Disclaimer: I'll admit I was pretty naïve and uninformed about most things Tesla when I took delivery of my Y in October, 2022. I did minimal research about the Y beforehand so I ended up learning most things on the go and am definitely still figuring some stuff out.
As a non-biased first time Tesla owner I wanted to give a simple summary of some pros and cons that I've personally identified in the first two months since I took delivery.
Major PROS:
- No more ICE! It is quite liberating to drive past gas stations and know that I'll never have to stop ever again.
- Performance (duh!). I test drove the Y once, back in February, 2022 so I only had minor exposure to the performance and handling beforehand. The Y is a very fun vehicle to drive. Passing on non-divided highways is a breeze compared to my previous 1/2 ton truck.
- Overall, the tech is pretty impressive and makes the user experience quite enjoyable.
- Comfort: Long road trips in the Y are much more comfortable than I have experienced with any other vehicle in the past and I travel quite a bit.
- Superchargers: charging time is impressive and they are generally located in convenient areas for one or more of: meals, bathroom breaks, snacks, shopping, etc.
- 3500lbs towing capacity is impressive in comparison to other vehicles of a similar class.
Minor PROS:
- I love the sound system, it can feel like you are at a live concert and contributes to a fun ride.
- The regen braking is impressive and delivers noticeable range + when applied regularly. It should also contribute to a very long brake pad life as you can easily drive all around town without applying the brake pedal even once.
- The look: Unlike the X and 3 (IMO), the Model Y has a great sporty look and really catches the eye. I also like the S. That's just my opinion though.
- The range: It's mostly reasonable... in comparison to other current EVs anyways.
- Cargo capacity is significant considering the overall size of the vehicle.
- Sentry mode is a nice feature when you are leaving the vehicle in a "sketchier" area.
- Winter handling is pretty good overall.
- Battery pre-conditioning when navigating to Tesla Superchargers. This is handy (though, when activated it does speed up the rate of battery loss for obvious reasons).
- There are many other minor pros but they aren't necessarily game-changers.
Minor CONS:
- The effective highway range is quite low in anything but the most favorable conditions. I've been on several road trips with the Y and the best effective range I have achieved is about 400km (240 miles) - this is with favorable temperature and wind conditions and travelling closer to 65mph. In extreme cold and a good headwind the range is basically shredded in 1/2. My effective highway range in -15 C and a good 40 km/h headwind was slashed to about 200km (120 miles). Freeway speeds (120km/h + - 75 mph+) also reduce the effective range quite a bit (generally about 300km - 185 miles). This is all vs. the advertised range of 531 km (330 miles).
- Supercharging costs in Canada (where I live) are quite high -> the $ saved (vs. gasoline) compared to extra time spent charging is marginal when on road trips and relying on superchargers.
- Quality of he build is definitely suspect. One of the clips on the passenger sun visor mirror was broken when I took delivery. It was a piece of cheap plastic and clearly wasn't quality control tested before delivery (or someone didn't care). Other finishes are disappointing, like the rubber on the window-edges not being uniform or flush in the corners, etc.
- The tech can be glitchy - Bluetooth will randomly tweak out, navigation will glitch out, etc. Most of these issues are resolved by a screen reset but this can be of annoyance if they occur when you are driving.
- The headlights are great - if you need to see into the future. Otherwise, they aren't designed super well if you are considering oncoming drivers. They are too bright; I regularly get flashed by oncoming vehicles at night when I do not have the brights engaged.
- The vehicle clearance is pretty low - don't plan on driving in deep snow, uneven terrain, or up/down steep driveways.
- The battery doesn't precondition when travelling to non-Tesla fast chargers. Seems like something easy that could be updated.
Major CONS:
- As it stands, the Autopilot function is a COMPLETE JOKE. It is essentially like owning an $80,000 vehicle that doesn't have a functional cruise control - in 2022! I went on a long road trip last weekend and dealt with over 30 phantom braking events. These ranged from minor application of the brakes all the way to significant slowdowns that violently threw myself and my wife forward in our seats. No - there was never any hazards that required braking. Some of these were seemingly random with no obvious explanation as to what could be confusing the sensors. The most common culprit, however, is cresting a slight rolling rise - for some reason right as the vehicle crest the roll the sensors get confused and slam on the brakes. Shadows, dark asphalt patches, trees, buildings, etc. are other causes of sudden, unnecessary phantom braking. This issue alone has soured my attitude quite a bit towards my new Model Y. For the love of all that's holy Tesla, fix the issue or allow me to fully disengage anything other than a conventional cruise control!
- Controlling climate on the touch pad is a nightmare - especially when driving alone. I am 6 ft tall with a good reach and can still barely manage to reach and drag (omg so sensitive!) the tiny dot when I want to adjust the fan speed. Who thought this was a good idea? No - I don't want to rely on the voice activation to do this, especially when there is a passenger. It is clunky and awkward to interrupt the music every time I want to change the fan speed by 1 tick. I knew I would hate the climate control functions before I took delivery and those fears were confirmed.
- Supporting a company that EM "owns". Yes, that man is a complete tool.
I am fully expecting responses that undermine some of my complaints - like I said, I am still trying to figure out some of the features, etc.
As a non-biased first time Tesla owner I wanted to give a simple summary of some pros and cons that I've personally identified in the first two months since I took delivery.
Major PROS:
- No more ICE! It is quite liberating to drive past gas stations and know that I'll never have to stop ever again.
- Performance (duh!). I test drove the Y once, back in February, 2022 so I only had minor exposure to the performance and handling beforehand. The Y is a very fun vehicle to drive. Passing on non-divided highways is a breeze compared to my previous 1/2 ton truck.
- Overall, the tech is pretty impressive and makes the user experience quite enjoyable.
- Comfort: Long road trips in the Y are much more comfortable than I have experienced with any other vehicle in the past and I travel quite a bit.
- Superchargers: charging time is impressive and they are generally located in convenient areas for one or more of: meals, bathroom breaks, snacks, shopping, etc.
- 3500lbs towing capacity is impressive in comparison to other vehicles of a similar class.
Minor PROS:
- I love the sound system, it can feel like you are at a live concert and contributes to a fun ride.
- The regen braking is impressive and delivers noticeable range + when applied regularly. It should also contribute to a very long brake pad life as you can easily drive all around town without applying the brake pedal even once.
- The look: Unlike the X and 3 (IMO), the Model Y has a great sporty look and really catches the eye. I also like the S. That's just my opinion though.
- The range: It's mostly reasonable... in comparison to other current EVs anyways.
- Cargo capacity is significant considering the overall size of the vehicle.
- Sentry mode is a nice feature when you are leaving the vehicle in a "sketchier" area.
- Winter handling is pretty good overall.
- Battery pre-conditioning when navigating to Tesla Superchargers. This is handy (though, when activated it does speed up the rate of battery loss for obvious reasons).
- There are many other minor pros but they aren't necessarily game-changers.
Minor CONS:
- The effective highway range is quite low in anything but the most favorable conditions. I've been on several road trips with the Y and the best effective range I have achieved is about 400km (240 miles) - this is with favorable temperature and wind conditions and travelling closer to 65mph. In extreme cold and a good headwind the range is basically shredded in 1/2. My effective highway range in -15 C and a good 40 km/h headwind was slashed to about 200km (120 miles). Freeway speeds (120km/h + - 75 mph+) also reduce the effective range quite a bit (generally about 300km - 185 miles). This is all vs. the advertised range of 531 km (330 miles).
- Supercharging costs in Canada (where I live) are quite high -> the $ saved (vs. gasoline) compared to extra time spent charging is marginal when on road trips and relying on superchargers.
- Quality of he build is definitely suspect. One of the clips on the passenger sun visor mirror was broken when I took delivery. It was a piece of cheap plastic and clearly wasn't quality control tested before delivery (or someone didn't care). Other finishes are disappointing, like the rubber on the window-edges not being uniform or flush in the corners, etc.
- The tech can be glitchy - Bluetooth will randomly tweak out, navigation will glitch out, etc. Most of these issues are resolved by a screen reset but this can be of annoyance if they occur when you are driving.
- The headlights are great - if you need to see into the future. Otherwise, they aren't designed super well if you are considering oncoming drivers. They are too bright; I regularly get flashed by oncoming vehicles at night when I do not have the brights engaged.
- The vehicle clearance is pretty low - don't plan on driving in deep snow, uneven terrain, or up/down steep driveways.
- The battery doesn't precondition when travelling to non-Tesla fast chargers. Seems like something easy that could be updated.
Major CONS:
- As it stands, the Autopilot function is a COMPLETE JOKE. It is essentially like owning an $80,000 vehicle that doesn't have a functional cruise control - in 2022! I went on a long road trip last weekend and dealt with over 30 phantom braking events. These ranged from minor application of the brakes all the way to significant slowdowns that violently threw myself and my wife forward in our seats. No - there was never any hazards that required braking. Some of these were seemingly random with no obvious explanation as to what could be confusing the sensors. The most common culprit, however, is cresting a slight rolling rise - for some reason right as the vehicle crest the roll the sensors get confused and slam on the brakes. Shadows, dark asphalt patches, trees, buildings, etc. are other causes of sudden, unnecessary phantom braking. This issue alone has soured my attitude quite a bit towards my new Model Y. For the love of all that's holy Tesla, fix the issue or allow me to fully disengage anything other than a conventional cruise control!
- Controlling climate on the touch pad is a nightmare - especially when driving alone. I am 6 ft tall with a good reach and can still barely manage to reach and drag (omg so sensitive!) the tiny dot when I want to adjust the fan speed. Who thought this was a good idea? No - I don't want to rely on the voice activation to do this, especially when there is a passenger. It is clunky and awkward to interrupt the music every time I want to change the fan speed by 1 tick. I knew I would hate the climate control functions before I took delivery and those fears were confirmed.
- Supporting a company that EM "owns". Yes, that man is a complete tool.
I am fully expecting responses that undermine some of my complaints - like I said, I am still trying to figure out some of the features, etc.
