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Why should I get a 3 instead of a Y?

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You really have to go drive them. I knew I was going Performance model, and both the MYP and the M3P were insanely good. Lots of things about the Y I liked, but one thing held me up and it was a non-starter.

Drivers position.

With the 3 you slide into the car, and feel more like your legs are extended and the steering whee comes out to you. For lack of a better description, you sit under the wheel in a way.

The Y I felt like a bus driver. No matter where I put the seat, the wheel never felt in the right place, and my legs were more bent like being in a chair at a desk. I actually went back again to drive the MYP (because the space and stuff really was appealing) and loved it. Then I sat in a 3 (not even drove. Just sat) and it was game over. Felt like home.

This is funny because I'm the exact opposite. I HATE having my legs extended on long trips, gets uncomfortable. When sitting "like a chair at a desk" I feel like I can do either - extend my legs or pull them back. That ability makes long trips MUCH more comfortable. Plus I like the "bus driver" position. I feel like I can see more and getting in/out is much easier. Especially for my wife who has hip issues.

This all points out what a lot have said - try them both and see for yourself. What you value probably isn't what I value. What I find comfortable, you may find awkward. No one here can tell you which to get, but it's HIGHLY likely that if you spend a few minutes with both, the answer will come to you.

I LOVE how the 3 looks and I'd probably love how it drives, but I hate how it sits. I need a "higher" 3, thus the Y is perfect...except I find it a bit ugly. The 3 is a beautiful car, IMHO.
 
Are hatchbacks somehow *better*? I put my M3 rear seats down today and transported a big orange U-Haul furniture dolly in it. I've also "camped" in the trunk with the rear seats down and hung out with my kids with the Nintendo Switch up on the back... 3 of us laying down in the back playing Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune :)... does the Y really have "better" space?
yes, larger cargo volume is significantly better, and taller aperture given the same width is significantly better and allows more configuration.

if the sedan has more volume than you personally need thats fine, but asking how something that has more volume is not "better space" is a weird question.
 
Well i hope were not going down mini-van alley .
Take the seats out and put shag carpet, instant party.
Space is space. Cooler, beer, sorry.
Now I will always pick speed and style over "use model"
lockdown happy hour, gotta go.
 
We went to test drive the 3/y before buying.
They were side by side, and my wife who usually has no opinions, would not even entertain a Y - her words were that it looks strange. I got in and adjusted the seat - didn’t like the rear visibility. Car never left it’s parking space. If we still had kids around, these things might be overlooked.
 
This is funny because I'm the exact opposite. I HATE having my legs extended on long trips, gets uncomfortable. When sitting "like a chair at a desk" I feel like I can do either - extend my legs or pull them back. That ability makes long trips MUCH more comfortable. Plus I like the "bus driver" position. I feel like I can see more and getting in/out is much easier. Especially for my wife who has hip issues.

This all points out what a lot have said - try them both and see for yourself. What you value probably isn't what I value. What I find comfortable, you may find awkward. No one here can tell you which to get, but it's HIGHLY likely that if you spend a few minutes with both, the answer will come to you.

I LOVE how the 3 looks and I'd probably love how it drives, but I hate how it sits. I need a "higher" 3, thus the Y is perfect...except I find it a bit ugly. The 3 is a beautiful car, IMHO.
100% to each there own here. My wife drove both, didn’t mind either, but preferred the seat in the Y (she’s has a Lexus RX...)

I’m coming from a CTS-V and 2 cars ago a corvette. Love getting down into a car... feels more sporty and it just what I prefer.

As to style, I’m a little odd here. I actually think from the back and side I prefer the Y; the way the roof blends into the rear is sublime to me. From the B pillar forward I dramatically prefer the 3. The front of the Y looks a little off proportions wise to me. Again, everyone has different tastes.

We can always use space, but I don’t need it with my wife having an RX Lexus. So I chose the sportier 3... I’m coming from a crazy fast 4 door and headed to another. (M3P here)
 
I have a 3, with a cybertruck on order. But realistically speaking the truck may be too big for day-to-day driving. I do feel entry and exit from the 3 is a young person's effortless thing. Anyone gone from a 3 to a y and regret it? Am I correct in thinking the y has higher seating? And out on a limb, is the x worth it over a y?
 
I have a 3, with a cybertruck on order. But realistically speaking the truck may be too big for day-to-day driving. I do feel entry and exit from the 3 is a young person's effortless thing. Anyone gone from a 3 to a y and regret it? Am I correct in thinking the y has higher seating? And out on a limb, is the x worth it over a y?

We chose the X over a Y, simply because we wanted a usable 3rd row. The Y's third row is only good for small children at best. We routinely transport grandparents etc. with us so need a functional 3rd row. The only downside to the X IMO is, well, price.
 
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I have a 3, with a cybertruck on order. But realistically speaking the truck may be too big for day-to-day driving. I do feel entry and exit from the 3 is a young person's effortless thing. Anyone gone from a 3 to a y and regret it? Am I correct in thinking the y has higher seating? And out on a limb, is the x worth it over a y?
The 3 isn't that low, I'm 66 and stiff as a board and I don't have any trouble getting into or out of the 3. I rode in a friend's AMG and I he had to use the jaws of life to get me out of it.
 
I went from a BMW M4 to a 54Oi Msport for 4 doors and a less aggressive ride. Once we decided to trade in and go electric I narrowed it down to a 3 or Y Tesla.

Still wanting a car that performed well and looked sporty we quickly chose to go with a new 3 last month. I showed my wife the Y and she immediately passed on test driving it.

We also have a Jeep Grand Cherokee for 4x4 ,carrying larger items and towing. We're trading it in on a 22 Tundra upon arrival as we now need a truck over an suv. Having both types of vehicle provides the best of both worlds.

That being said we saw a 21 MYP in blue over white next to ours on delivery day and my wife admitted it looked sharp and I think it secretly had her second guessing our choice. Regardless we love the 3 and Multi Coat Red is sweet !

If you don't regularly have passengers and don't need the extra storage Id go 3 based on looks, performance and range.
Though if you find yourself regularly transporting large items and have only 1 vehicle the Y makes perfectly good sense.

As others made mention test them both. One will sing louder than the other to you especially if you are realistic with yourself on what your weekly driving habits look like.

Either way you win !! Both are great
 
I went from a BMW M4 to a 54Oi Msport for 4 doors and a less aggressive ride. Once we decided to trade in and go electric I narrowed it down to a 3 or Y Tesla.

Still wanting a car that performed well and looked sporty we quickly chose to go with a new 3 last month. I showed my wife the Y and she immediately passed on test driving it.

We also have a Jeep Grand Cherokee for 4x4 ,carrying larger items and towing. We're trading it in on a 22 Tundra upon arrival as we now need a truck over an suv. Having both types of vehicle provides the best of both worlds.

That being said we saw a 21 MYP in blue over white next to ours on delivery day and my wife admitted it looked sharp and I think it secretly had her second guessing our choice. Regardless we love the 3 and Multi Coat Red is sweet !

If you don't regularly have passengers and don't need the extra storage Id go 3 based on looks, performance and range.
Though if you find yourself regularly transporting large items and have only 1 vehicle the Y makes perfectly good sense.

As others made mention test them both. One will sing louder than the other to you especially if you are realistic with yourself on what your weekly driving habits look like.

Either way you win !! Both are great
The M3 is a legit luxury sports sedan and the MY is a ladies' crossover that was cobbled together from M3 parts. I took one look at the Y in person and also passed on the test drive. For a two car household, it makes sense in most cases to get a low drag sedan for your first EV at the current levels of technology. Once the tabless batteries come out with those sweet 520+ mile ranges, that will be the time to dump the combustion SUV and get a full size Tesla as well.
 
You really have to go drive them. I knew I was going Performance model, and both the MYP and the M3P were insanely good. Lots of things about the Y I liked, but one thing held me up and it was a non-starter.

Drivers position.

With the 3 you slide into the car, and feel more like your legs are extended and the steering whee comes out to you. For lack of a better description, you sit under the wheel in a way.

The Y I felt like a bus driver. No matter where I put the seat, the wheel never felt in the right place, and my legs were more bent like being in a chair at a desk. I actually went back again to drive the MYP (because the space and stuff really was appealing) and loved it. Then I sat in a 3 (not even drove. Just sat) and it was game over. Felt like home.


Agreed, my wife had the same reaction testing a MYP vs a M3P... she hated the seating position of the Model Y. I'm glad Tesla is still doing these test drives since these are the things that make a 100% online order kind of daunting.
 
The M3 is a legit luxury sports sedan and the MY is a ladies' crossover that was cobbled together from M3 parts. I took one look at the Y in person and also passed on the test drive. For a two car household, it makes sense in most cases to get a low drag sedan for your first EV at the current levels of technology. Once the tabless batteries come out with those sweet 520+ mile ranges, that will be the time to dump the combustion SUV and get a full size Tesla as well.
Agreed. Was planning to Go Rivian R1T for my truck alot of great things coming from that truck. But will wait a few more years for the tech advances , still a bit unsure about towing a boat with electric etc.. feel like 3-4 more years of playing it safe with one electric and one combustion and will then transitin full elec. The ladies crossover line had me laughing
 
I came from a sports car (911) and the 3 is way bigger than I was used to. I can’t imagine the Y. Too damn big for me. Also, the 3 looks better and is faster. I’d consider a model Y for my wife, but not for me. If anything, I want something smaller: 2 door. If it ever makes it to production, the Roadster will be the ideal car for me.
I came from the 911 as well, and an SQ5, I definitely didn’t need another SUV or crossover, and I really didn’t feel like spending another $140k on a 992. Regarding the Roadster, it looks incredible and clearly the performance is unreal but isn’t it in the $250k range? No thanks if so, I’d go right to the GT2RS
 
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If my wife hadn't of bought the Y that's what I would have went with. I'm content with my M3P though. The Y is easier to get in and out of, also has a lot more interior room. Sound system is better in the Y without the back deck blocking the sub. The 3 is better in the corners. We use the Y for family duty and long trips. If we could have only bought one Tesla it would have been the Y.
 
Test drive both.

The 3 handles better, has better visibility, and longer range, in addition to being quicker.
The Y has much better entry/egress, and the hatchback for fitting larger items into the back; said hatch is also the #1 issue with visibility because of where the bar runs across... rear visibility out of a Y is a joke.

You sit "on" a Model Y, you sit "in" a model 3.

The quickness, handling, and rear visibility is what swayed me to a 3 over a Y.