FYI - Model Y(non-performance) has been getting the new “comfort” suspension at Austin factory since Aug 22.
That’s a good move on their part. Would be a great deal if it’s comparable to etron air suspension now.
Comfort at the expense of good handling? Or better handling and better comfort?
Have a ‘21 Model Y. Agreed that the interior isn’t great, nor is the ride quality. It drives like a minivan, but with extra weight that makes it a harsh ride. I’m convinced the bushings won’t last 3yrs and the shocks probably will give out before then. It’s only quick in a straight line, any lateral movement will feel twitchy. Driving quickly on rough roads is nerve wracking, and there’s no confidence in the vehicle’s ability.
So why do we have one? It’s the closest EV minivan that appealed with the wife-acceptance factor, so it’s her car. Kids like it because it has Netflix 
3 Likes
This is the kind of straight up feedback I came here for. Thank you.
Not sure if you saw this recent post. Although you mentioned you have a garage, Tesla’s build quality should be concerning.
Model Y Long Range and Performance both have new suspension since around November I believe - in my forum snooping it looks like both Austin and Fremont builds have it. As an anecdotal view - my 2023 Model Y Performance has comfy suspension for us, even on the 21s. No complaints and it replaced the last family car that was a RX 350. And to much surprise, not a single build quality issue 
1 Like
If you intend to do any long trips with the vehicle, suggest you either keep the SQ5 or get the Model Y. Non-Tesla charging infrastructure is very weak and makes traveling truly stress inducing. (had an F150 Lightning before my Model Y and couldnt deal with the EA and chargepoint issues)
1 Like
Grabbed a ‘23 Y Performance 2 weeks ago. I don’t find anything particularly wrong with it. But in 2 weeks I find that…. It’s just a car. Goes fast when I ask it to, it’s not ugly, it’s not the worst, it exists and is a comfortable daily.
All in all not a car that I look at and go, “say… aren’t you lovely”. It exists. Based on your love of the Audi, if you want that feeling again I assume you’d stay in the fancy house. Hopefully I can join you in a few years.
1 Like
The Y can’t haul furniture and also I feel edge cases are not particularly useful when evaluating cars. Furniture can be delivered or trucks can be rented.
Aside from newborns/infants and their necessary RF seats, the backseat isn’t functionally more useful. 2 FF kids fit just fine in either one. BTDT.
Dynamically the Y’s flaws become apparent no matter where you are driving. From the gentle curves of I-78 to anything else more interesting, it’s just a dog compared to the 3.
The etron will be a better ride with better quality and probably less issues overall.
But you could upgrade the Y’s suspension aftermarket to make the ride quality better. I was looking to get a Y - even have the order still pending - but I got car sick and weird ear pressure in my last 2 drives and just couldn’t have my family complain and throw up.
Get a used Model X or S if you can swing it.
-
Model 3/Y falls behind in terms of material quality or fancy interior design, not only when compared to similarly priced ICEs but also to similarly priced EVs. There’s no way around that.
-
At least, the build quality seems to be improving gradually. The 21 Model 3 I had owned felt like a used Elantra. The 23 MY that I bought last month feels much more substantial. Can’t pinpoint why. Side note, I think EV6 is the best in terms of build quality in this tier of EVs.
-
But EV itself is luxury in some sense. Not having to go to gas stations is luxury. Warming up your car in your closed garage is luxury. Instant acceleration is luxury. Not having to waste hours on oil changes is luxury. Sure, nicer materials are nice, but I personally think that there are very few ICEs that make more sense as a daily driver than most EVs. (There are plenty of ICEs that I want to own for fun, though.)
-
The new suspension on 2023 MY makes a BIG difference if you’re into this kind of stuff. It certainly improves BOTH ride comfort and driving dynamics, compared to the 2021 MY that I had owned a while ago. I wasn’t a fan of the 2021 because it was harsh (subpar damper), stiff (high spring rate), and floaty (not sure why this was). 2023 damps much better, similarly stiff, and feels more planted. Feels quite like a BMW X3. But all of these are subjective. Testdrive yourself.
-
I missed the e-tron boat and have never been in one, but it does look like a great product. I kind of agree that it’s an older tech, but I think it has many years of useful life left as long as the range works for you. I think Lyriq, iX, eGV70, or even GV60 could work for you as well.
-
Whatever EV you choose, having a home charger is a huge factor.
I agree with you that M3 is superior dynamically because you can’t beat physics, but:
-
The rear seats are MUCH more comfortable for adults because the rear seat height from the floor is normal, unlike M3 where the floor is so high that you feel like you’re sitting on a curbstone.
-
MY cargo space is MUCH more useful and it’s not even comparable. Costco hauls with strollers in, kid’s bikes, home depot runs, etc. But I agree it won’t matter to a lot of people depending on their lifestyle.
-
I feel the new suspension narrows the gap between M3 and MY in terms of driving dynamics. (I know, it surprised me as well.) 2023 MY feels much more nimble and planted than 2021 MY that I had before. Maybe the new suspension improved M3 as well. Haven’t drove one myself.
Bottom line: M3 surely handles much better, but MY could make more sense to some people. Also see MY inventory is wiped out, while M3 inventory is just hanging around.
It’s not just physics though.
The MME has a similar mass and fulfills its mission to be a family crossover much better.
The 3 and the MME both drive like they were built from the ground up to be the 3 and the MME, respectively. The Y drives like an overweight 3 on stilts and pogo sticks.
1 Like
This is exactly what I felt with 21 Model Y.
But 23 Model Y finally seems to have been tuned by a real suspension engineer. It’s quite remarkable.
Interesting that you bring up MME, because I currently have a 22 MME & a 23 MY in my garage.
All my family members think the 23 MY is a better ride than the 22 MME (but it’s subjective and not a big difference). And my wife hated the old 21 MY with passion because it got her carsick.
2 Likes
Yes the new “comfort” suspension upgrade applied to non-performance Y late last year made a huge difference in ride quality.
So the ride quality on the LR is much better now? What about the new performance?
I test drove the LR and the Performance back to back, both 2023 models that supposedly had the newer better suspension systems. I found the LR to feel REALLY harsh and flimsy-feeling to drive. I was expecting to get into the Performance and find it worse, but it actually drove a lot better to me. Obviously acceleration was better but it felt more stable — whereas the LR felt literally steering-wheel-shaky at 80mph on the freeway.
What do folks make of this?
I don’t have a direct answer to your question. But I do recommend against any of the Performance models.
-
The wheels cut down on range and are more susceptible to tire and rim damage. Plus the turbine design always seemed to trap gravel or broken asphalt for me and rattle around
-
People want to frequently race Tesla or beat them at lights/merges, even more so when they look like the P models. Yes they can be ignored 99% of the time but it’s just human nature to teach someone a lesson when they’re being particularly obnoxious. In retrospect you realize it was stupid to do so.
2021 Etron suv owner here, yes range could have been better but the suspension is top notch here. I do not care how fat of a tire or how new Teslas “upgraded” suspension is. Nothing beats the air bags on the Etron. I can zip around NYC’s pot hole roads and not worry about the uneven surface. Quattro works well and it is a quiet ride plus the exterior ambient low speed hum is pretty sweet. Teslas win in the tech and supercharger category but here in NYC, MYs are everywhere. Makes my Etron pretty rare.
4 Likes