Once you get used to it, the in-car tech is very easy to use. Interior and dashboard design
If you like understatement, the Model Y may be the car for your. The dashboard of the Model Y is almost bare apart from its large touchscreen. However, its simple design contains some neat details. For example, air from the climate system flows through a slim, subtle slot that runs across the entire width of the dash. Others find the look so unfinished that it looks almost unfinished. We’ve mentioned many times that we prefer physical controls and the Tesla is lacking in this regard. The large central display controls almost everything. The hazard switch is the only physical button you will find. It’s located on the ceiling. Other controls, such as the headlight flasher and windscreen washers are found on the steering-wheel. The latter is fine in practice but we think that it was a bad decision to remove the physical controls for headlights. Although automatic lights are less of a hassle than they used to be, we would still prefer to have the option to control them manually. It can be annoying to have to press the button longer in order for the lights turn on. It’s the same story with the indicator shaft. It’s a pain to use and feels cheap because it does not click into place. This makes cancelling a warning signal a hassle. It’s almost as if Tesla is persuading owners of the merits of touchscreens by deliberately making its physical controls less than ideal.
Materials and build quality
Fit and finish were certainly a weakness of earlier Teslas, but things have improved dramatically. It’s not perfect, but it is a lot better than before. There are still a few trim panels that aren’t perfectly aligned between the door and dash. But these flaws are common among other brands as well. Though the overall design is fairly sparse.
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