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Just wanted to add another perspective on this. I've owned 3 different Nissan Leafs over the past few years and the electric powertrain thing is no joke. While the power comparison between a Leaf and a Tesla is very, very different, the Leaf is still a really fun little car to drive. The instant torque and smooth acceleration provides a ridiculously nimble, spry driving experience. The battery pack provides a low center of gravity, and I've got almost all the tech in my 2018 Nissan Leaf SL as I do in my 2016 GS350 F-Sport (and even a little more, like Android Auto). Finally, the cost of ownership is ridiculously low, with no transmission or engine to service, and my electric cost running approximately 2.5c per mile (that's more than 100 miles per gallon equivalent).
Each of my cars serve a different purpose, however. The Leaf is efficient and practical, but still has some bells and whistles, plus some nimbleness to make my commute comfortable and enjoyable. The GS is our nice luxury car, to take on dates and road trips, and to feel a little more pampered and classy. I've definitely found that when switching between the two, they're both fun to drive in their own, separate ways.
To be clear, I would recommend an EV in a heartbeat to anyone as a second vehicle for daily commuting. Range anxiety is real, however, so buy the most amount of range you can afford. Absolutely consider a Tesla if you can swing it, as it's way more upscale than a Leaf, Bolt, or Kona, but even one of those is still a really fun and practical little EV to get to commute with. Do your research before diving in, as it's a complete paradigm shift when owning your first EV and there are some gotchas and realities that a lot of new owners don't realize at first.
I could go on and on about my experience with the Leafs -- mostly positives, but still quite a few cons, so if anyone is interested, feel free to hit me up.
Tesla is not a Lexus/BMW/Audi/Mercedes competitor; by that I mean they make EV's that are priced similarly to Luxury cars, but they are not Luxury cars.
Tesla is at the head of the industry when it comes to EV tech though; batteries motors and controllers are years ahead of everyone else.
The Mach E will likely be a better put together vehicle, but the Model Y will out perform it & out range it for a given battery capacity & motor layout.
When somebody (Tesla, Ford, VAG) gets the package right though, I'll make the shift - BEV's are betterthan ICEfor my intended use (reasonably quick & fun daily with low maintenance).
Similarly, although a Corvette can give a Porsche a run for it's money performance-wise, a corvette is not in the same category when you consider fit and finish and materials (ignoring the C8 as I haven't been in one yet).
Test drove the Model Y today during a visit to the Service Center for an AC and shudder issue on our Model S.
The Model Y is every bit a super-sized Model 3. The driving experience is just like a higher Model 3. The dual motor is quick and very efficient -- it seems you don't have to baby it at all to meet range estimates. On the flipside, the ride is a little jittery to me and you can really feel the shorter wheelbase compared to a Model S/X. There was also a faint buffeting sound from the AC airflow around the central screen and I noticed a little whistling at freeway speeds from the passenger-side mirror.
I was impressed by the Model Y rear legroom because I could basically stretch my legs straight due to the ample toe room beneath the front seats (I'm 5'9"). I think the Model 3/Y are phenomenal EVs and present a good value, but I don't like the stiff-yet-rubbery feel when engaging the turn signals and the lack of Trip details on the single screen compared to the S/X. I definitely prefer the ride and overall package of the S/X.
Speaking of the X, I drove a Raven X for the first time this morning and came away extremely impressed by the ride quality. It was a Performance X and super quick, but i was really interested in the ride improvement over pre-Raven X. My last experience in a 2017 X was pretty bad and that version had atrocious road manners and the ride quality was a deal-breaker. I love the Raven air suspension on our S which rides 85-90% as smooth as our LS 460 along the same routes and same 19" Pirelli P7+ tires. I couldn't believe how much better the Raven X rides compared to 2017. The Raven X rides just as well as our Raven S! Structural integrity also seems to have improved on the latest X and I really like the new 7-sear configuration with slidable second row that also reclines like the back seats of my parents' 2007 RX 350.
I was also surprised how busy the sales staff was today. There were a total of 22 people that came in to test drive and/or buy a Tesla during the 1.5 hrs I was there. The lobby was closed so folks just loosely congregated outside. It seemed most of the interest was around the Model Y. It also sounded like some were repeat customers.
Comparison of rear legroom between Y and X, after setting driver's seat to my liking:
Had a Model X Performance all to myself today for a couple hours... this is more like it.
The one I test drove was also a Performance with Ludi+. That's a mistake driving that trim...it makes you want it even more. Man, that thing hustled on the highway! That passing speed is insane. In the time it took our previous LS to gain 5 MPH, the Performance X is already +25 MPH on the speedometer.
The one I test drove was also a Performance with Ludi+. That's a mistake driving that trim...it makes you want it even more. Man, that thing hustled on the highway! That passing speed is insane. In the time it took our previous LS to gain 5 MPH, the Performance X is already +25 MPH on the speedometer.
I agree, the only Model X I drove was a P100D, and it was indeed insane! Back in 2018 my wife and I went to an "Electric Car Guest Drive" event where we tried out a Model 3 and a Model X. That Model X was a whiplash machine.
I agree, the only Model X I drove was a P100D, and it was indeed insane! Back in 2018 my wife and I went to an "Electric Car Guest Drive" event where we tried out a Model 3 and a Model X. That Model X was a whiplash machine.
Those are just random people in the car, not us.
The P100Ds only went 0-60 in 2.8s. The new Raven ones are faster at 2.6s. A Model 3 Performance gives the X P100D a run now since it received multiple updates. Its insane what Tesla can do OTA...
The Model X was cool and all, but was a glitchy tech fest on wheels. It's perfect if "look at me" or "look what I can do" is what you're after. It's like Tesla literally threw everything they could possibly think of at a car and that was the result. For $100k+, the Model X drives nothing like a luxury car and lacks a lot of refinement.
The Model Y, while it was an early car with quality control issues galore, drove substantially better and was far more refined. You can tell Tesla learned from the Model S/X and maybe even 3 and applied those learnings to the Model Y. I loved the Model Y driving experience. If I go the Tesla route, the Model Y Performance is no doubt the one I'd pick. It's far more simple inside and out. The Model X was overwhelming.
The Model X was cool and all, but was a glitchy tech fest on wheels. It's perfect if "look at me" or "look what I can do" is what you're after. It's like Tesla literally threw everything they could possibly think of at a car and that was the result. For $100k+, the Model X drives nothing like a luxury car and lacks a lot of refinement.
The Model Y, while it was an early car with quality control issues galore, drove substantially better and was far more refined. You can tell Tesla learned from the Model S/X and maybe even 3 and applied those learnings to the Model Y. I loved the Model Y driving experience. If I go the Tesla route, the Model Y Performance is no doubt the one I'd pick. It's far more simple inside and out. The Model X was overwhelming.
Curious as to what's pushing you towards the Y Performance over the 3 Performance?
The Model X was cool and all, but was a glitchy tech fest on wheels. It's perfect if "look at me" or "look what I can do" is what you're after. It's like Tesla literally threw everything they could possibly think of at a car and that was the result. For $100k+, the Model X drives nothing like a luxury car and lacks a lot of refinement.
The Model Y, while it was an early car with quality control issues galore, drove substantially better and was far more refined. You can tell Tesla learned from the Model S/X and maybe even 3 and applied those learnings to the Model Y. I loved the Model Y driving experience. If I go the Tesla route, the Model Y Performance is no doubt the one I'd pick. It's far more simple inside and out. The Model X was overwhelming.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I respect your position but could not disagree more. After driving both the X and Y back-to-back along the exact same loop, the Y ride quality was a dealbreaker for me whereas I came away extremely impressed with how far the X has come since my last test drive.
After owning a Raven S I could start to see the shortcomings of the 3/Y UI and where they cut corners, and this is coming from someone that likes the minimalist interior design of the 3/Y. The latest Raven X rides so much smoother and is quieter than before. The Y rides choppy and my example had some whistling around the side mirrors. There was no comparison to me, the Y felt cheaper in every metric (if you can call something $50K cheap). If someone is coming from an ICE vehicle, the 3/Y can look impressive but it would be hard for me to jump to a 3/Y from my S (although some have done it with their pre-Raven S/X).
The Y adds 6 inches of rear legroom and a ton more cargo area sacrificing only 0.3 seconds to 60mph. Of course handling is compromised due to it being taller and heavier. The Y Performance is an 11 second quarter mile SUV. How crazy is that
07-29-20, 07:40 AM
