Consumer Reports: Tesla Model Y Is an Improved Model 3 Still Has Issues Though

Being a Tesla, that automatically makes it the king of range and performance alike. The vehicle analyzed by Consumer Reports (CR) was a Dual-Motor Long Range version, which is very close to offering the best of both worlds (performance and efficiency). The Y quickly convinced every one of its driving qualities, which comes as very little surprise considering we've seen it hold its own on the track against very fierce competition.

However, CR took issue with the "SUV" label often attributed to the Model Y. In their opinion, the newer model is nothing but a Model 3 hatchback with more headroom in the back and larger loading surface. "It’s like it took all the good things about the Model 3, it kept them…but it took some of the bad things…and made them better… It’s an improved Model 3 if you think about it that way,” concluded Mike Monticello, Autos Editor for CR.

On to the bad parts. It seems like everyone who doesn't drive a Model 3 or Y every day feels like the single-screen solution is a bad one. “They crammed everything into this one screen that is off-center,” said Jake Fisher, Auto Test Director for CR. Well, we get what he means, but the screen is literally dead-centered.

It may sound like a classic case of resistance to change, but the three CR testers agreed on the need for more physical controls for some of the features. Steering wheel column, side mirrors, or wipers - they were all mentioned. They also cried about the lack of correlation between the driver profile and the adjustment of the mirrors, which is the kind of thing that over-the-air updates were created for.

While the Model Y's performance and handling were applauded, the same can't be said about its sound and vibration proofing. Like the 3, the Y suffers from the same wind and tire noise issues which put a dent in the otherwise serene experience of driving an EV. Still, this might just be a result of Tesla's price-cutting methods as well as its attempt to keep the more expensive Model S and Model X relevant.

The team also raised a valid point about the Autopilot. They said that Tesla's constant tinkering with the way the driving aid suite works can be confusing for the user since they can't know for sure what to expect from the car in an otherwise familiar situation. It goes to show once again that the safest way to deal with systems like this is not to roll out any features until they are thoroughly tried and tested.

In the end, though, the Model Y gets an overall thumbs up from the CR team, based primarily on its performance and practicality, as well as that "je ne sais quoi" that Teslas seem to have that could probably best be described as the feeling of driving the future. It's not a perfect future, but it's the best we've got.