the sporty/bumpy ride of my old Juke.

 

[Electric Steve]

A few weeks ago we tested the Y performance and it was really sluggish off the line, but I’m use to an S P100D everyday. I think it’s due to the permanent magnet motors vs the ac inductive motors in the s/x. Overall I found the Y to be basically a larger 3 with power hatch. Not worth it for us to trade in our January 2018 Model 3.

Uhm, both cars have a mix of permanent magnet and induction, although I think they're reversed. My Y has the induction in the front.

According to Engineering Explained, the single-motor 3 has just the permanent magnet and that's more efficient but less performant. The mix of the two is to get the best of both worlds, using the permanent magnet for cruising and induction for oomph (that's a technical term).

The Perf Y definitely doesn't match a Perf S in acceleration, but I bet it's sportier when it comes to steering. (At least from my limited experience.)

 

[vegas888]

If someone gives to you free MX or MS you would be all over this forum saying how much that car is better then MY.
People here have bias towards MY here and thats normal.
I stopped after reading " Y is more sporty than the S or X" or "MY is more comfortable then MX".
Whatever people own it will be the best car for them.
I drove all 4 models and MY is my least favorite but im going to buy it anyway since its cheaper then MS or MX.
My family loves MX and overall is much better vehicle but cost $30k more

 

[rxlawdude]

Have a 67K mile late 2018 AWD 3 FSD - contemplating on replacing with 3P or AWD Y no FSD as soon as and after any new info from Battery Investor day.

We have a PUP Y no FSD as second fam car. I don't need the extra space of another Y but commute 160 miles daily. I always wanted a 3P. Funding is secured either way. What would you do?

When, back in February I cashed in some TSLA shares, I dithered between trading our MS for the Y or S. (I didn't consider the X because of those falcon wing doors that would not work in our garage.) I actually ordered the S (LR 400 mile variant) as a backup to my $100 order fee for the Y.

Then I started really thinking about what I wanted, which was the latest and greatest hardware, including battery technology. Lesson learned with legacy Model S was that Tesla quietly slowed Supercharging to avoid warranty payouts for battery degradation. The MY uses a newer battery technology, and let's face it: the S is ready for a redesign. And a replacement S wouldn't get the extra room the Y provided.

So I canceled the S and went with the Y, delivered late June. Three road trips later, happy as a clam!

 

[Electric Steve]

If someone gives to you free MX or MS you would be all over this forum saying how much that car is better then MY.
People here have bias towards MY here and thats normal.
I stopped after reading " Y is more sporty than the S or X" or "MY is more comfortable then MX".
Whatever people own it will be the best car for them.
I drove all 4 models and MY is my least favorite but im going to buy it anyway since its cheaper then MS or MX.
My family loves MX and overall is much better vehicle but cost $30k more

If someone gave me a free S or X, I'd sell it. I don't need a second car right now.

Thing is, I could have bought any of these cars, but I chose the Y. It's not that I like whatever I have, but that I have what I like.

I considered getting the S when it came out, but passed. I really liked the X but waited. The 3 was very tempting, but I wanted that hatch, so I held out for the Y. The moment they announced its ship date, I ordered. I have no regrets. (Although ask me again after Battery Day.)

I've driven the S and the Y, and I can tell you firsthand that the Y steers better. Perhaps it's not as sporty as the 3, but it's more so than the S, which is comfy but ponderous, like some of the large luxury cars I've driven. That's fine: no car can be the best at everything. I'm used to a small, sporty-ish crossover, so I don't need a suspension that floats me around.

I wouldn't say that the Y is more comfortable than the X, particularly not if you're very tall (like the guy who made the video apparently is). I would say it's more comfortable than the 3, given that the seats are the same but you get a better view of the road and a bit more leg room. The X, however, is just too big for me.

If you scroll up, you can see that I concede all sorts of advantages to other Tesla models, including the automatic door handles and the heated steering wheel. They just don't matter as much to me, and I can't justify dropping over $100k on a car. I came close enough to that as it stands.

That's just how it works for me. YMMV, metaphorically.

 

[Electric Steve]

When, back in February I cashed in some TSLA shares, I dithered between trading our MS for the Y or S. (I didn't consider the X because of those falcon wing doors that would not work in our garage.) I actually ordered the S (LR 400 mile variant) as a backup to my $100 order fee for the Y.

Then I started really thinking about what I wanted, which was the latest and greatest hardware, including battery technology. Lesson learned with legacy Model S was that Tesla quietly slowed Supercharging to avoid warranty payouts for battery degradation. The MY uses a newer battery technology, and let's face it: the S is ready for a redesign. And a replacement S wouldn't get the extra room the Y provided.

So I canceled the S and went with the Y, delivered late June. Three road trips later, happy as a clam!

I totally get that.

They're already updating the 3's with Y technology. Tesla doesn't do model years, as such, but I bet the next version of the S/X is going to be a big improvement for the same reason. And, of course, whatever they make in 5 years will put anything we have today to shame. That's the cost of being an early adopter.

 

[CaliX]

I think that, if I had to do it over again, I'd go the same way. Of course, ask me again after Battery Day, or as we call it Buyer's Remorse Day.

This is how I perceive Elon... divide by 2 and you get closer to truth. You know he reminds me of Steve Jobs... all that hype then it comes out, you look at the spec sheet and you realize the dramatic increase in speed is really just a bump in speed. I own everything Apple... what can I say.

I don't think either of us will have buyers remorse on battery day I do think it will be a leap in battery density but just how far that leap is time will tell. Even if they increase the MY to 400 miles my 300 miles is plenty.

 

[FatherTo1]

As a previous S owner - both P and non - The only places I feel the Y comes up short:

1. Suspension - Yes, air really makes a difference
2. Door handles - I still cant quite get it right.

Power wise .. off the line it's got a noticeable roll on power feel. As if Tesla intended to take it easy on the gearbox. On the road though, punch it and it goes every bit as good as my non P Model S. So no issue on that front.

Recently test drove a Y non-P and was surprised at the amount of legroom front and back, but a little tight in the shoulder area. I think the 3/Y are helluva cars in their price range, but after a year with our Raven S I just can't go to a Y.

The Y rides too stiff and rough compared to the S, not to mention noisier than our S. I prefer two screens and dedicated AP stalk. I would only sell my S for a Raven X (pre-Raven X also has terrible ride quality). Again though, in their segments the 3/Y are phenomenal cars and a huge step up from an ICE car. Neither are S/X level but you can't expect them to be.

 

[Watts 4 Me]

I have a m3 with boost upgrade. I want a mY for the space. But even the mYp is slower than what I have on the top end. And that's why I haven't ordered. I need the speed.

 

[ReturnZero]

I have a Model S and my wife drives a Model X. Both 100D, non-performance, and neither is a Raven model. We both really like our cars.

My lease is ending in a couple months so I went test driving to figure out what to get next. I've been considering getting a 3 or Y, mostly just to save some cash, but I was still considering getting another S Long Range as well.

First we drove the Perf Y. It was really fantastic. It felt so connected to the road, ride quality was a little stiff but still quite good. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by it.

What shocked me more though was my wife's reaction. She loved it, and she said she fully expected to be a snob about it and didn't think she would care for it after being used to her X.

We also drove the Perf 3 after that, holy cow that thing is something else. I nailed the throttle half way through a turn and it gripped down and flung me through like a rocket. I've driven both a Performance S and X and they're very fast, but not nearly as engaging as this 3 was. Again, even my wife loved it, which is unusual for her, she's normally the kind that would love a big floaty SUV over a nimble sporty car.

The good news is Tesla really outdid themselves with the 3 and Y, even coming from the S and X lens. The bad news is I still have no idea what car to order next...

 

[Ruffles]

I sold my 2016 X 90d with AP1 form my Perf Y. If you compare the latest X with the latest Y, the X is probably better but hard to justify the price. For my situation, it was a no brainer. The Y blows my old X away with tech and it has more usable space because my X had the 6 seats with the middle row that didn't fold down. The PUP Y drives extremely sporty and feels like its on rails compared to my X that felt like a bus after driving the Y. Finally, everyone in my family hated the Falcon doors as they had all been hit in the head at various times. My biggest concern going from the X to the Y was missing out on the second screen behind the steering wheel but I adjusted very quickly and don't miss it.

 

[filotej]

Why Model Y is the Best Tesla - Tesla Geeks Show

Tesla geeks show Spotify podcast Why Model Y is the best Tesla