Photo: Tesla
Everyone was wowed when Tesla introduced the steering yoke on the refreshed Model S and Model X in 2021. The controversial move has divided the Teslasphere, but it soon became apparent that people prefer the round steering wheel. Still, some nostalgic folks describe going from a yoke to a steering wheel as "ripping the soul out of the Model S."
Tesla has been preparing for driverless cars for years now, and sometimes, this meant forgetting about some helpful car features. Dropping stalks and adopting a yoke in the refreshed Model S and Model X were among those things. Of course, eliminating the steering controls completely would've been more appropriate for an autonomous vehicle, but we're not there yet. Until then, the yoke on a Tesla Model S is still a weird contraption.
Tesla could've opted to use an adaptive steering system, making it easier for people to drive with a yoke. Indeed, rotating the yoke 270 degrees in either direction is not easy. We now have the Cybertruck example of how a well-thought-out steering system should work with a yoke. However, Tesla decided to play it safe with the Cybertruck and satisfy both camps by opting for a steering "squircle."
Despite Tesla fans claiming that a steering yoke is much better than a "dull" steering wheel, sanity prevailed at Tesla as the EV maker offered its customers the option to choose whichever they wanted. Not only that, but Tesla also offered a steering wheel retrofit for those who bought a Model S/X with a yoke and wanted to switch to a legacy steering wheel.
This proved popular, and the interest in the steering wheel retrofit was so high that Tesla depleted the inventory in hours. It was all it needed to decide, and now the standard option on both models is a round steering wheel. Those who still think a yoke is cooler must pay $1,000 extra to have their car delivered with one.
Despite evidence suggesting otherwise, some people still don't like a Model S or Model X without a yoke. They consider it a signature feature and would not want to drive without it. Having the option is nice, but sometimes, there are situations when an option is not possible. Having your Model S in service and driving a loaner is one of them, as one owner recently discovered. He was kind enough to share his experience driving a yokeless Model S after being used to a yoke.
User "Pr0fessor" admitted on Tesla Motors Club forums that driving with a steering wheel is much easier, especially around curves. The wheel offers more grip and more control and doesn't have a learning curve. However, as you'd expect from a die-hard yoke fan, he thinks there are also downsides. Some of them are objective, like visibility toward the instrument panel. Pr0fessor confessed that, no matter how he adjusted the steering wheel, it blocked the display more than the yoke did.
Then there are the subjective downsides, and the strangest you might think of has to do with the car's soul if it had one. Replacing the yoke with a steering wheel "is like ripping the soul out of the Model S." In other words, he loves how the yoke is the centerpiece of his Tesla, causing anyone who enters the cabin to say, "This feels like a spaceship." Well, without the yoke, there's no spaceship, and that's a shame.
Tesla could've opted to use an adaptive steering system, making it easier for people to drive with a yoke. Indeed, rotating the yoke 270 degrees in either direction is not easy. We now have the Cybertruck example of how a well-thought-out steering system should work with a yoke. However, Tesla decided to play it safe with the Cybertruck and satisfy both camps by opting for a steering "squircle."
Despite Tesla fans claiming that a steering yoke is much better than a "dull" steering wheel, sanity prevailed at Tesla as the EV maker offered its customers the option to choose whichever they wanted. Not only that, but Tesla also offered a steering wheel retrofit for those who bought a Model S/X with a yoke and wanted to switch to a legacy steering wheel.
This proved popular, and the interest in the steering wheel retrofit was so high that Tesla depleted the inventory in hours. It was all it needed to decide, and now the standard option on both models is a round steering wheel. Those who still think a yoke is cooler must pay $1,000 extra to have their car delivered with one.
Despite evidence suggesting otherwise, some people still don't like a Model S or Model X without a yoke. They consider it a signature feature and would not want to drive without it. Having the option is nice, but sometimes, there are situations when an option is not possible. Having your Model S in service and driving a loaner is one of them, as one owner recently discovered. He was kind enough to share his experience driving a yokeless Model S after being used to a yoke.
User "Pr0fessor" admitted on Tesla Motors Club forums that driving with a steering wheel is much easier, especially around curves. The wheel offers more grip and more control and doesn't have a learning curve. However, as you'd expect from a die-hard yoke fan, he thinks there are also downsides. Some of them are objective, like visibility toward the instrument panel. Pr0fessor confessed that, no matter how he adjusted the steering wheel, it blocked the display more than the yoke did.
Then there are the subjective downsides, and the strangest you might think of has to do with the car's soul if it had one. Replacing the yoke with a steering wheel "is like ripping the soul out of the Model S." In other words, he loves how the yoke is the centerpiece of his Tesla, causing anyone who enters the cabin to say, "This feels like a spaceship." Well, without the yoke, there's no spaceship, and that's a shame.
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