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I just lately drove a Tesla for the first time, and I am beginning to get why Elon Musk’s vehicles are by far the preferred electric vehicles within the nation.
Along with benefiting from a decade-plus head begin on different carmakers, Tesla’s vehicles are sporty, filled with fascinating tech, and simple to charge through the company’s exclusive Supercharging network.
However my day with a good friend’s Mannequin Y SUV additionally taught me Teslas aren’t excellent or for everybody, regardless of what a few of the model’s most vocal followers could let you know. (Tesla does not mortgage out vehicles to journalists, so I needed to get somewhat resourceful.)
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The Mannequin Y’s agency suspension provides it the liveliness and precision of a sports car however not with out sacrifice. Drive down any less-than-perfect street within the Mannequin Y and you may discover each bump and crack. Some vehicles are constructed to take in street imperfections for passenger consolation, however the Mannequin Y is not one in every of them.
Trip high quality could also be higher on fashions geared up with the usual 19-inch wheels, versus the 20-inch rims I skilled.
There’s one other double-edged sword within the Mannequin Y: Its iPad-like, 15-inch touchscreen. It is fast and responsive, that includes spectacular graphics and fun features like video games, however replaces virtually all of the switches, buttons, and knobs that drivers are accustomed to.
Like different Teslas, the Mannequin Y packs features like door locks, windshield wipers, headlights, local weather controls (together with air-vent course), and mirror changes into the display. Whereas this all could grow to be second nature for many house owners over time, the training curve could also be too steep for some.
(You may also entry many features via voice instructions.)
For all its cutting-edge options, the Mannequin Y does with out a few of the most simple and widespread tech options available on the market: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Anybody who’s used to counting on their smartphone whereas driving must use Tesla’s built-in navigation and music apps as an alternative.
One of many strangest issues about hopping right into a Tesla for the primary time was belting in, wanting ahead, and seeing nothing. All of the necessary driving data that will usually be proven in a gauge cluster behind the steering wheel is as an alternative displayed within the Mannequin Y’s omnipotent touchscreen.
It means you must look sideways to examine your pace, cruise-control settings, battery degree, and turn-by-turn instructions. Whereas this might not be a deal breaker, it may be distracting to consistently peer on the show, and the Mannequin Y may benefit from a driver-facing show such as you’d discover in most competing electric cars.
The Mannequin Y’s slanted roof pinches its again window, impeding visibility. However this downside plagues a lot of new SUVs with the identical fashionable coupe form.
New vehicles have gotten dearer throughout the pandemic as automakers confronted shortages of semiconductors and rising uncooked supplies costs. However Tesla’s costs specifically have been uncontrolled over the past yr or so.
Tesla briefly sold a Model Y Standard Range for round $41,000 however eradicated that most cost-effective mannequin in early 2021. Since then, the value of the brand new base model (the Mannequin Y Lengthy Vary) has rocketed from round $50,000 to $66,000.
The Y offers a lot of vary and functionality for the cash, however competing electrical SUVs could be had for between $40,000 and $50,000. Even Musk admits that Tesla’s prices are “embarrassing.”