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LAUREN MCCAY: So we bought a Model Y. And two years, 730
days, and 25,000 miles later, we've got answers for you
on how this thing measures up now.
In this video, I'm checking in with you
about how it's been going.
And you're not going to want to miss
all we've experienced so far.
You'll hear some feedback from our team members,
including myself, about a few points
we think you should consider before buying one yourself.
If you like these long term testing updates,
go ahead and hit Like and Subscribe right now
so we can do more of them.
And while you're at it, head over
to edmunds.com for all your car shopping needs.
Now we usually sell our cars that we
purchase within about a year.
But since Tesla is constantly updating the Model Y's
software, we figured we'd hang on to it a little bit longer.
Here's exactly what we bought.
We decided to go big with our Model Y,
ordering the all wheel drive performance trim, which then,
the starting price was $61,000.
We paid a little over 68,000 for it.
And in two years, that price has jumped.
We also got the Model Y's no cost performance upgrade that
adds 21 inch wheels, upgraded brakes, a lower
suspension, and the all important aluminum alloy
pedals.
The upgrade changed our range a bit
but increased the speed to 155 miles per hour.
And just for kicks, we got this Tesla in a bold red color.
We also kicked it up a notch for the optimum driving experience
checking the full self-driving capability
box that we paid an extra 5K for, an option that
now will cost you 15K.
But unfortunately, it is still not self-driving as promised.
Is it worth it?
Probably not.
But along the way, the Model Y has
been on the highways, byways, land, and sea.
OK, not sea.
It just felt good to stay in the moment.
But we have raced it a ton of times on the track.
SPEAKER 1: He's coming.
SPEAKER 2: Oh here it is.
Here it is.
SPEAKER 1: Dang it.
SPEAKER 2: More power.
Whoa, there we go.
LAUREN MCCAY: The point is we've driven this Model Y just
about everywhere you'd likely take it,
which means we have the inside scoop on what
it's really like to own one.
While most in our team will agree the Model Y is a fun
ride, the hiccups we've found so far
haven't really been anything wildly major, but more
a combo of small issues that you'll have to decide
are either worth living with or deal breakers for the 71K
or more that you're going to be spending getting one.
What am I talking about exactly?
For starters, we're not really fans of the ride quality.
But the bigger deal has been the build quality as well
as some tech, and our experience getting maintenance done.
But before I get into all of that,
let me start with what we do like first.
Start with the positive.
It's the performance for us.
And I say that meaning that this Model Y really
lives up to its name.
The speed on this thing is impressive, especially
since it's an SUV.
Several of our team members have raved
about how quick this thing is.
And I think it's especially good to note
the Model Y is an Edmunds Drag Race champion, only getting
beat a couple of times, once by a Corvette.
And come on, you can't even be mad at that one.
The great thing about owning a Tesla is the charging network
continues to be a strength.
Our team members were able to take it
on the road for trips like from LA to Vegas
without having a problem finding a charger along the way.
This Model Y has delivered when it comes to space as well.
With the frunk included, it has a maximum cargo capacity
of 76 cubic feet.
Wow.
So taking a short trip is no biggie
because there's space to put all your things.
And even though a few people had a little bit of trouble folding
the rear seat down initially, overall, we
found the extra space to be useful.
JOHN ADOLPH: To have a rear seat that reclines made it really,
really easy to adjust my daughter's car seat
to more reclining position.
And she fell asleep almost immediately.
So good one there.
LAUREN MCCAY: Another plus to the Model Y
that has really stuck out to us so far
is the battery range prediction calculator
that appears at the top of the screen.
It seems to be pretty accurate and consistent, which is not
always the case in other EVs.
That said, the battery range over these past two years
has been slightly affected by battery degradation.
So here's a little something you might not know.
In the first five to 10 years of owning an EV,
it's normal for an EV battery to decrease in capacity
at least a percentage a year.
With our Model Y, we've definitely
seen a bit of a decrease, about 3% of a loss,
in just two years.
So it's just a smidge above what's standard.
Is it a deal breaker?
Well, I think that's something I'm going to let you decide.
But for us right now, it's not.
It's just something to be aware of.
It's time for the negatives.
Sorry to say.
I've got a story for you.
I'm driving down PCH.
And I want to check on my lipstick at a stoplight.
So I pull down the sun visor, open this up, this popped off,
and then this just started to hang.
And then I'm at the stoplight like--
this sun visor and this mirror have
been the bane of our existence for the past two years
we have had it, which brings me to my point of build quality.
CARRIE KIM: I would say my experience
in the Model Y was surprising.
For $68,000, I was expecting a full blown luxury car.
Instead, I thought there was a lot of noise, a lot of squeaks,
and a lot of plastic.
LAUREN MCCAY: Overall, the build on this Model Y feels
a bit rushed and cheaply made.
We've had loose trim pieces, seats not aligned properly,
the loose sun visor, and a fog light
that sunk into the bumper.
I will say in the past, the Teslas
we've owned have gotten a bit better over time,
like the Model 3.
And we did get this Model Y as one of the first release.
So some of the quirks we've had with this one
may not be the same when you purchase one now.
The quality of the ride on this Model Y
has been unanimously disliked.
Several of our team members have said
they don't like how uncomfortably stiff
this ride feels.
The suspension and larger wheels seem
to be the main culprit, allowing you
to feel the depth and punch of every bump in the road.
JONATHAN ELFALAN: I notice that when
I'm driving on a bumpy road and I'm rolling up
the windows in our Model Y Performance
that the windows will sometimes go back down.
And what I think is happening is that the suspension is so stiff
that it's triggering the anti pinch sensors in the window.
Whether or not it has overly sensitive anti
pinch sensors, or the suspension is just that stiff,
this is an issue that I've encountered more than once.
LAUREN MCCAY: Here's the deal with tech.
It's safe to say there are some pros and cons to the features
here.
It turns out the over-the-air updates only work
with a decent Wi-Fi connection.
So that can be annoying.
Adding insult to injury, it doesn't have
Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
And some of our drivers also had issues
with the main touch screen just flat out not working.
Just listen to what one of our editors had to say.
And I quote, "our Model 3 literally fell apart
in my hand.
And now our Model Y, everything breaks in some way.
And it's not minor enough to overlook at any price point.
It's been months since I've driven our Model Y.
But I got back in it for a few days this week
and it didn't disappoint to disappoint.
In a strange neighborhood, while I
was trying to plug an address into navigation,
the entire screen and HVAC system quit on me.
Total blackout."
Because everything in this Model Y
is controlled by this central screen,
I'm talking air, heat, mirror position, you name it,
everything right here, our team, including myself,
found it very distracting to try and control all this while also
trying to focus on driving.
So what's the maintenance on this thing
look like after 25,000 miles?
Well, considering we did buy the first generation
and we picked it up in its early stages,
it's actually rather minor.
But we've had to fix that sunken fog light, a faulty window
regulator, a few recalls, the air conditioning,
and a suspension issue.
Our biggest complaint, though, comes
from our experience at the Tesla service center
once an appointment has been made.
RONALD MONTOYA: The Tesla service experience
was a little bit mixed.
On the one hand, we had the home repairs
that was very convenient.
And we didn't have to leave home to get those taken care of.
But when we needed something a little bit more advanced,
we had to go into the service center
where they were really overloaded with cars.
They didn't have any loaners available for us.
And they ended up giving us Uber credits instead.
There wasn't much communication with regards
to when the car would be ready.
And on one particular occasion, it took about four days
to get our car back from service because either
the parts weren't available, or they never
got into contact with us.
If you could avoid the service centers
I would but ultimately it's a bit of a mixed bag.
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LAUREN MCCAY: After 25,000 miles,
we can safely say that if you're looking for an EV with top
notch reliability and build quality,
there are better choices.
But if you want great handling, long range, a consistently
updated infotainment system, and the best charging network
there is, then this is a good place to start.
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