[MUSIC PLAYING]
CARLOS LAGO: We bought a Tesla Model Y.
And I'm driving it right now, which feels really good.
We'll get into the specifics of what we're doing,
but a Tesla Model Y is now in our long-term fleet.
And that's where our diverse range of staff and editors
use the car just like you would--
commute it, take it to work, run errands with it,
and so on and so forth.
Now, what's interesting about this Model Y is
we actually bought a $35,000 Model 3 recently,
because we thought the Model Y would show up
a bit later than it actually did.
But fool us.
Tesla actually got the Model Y into the hands of customers
way earlier than we thought, and way earlier
than I think they even promised, which is cool.
Before we get into the specifics of this particular car,
though, I'm going to hand off to Ron Montoya
to talk about the delivery process,
because, in today's current pandemic,
it's worth knowing about.
RON MONTOYA: I want to talk to you
a little bit about the sales process for the Tesla Model Y.
We received a notification that the vehicle was
ready on a Wednesday.
It gave us either a Friday or Saturday to choose from.
We chose Saturday.
A couple of days later, they gave us
a window of about two hours of when
the vehicle would be ready.
A lot of the paperwork was handled ahead of time.
The only thing that we had to do was we had a trade-in,
and we had a paper check.
And these were some things that sort of complicated this,
and it didn't quite become a touchless delivery.
So the representative arrived probably
on the tail end of the window that he said.
So he was on time.
And one of the things that we did that you would normally
get as part of a Tesla delivery is an overall explanation,
or tutorial, on the vehicle.
And so we forgoed that due to current times and just kind of
to make things go a little bit smoother.
So that was most of it.
He had to show me where to sign, so he didn't quite
stay within the six feet that people are recommending,
because he only had one form, and he needed it to be signed
and wanted to make sure that I signed it correctly.
But once we took care of that, I actually
paid through an electronic check.
And we were probably done in about 10 minutes.
And that was a pretty good experience overall.
CARLOS LAGO: Before we go any further in this video, though,
I want to highlight that I am shooting this myself,
because we are carefully observing
all the social distancing guidelines.
And I'm social distancing myself, and it's really nice.
Let's talk about the Model Y we actually bought.
It's obviously red.
We got the performance edition with the performance upgrade.
Now, what does it get you?
It gets you a higher top speed--
155 miles an hour instead of 145.
Hopefully, we can test that during ownership.
It gets you these 21-inch Uberturbine wheels.
It gets you "performance brakes,"
quote unquote, and "performance suspension," quote unquote.
We also opted for the Autopilot-enabled full
self-driving capability, which doesn't exist yet.
But we think that it might during the course
of our ownership, so we wanted to make
sure we got that feature on this car as well.
It's, again, obviously, red, and it looks pretty sharp.
Compared to previous Teslas out there
and all the ones we've owned, it's
somewhere between a combination of a Model 3 and a Model X.
In terms of design, it has the, quote unquote, again,
"coupe-style design" that a lot of German SUVs have been
adopting lately, where they sort of slice the rear roofline down
to get more of a swoopy look.
And that traditionally sacrifices some cargo area
and some of your headroom.
But as we get inside, you'll see it's actually
pretty decent in there.
The only other big difference versus other Teslas--
and it's a really small one, so to call it
a big difference is kind of a misnomer--
is the black trim around the glass and on the door handles.
Ever since Teslas first came out,
they've always had that bright finish around those pieces.
And I've always wondered what it would look like if it
was a matte or a dark color.
And on here, it actually looks really good.
One of the biggest advantages to get a Model Y is back here.
But before we talk about that, I want
to talk about build quality.
As customers of one Model S, one Model X, two Model 3's, and now
a Model Y, we can say, with authority,
that build quality has been an issue for Tesla.
But overall, it seems strong so far.
You should have pretty high expectations
when you're paying around $50,000 to $60,000
for a vehicle.
And Tesla appears to be getting better.
Now, from the cargo area itself, it's pretty spacious.
You have, of course, the charging adapter right here,
which has a quasi-velcro bottom.
Open that up.
There's the cable right there.
And then there's pretty generous storage.
The trick, though, that I really like is this rear under-floor
storage with--
you pull this up here, and you have access
to a pretty deep compartment to store all kinds of stuff
that you want to have out of view.
You can also drop down the rear seats with these two buttons
here.
And they should fly down automatically
like this right seat.
But the left seat actually worked that time.
Previously, the first few times I hit it,
it didn't quite fall down by itself.
And I've also noticed that, putting it back up,
they're surprisingly heavy--
not that it would prevent you from doing it.
But start working out.
See?
Surprisingly heavy.
And sorry if this looks bad.
I have no idea what I'm doing with a camera.
So here you go.
From the back seat, you really see the benefit of the Model Y
on top of the cargo volume behind me.
I have the front seat set for myself.
So I'm sitting, effectively, behind myself.
I'm about 5'10", and I have plenty of space back here--
about that much room between my head
and this giant panoramic glass roof,
about that much space between the driver's seat and my knees.
Lots of space to spread out, which is really nice.
As far as compartments and stuff to do,
it comes up a little short.
Underneath this armrest-- two cup holders.
Armrest works fine.
I've got two USB-C ports, which is nice
if you have a phone that could plug into USB-C. I've also
got center console-mounted vents,
but no way to control them or the heated seats back here.
I guess you could say I've got voice commands for both,
because I could just yell at the driver to turn them on or off.
But still, not optimal, let's say.
As far as compartments, pretty generous cubbies in the doors.
But what really makes this work is the space.
The seat bottoms are pretty comfortable.
The seat backs are somewhat upright.
And the head headrests are fine, let's say.
What's also unfortunate is there's
no way to recline the seat backs or adjust the seat forward--
the seat bottom forward and back.
But that's the way it goes.
Altogether, the space is really the highlight
of the Model y back here.
As we get to the front seat, this
is where the Model Y begins to feel really familiar.
It's the exact same layout as a Model 3.
So if you own a Model 3 and you're interested in a Model Y,
skip ahead.
You know exactly what this layout looks and feels like.
If you haven't been in a Model 3,
let's walk through some of the basics.
First off, seats.
These are Model 3 seats, and these
are much more comfortable than the first generation of Model 3
seats.
We had a first gen Model 3.
We bought a later Model 3-- a $35,000 one.
And the difference in seat quality was palatable.
These seats-- these front seats-- are so much nicer now.
Power-adjustable-- forward, back, tilt-- all that stuff.
They feel really good.
The center console layout is straight forward.
I've gone on about the downsides of piano black interior
layouts.
I won't smear my greasy hands over them this time due
to current pandemic issues.
I realize people are sensitive to that.
But the layout works.
So you have a center console right here
with a removable tray and a pretty deep well right there.
In front of that, you have two cup holders.
And then you have this bi-folding setup right here,
which is nice, provided you're OK with piano black trim.
I'll stop complaining about that, I swear.
What's nice is you now have a wireless charging pad that can
hold a pretty good sized phone.
You can also lift this up to reveal additional storage
space in the front.
And that's nice, because you have a pretty sizable amount
of space here to put stuff-- handbags or whatnot.
And you can cover it up when you park, which is pretty neat,
too.
Steering wheel-- nicely sized, fits well in the hands,
has nice support for proper hand placement,
and enough adjustability to put your hands where you want it.
The interior trim is fine.
This wood paneling does the job that you
would expect interior trim to.
But it does feel pretty barren.
Let's talk about the screen.
95% of the controls of the Model Y are handled in this screen.
If you want to change the side mirrors,
for example, you do the adjustments
by turning on the mirror adjustment mode,
and then using these controls to actually adjust them.
Ditto for steering wheel.
If I want to adjust the telescoping
or tilt of the steering wheel, I do so
by activating a switch here and controlling it.
Yeah, if you don't jump between dozens of cars in a given
month, it's not that big of an issue,
because you would set it and forget it.
But it speaks to the amount of control
that has to happen in here.
Is it the end of the world?
Is it a deal breaker?
I don't think so.
It's more of a preference.
But I'm still calling it out.
I would like physical controls for the air conditioner
settings, for example-- for the stereo settings, for example.
I would like to be able to adjust
that stuff that way out of preference,
because, if you control it by feel, that means you don't have
to look at the screen to make sure
you're hitting the right button.
But-- there's a but--
your phone integration is just Bluetooth.
And wireless charging is nice, but just Bluetooth.
This does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
And those features are really nice in new cars,
because, if you have a phone that supports it--
and let's face it, pretty much all of us do--
you plug your phone in, and your phone's operating system just
appears on the screen.
And more importantly, the voice commands work.
And my experience with both Android and Apple devices
is that's the way I want to control my entertainment
experience when I'm driving.
I just want to be able to hit the talk button
and tell the phone what to do, and that just happen.
In my experience, what I don't like about Teslas is
the Bluetooth controls are somewhat unsophisticated.
If I want to change audio tracks,
for example, I actually have to hit something
on my phone and not the screen, which kind of defeats
the purpose of the connection to begin with.
Again, deal breaker?
No, but stuff you should be aware of.
I think it's time to drive this car now.
What makes EVs, in general, the ones
that are configured this way-- what makes them a pleasure
to drive is that the heaviest parts of the car
are at the lowest part of the car.
The big battery pack weighs a ton--
not a literal ton, a figurative one.
And because it's so low, it really gives these cars
a tightness and a responsiveness that's engaging,
that's really fun to drive.
You can feel that difference in every Tesla product.
It really stands out.
What also stands out is the acceleration response.
As soon as you stand on the go pedal, wow.
Pretty much all Teslas feel powerful,
but especially this performance spec-outfitted one.
This is going to sound really obvious to people who are
familiar with EVs, but I need to keep stressing it,
because there are people who aren't.
A really powerful car-- a traditional car with a gasoline
engine, turbo charge, transmission, blah, blah,
blah--
when you step on the gas pedal, it
takes time for that transmission to downshift.
It takes time for the intake manifold to fill with air.
It takes time for those turbos to spool up.
It happens quickly nowadays, relative
to other high performance cars.
But versus an EV, it takes forever.
When you're in an EV, you stomp on the go pedal,
you go immediately.
And that's what makes these so much fun to drive.
And that's what makes them work really well as daily drivers,
because you just have that power on tap always.
And boy is it the same with Model Y. Watch.
Whoa.
[BLOWS RASPBERRY] [LAUGHS]
Acceleration like that just makes you giggle.
And the fact that it's so accessible and so ready
to go at all times feels great.
Steering, pedal feel, handling, right?
OK.
So we're in the performance spec Tesla Model Y,
and it comes with 21-inch wheels.
That's massive.
And I was worried that the ride would be rather poor,
because, generally, the larger wheel you have,
the worse your ride gets.
And yes, you can sense the weight of those wheels.
It's kind of hard to ignore.
But it's not as bad as it could be.
In fact, I think our first Model 3
might have actually rode worse when it comes
to specific types of ride quality.
I would like to drive one of these cars
with smaller diameter wheels to see if there's a benefit there.
Now, when it comes to steering response,
Teslas have always been very good
when it comes to steering feedback and feel.
And the irony is these are cars that
have Autopilot and, allegedly, self-driving capabilities.
They don't.
We'll talk about that.
But the best way to enjoy them is to actually
steer the car yourself, because the feedback and response
and delivery is so good.
I have the powertrain in sport mode,
but I have the steering in the normal setting,
because it's a nice balance between effort and feedback
that really works for this car.
Pedal feel works great.
A familiar EV trope is true one-pedal driving.
So when you lift off the accelerator,
the electric motor switches to regenerative braking.
It helps slow the vehicle down without using the brakes--
the physical brakes themselves-- that are recuperating power.
And that trade-off feels really good
and allows you to accomplish most of your slowdowns, most
of your stops, without actually touching the brake pedal.
It takes a second to get used to,
but once you drive like that, you
find it's the way you'd want to drive all the time.
On the downside of the Model Y is visibility.
This is an SUV, and the rear window is tiny--
I want to say almost Chevy Camaro tiny.
It's really small back there.
The side view mirrors are adequate.
But these massive front windshield pillars,
which you would call the A pillars, are pretty darn thick.
So when you're-- through some of these turns right here,
I'm actually looking for oncoming traffic
and can't really see it, because it's blocked out by the A
pillar.
Now, end of the world?
No.
You can make do with a lot of the safety settings
and controls that the Model Y comes with--
the proximity alert system, the blind spot monitoring.
It's all very good at telling you
what's going on around you and behind you.
But you've got to know that visibility
isn't as good as it should be.
Also, when you get in the car, you look over the hood,
and you realize you can't see it.
That's normally a thing that you find in
nicely done sports cars, is the hood kind of slopes down
and disappears.
And it helps you feel closer to the front axle,
or the front wheels.
At least it does in my experience.
In this car, you can't see the hood from the driver's seat.
It should feel good.
But because this is a little tall and a bit heavier
than your typical sports car that's set up the same way,
you kind of think about your overhangs
a lot more when you're parking.
And your overhang is how much of your car
is hanging out in front of the wheel
or behind the wheel in the back.
You think about that space--
those parts a bit more--
because you can't see them.
And that can be a potential concern
if you're sensitive to that kind of thing in tight parking lots,
if you really want to have that visibility.
Otherwise, it drives great.
We've got to talk about Autopilot.
We ordered this car with full self-driving capability.
Can it drive itself?
Absolutely not.
It has a smart cruise control.
Autopilot is a smart cruise control
that can change lanes by itself, that can follow lane markings.
But you should never rely on it to drive itself.
It doesn't do it.
And that's how you can get yourself hurt or killed.
Let's be honest.
Tesla says all the appropriate disclaimers
in the system that says, yes, this is in beta.
Yes, you have to keep your eyes on the road at all times.
Yes, you need to keep your hands on the steering wheel.
But that doesn't stop people from thinking that these cars
drive themselves.
They don't.
Stop thinking that.
Now, Autopilot is a godsend in a couple of situations,
specifically heavy traffic.
When I'm commuting home in rush hour,
and it's nothing but a sea of brake lights,
turning on Autopilot and just relaxing really
takes the stress out of that commute.
That's about the only time that I actually
use really smart adaptive cruise control systems.
I've found, in my experience, the way I drive,
Autopilot isn't quite up to my expectations or my standards.
It's a little too late to react on steering
to maintain its position in the lane,
and it can be too delayed or too sudden in both braking
and acceleration inputs.
So because of that, I seldom use it.
So that's this arrival quasi-review of the Model Y.
Our first impressions are nice.
How could they not be?
This is a taller, more accommodating and powerful
version of the Model 3.
Range is solid.
We're seeing, on a full charge, about 275 miles
of range so far.
But remember that Tesla recommends you charge to 90%.
And you can do the math to figure out what that number is.
We certainly will as we own this vehicle.
We're going to do a lot with this car.
We still need to do the performance testing with it.
We're going to compare it.
We've got to rate it.
We've got to do all the natural Edmundsy
stuff that Edmunds does.
And then we're going to spend the foreseeable future
driving this car as part of our long-term fleet.
Our long-term test fleet has a diverse range of drivers who
use the car just like you would in real life--
going to work, running errands, all that fun stuff.
If there's anything you'd like to see us do with this car,
like drag race it, for example, against maybe--
I don't know-- a GT 500, let us know.
We can find a way to make that happen.
Thank you for watching.
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Edmunds for your next car.