Taycan Owner Reviews 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range

[Mr. 2021 Taycan]

I have driven a Taycan 4S for the past 4 1/2 years and have been curious about the progress Tesla has made with their vehicles. I rented a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range through Turo for three days. My conclusion is that Model Y is a fantastic vehicle for families that are technologically curious, practically minded, and don’t prioritize ride quality.

The bad - Suspension: I test drove a Model Y in 2020 and found it a box of rocks, with a terrible suspension and intolerable road noise. The 2026 Model Y Long Range, while much quieter and well put together than the initial version, continues to have a bouncy suspension with the car jittering and the suspension making thumping noises over uneven pavement. Handling is floaty and gives an insecure feeling when the car is pushed even a little bit. The recommended tire pressure on the vehicle I rented was 42 PSI with the actual pressure being 38 PSI. The suspension issues continue to make Model Y unacceptable.

The bad – Front Seats: I am 6’4” and find the seat cushions too short. Tall people need more thigh support. My left knee leans against the driver’s door handle that has stitches, making it uncomfortable. These two ergonomic issues make long drives undesirable.

The good – Everything Else:

• The audio system is close to the best I have ever listened to in a car.
• Noise isolation is now competitive for its class.
• The smart phone app integration is bonkers good and beats all others by a mile.
• Straight line performance is very good. The Dual Motor version is not worth the up charge.
• Visibility and storage space is excellent.
• The “all screen” UI is very good, with a short learning curve. I did not miss having buttons to press.

Full Self Driving – While not advertised, the Model Y I rented had Full Self Driving (Supervised) activated. Here are my thoughts.

Note that basic Tesla Auto Pilot (cruise control) includes hands free auto steering, similar to the latest functionality from other manufacturers. FSD uniquely adds the ability to navigate without user intervention.

The rented car had FSD 13.9.2. I used FSD on 10 drives and it worked flawlessly, driving the car for me.

I kept asking myself, would I want this? Would I buy this? For now, the answer is no and no. I almost immediately trusted FSD, and that worried me. My mind wandered and I would occasionally catch myself, refocusing on where the car was going. After three days my conclusion is that I would not want FSD until there was ample evidence I could trust FSD in all circumstances, effectively using it as a Robo-Taxi. This leap of faith may make sense soon, but for me at least, not now.

Conclusion: See first paragraph above.

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[AutoX]

Fair review. FSD is only going to get better over time. The recently released 14.1 FSD is suppose to be much better and 10x the parameters of v13.x.

My parents just ordered a Model Y. They're old and still can drive, but I can tell that their reaction time is much slower. It's to the point where I think FSD might actually be a safer. FSD might extend their independence.

 

[mander2129]

We bought a Tesla for our folks as they get close to their 80s. The FSD definitely helps them. It’s fun to drive, but definitely feels cheap (love the stereo tho!) Another buddy, he only buys Teslas…the guy is a terrible driver. He took the car off FSD to swerve out of the lane to hit a tumbleweed because he thought it was going to blow into the lane. We’re all fortunate he lets the car drive him around. Moral of the story - Tesla is great for old people and those that can’t drive! Ha.

 

[Zcd1]

Fair review. FSD is only going to get better over time. The recently released 14.1 FSD is suppose to be much better and 10x the parameters of v13.x.

My parents just ordered a Model Y. They're old and still can drive, but I can tell that their reaction time is much slower. It's to the point where I think FSD might actually be a safer. FSD might extend their independence.

I subscribed to FSD for a month to use during a recent road trip. I love to drive, but 14+ hours of droning along Interstate highways isn't driving - it's sitting.

The latest version of FSD is FAR superior to previous versions, and is really, truly impressive (IMO).

I've long been an FSD skeptic, but that's changing.

Oh, and regarding the Model Y, I disagree. It's an extremely well-rounded CUV that checks all the boxes required for that type of vehicle better than any of its direct competitors (IMHO).

Comparing it to a Taycan at 2-3x the price is silly.

 

[Solid]

This aligns with my assessment. I've owned a fair number of Porsches but I rented every EV I could while traveling for work and test drove what I could not rent prior to landing on the Taycan. The Model 3/Y was probably the best at being an EV and FSD for all its limitations is still very impressive if you have the discipline to police it... but it was not the best at being a car. In Houston where I rented one the ride was harsh and loud on the highways and poorly maintained side streets. I did not like the form over function version of minimalism. A car UI/UX should not need a lot of "discoverability" and if it does it should be brilliant. In the Model 3/Y it was not brilliant.

The Ioniq 5 and the EV6 were the best bang for the buck/best at being cars. Everything just worked, controls were easily discovered and functioned every time. The ride was good, noise levels reasonable, etc etc. I did not get to the drive the Mach E but I definitely would now before buying anything - if nothing else to compare blue cruise to FSD for highway and stop and go. GM won't do CarPlay and has form with selling way too much driver data from their cars, so no.

The Polestar felt unfinished with erratic software, and I was sort of convinced after finding something awkward that I couldn't quite put my finger on that it had that weird Italian vintage sportscar thing where the driver is at a slight angle to the steering wheel to manage foot/pedal area packaging. I'm repeating many other observers when I say that whoever designed or signed off on the ID.4's original UI/UX should be launched into the sun. Unlit capacitive touch switches for climate control so you have to guess-fondle a slab to change things in the dark? They fixed this particular quirk a year later but VAG overall seems to badly design and badly build a lot of its model range and anyone who spends billions of dollars not delivering a car operating system is going to have to demonstrate a few years of not being a screw up before I even consider it.

I went with a CPO Taycan 4S to make the price not insane for what I was getting. The pricing is just not reasonable for these cars new - maybe buy an Ioniq 5N or two instead if you religiously have to go with new.

 

[Fun TC Driving]

Having driven a Tesla 3 for weeks straight, then several other times in shorter durations, I concur it is a cost effective appliance. But I do not want an appliance.

I want a vehicle that I look forward to driving, and when doing so, it is BIG FUN, one that can be truly exhilarating when I have the place/space to do so.

Thank you for my Porsche EV for doing that!

 

[Schroederhc]

I have a model y J AWD with the acceleration upgrade and a significantly modified suspension. It's a lot of fun. Highly recommend it as a garage mate with your Taycan.

 

[Sar]

The internet in general likes to hate on Tesla. While I hate Elon as well, I do love my 2022 Model Y. And yes, every so often they do a free month of FSD and I am in sheer awe of how good it is. It isn't perfect, but it's scarily good. Definitely safer than your average driver in 99.9% of situations on predictable road patterns.

I love everything about it except for the fact that it controlslike a refrigerator when driving.

 

[Mikegrr]

We have a Taycan and a new model model Y. The FSD is great for my wife and long trips. Driving on the NJ turnpike for 2 hours is best left to the car.
the Y is quite and quick enough. I’m not a Musk fan either, but it’s a great car.
i personally wish it had a few more knobs. Just moving the side rear view mirror takes a few presses on the screen then steering the wheel, if you remember where to find it. Even adjusting the windshield washers is a multi step process. There are so many options on the screen, it can be confusing for the non technical. .
overall, it’s a fine car with many safety features.

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