Model Y ride comfort is so bad

On the contrary it has great road feel lol

well you got fancy ipad and FSD computers in it. they have to cut cost somewhere. but yea totally agree. comfort is no good. but i got over it…

The new MY is day and night compared to the older model.

For the price of these cars you pay for the computer and comfort

You're a glass half full kind of guy I see

I've heard I wonder how it compares I might have to give it a test drive I'm really curious.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the suspension has the compliance and softness that a car in its class should have, but it also has the handling and road feel that most cars in its class doesn’t have. Being someone who enjoys driving I always appreciated that about my 2023 model 3. Just a matter of taste and what you like from your cars.

i see it more of as a sports car dressed up as a family car type of deal - i actually like the firm suspension

I have a 2025 before the juniper redo and it’s awful. I also had a 2020 model y and it was so bad I was alarmed that the 2025 was not any better! At first I thought maybe- but after a few months I realized that it’s no better comfort wise. My mom’s Nissan rides better. I get the positives of Tesla but at my age I can’t take the anxiety of feeling like im riding in a tractor 😆

Exactly what I was getting at. The new Model 3 and Y are sprung much softer but they are also much less engaging to drive, the car doesn’t communicate its limits like the prior gen. In all fairness this class of car is mostly for normal people who are commuting, doing family stuff so the softer suspension is better in most cases.

Just buy the juniper suspension for your model y and be happy then.

I think because of its power they thought that putting sports suspension as the default made more sense. But I don't think that makes sense unless you buy a performance model. Most people want the ride comfort, which is why they revamped it in the new models. You can have both. My '04 Infinity was the fastest car I ever owned before this Tesla and it drives like a dream. Can't imagine if I actually changed out the struts. Even though it's incredibly comfortable it still feels very sporty. Also I do think the 3 it makes a bit more sense. It feels more like a sporty car to me. The Y is an SUV, they should have defaulted to comfort

True, I drove my friend's brand new Y, it was way better than my 21 Y, also the interface was fast and the ventilated seats as well.

Sure right after you send me the money for it

Well compared to my 2023 MYP, the ride comfort/cabin noise is drastically improved. Having the thicker tires probably helps a bit tho.

Very jealous of those ventilated seats.

So you don’t want to improve the ride, you just want to vent?

I have a Juniper 2026 Model Y and a 2023 Model 3. I’ve also driven my father in law’s 2025 pre-Juniper Model Y. You can definitely tell the difference between the 2025 and 2026 but the pre-juniper isn’t awful. It’s certainly harsher and the bigger bumps are more jarring but it’s not that big a deal.

😂 That's crazy for it to be that bad 5 years later. Honestly I was really surprised how bad the ride comfort was when I test drove it. If it wasn't for the price and the fact that it had FSD I would have not pulled the trigger after coming from the Infiniti

It’s actually not expensive compared to aftermarket. Straight bolt on swap

🤌🏼

My ICE is a jeep, so comparatively the MY ride is like driving through butter.

Mostly just looking for people's thoughts. Starting a discussion. Maybe that's called venting. I mean I know I can throw money at the problem you usually can.

I’m baffled by all the people saying Juniper is so much better. How bad was pre-Juniper really? I have Juniper, that’s my first and only Tesla. Suspension is meh at best for $50k car. Still very harsh at all times and comparable to the $30k rentals I’ve had on trips.

Even the 2023 vs 2020 is already a massive improvement.😅 When I first tried the Model Y, it was a 2023. While I did end up buying a Model 3 instead, I did have a 2020 Model Y loaner when my car was in service. Oh man... The ride was soo rough in comparison. 👀 😬 Can only imagine how much better the Juniper is from that

If you do a test drive you’ll walk out ordering one lol ask me how I know

I'm very happy with the 2026 Premium MY ride. Haven't tried the older ones. Have heard the low profile tires on the performance model aren't as nice but didn't try that one.

Yeah for sure. I think that's my point is just the target market doesn't care about that. By definition sport suspension is going to be sportier, have better handling and feedback, but I still think they could have gone more in the middle like the infinities do. You can also go way overboard. I had a Jeep rental for a while and that thing bounced around so hard I hated it. It felt like you had zero control and you were going to roll over if you oversteered even a little bit.

Comparing the juniper and the pre-juniper model, I agree that the pre-juniper model has “bad” ride quality in that it’s not soft and floaty, you feel every bump and can feel the road through the steering, I would argue that they designed it like this though to be more sporty and provide more feedback. The juniper feels softer, more cushy, slower steering, and just generally has that dampened floaty feeling. This is nicer for every day use, dealing with potholes and commuting but worse when it comes to a sporty ride and tight handling, so there are trade offs.

Yeah I was thinking of trying to get 18s or 19s put on to see if that helps. I feel like it's somewhat of a affordable solution compared to changing out the whole suspension system

What kind of discussion are you looking for? I bought a M3 in 2022 and at that time one of the biggest negatives I read about the M3 and MY were how stiff their suspension is. Despite that I felt that the rest of the car was worth it. You're not the first person to find the ride quality of the M3/MY to be lacklustre but outside of pointing out the obvious what were you looking to discuss? Easiest way to add a bit of comfort would be to ensure you are using 18" wheels with decent tires. Ideally air them down below the recommended 42PSI (38 ish PSI is what I ran for a while). This will reduce your range slightly but will add more give to the tire and therefore a bit more comfort on bumpy or uneven terrain. Outside of that recommendation though the only other option is to look into replacing the suspension.

Juniper is my first Tesla and I think the ride comfort sucks. Feels equal or worst than a regular sedan.

It’s very meh. I don’t feel comfortable going above 80 in my juniper; just way too much movement.

How so? Is it too bouncy or too much road feel or...

It's truly an entirely different experience. Not just an incremental improvement.

😂 That's what I'm worried about

Agree with both your comments, I think the new one strikes that balance perfectly for its target market.

Too much road feel. I feel every bump on the road. When the road is smooth, it’s great. But every little imperfection on the road makes me hate the suspension. I was in love with the car initially but I find myself preferring to drive my BMW now because of the ride comfort.

It’s a great car. I highly recommend it if you wanna stay in the Tesla fam.

Put that money towards down payment for a new Y.

A lot of the harsh ride is in the tires. I mean a lot. I upgraded to 21" UP-05s with 295/35r21 and 275/35r21s and it is fantastic. Quiet and much smoother but not numb feeling. The OEM tires are too narrow and lack sidewall. Also remember if you older G35 has strut issues, it's likely 'floaty' and soft feeling, but lacking feedback and control.

I have a 2002 Land cruiser that rides better than my 2021 model y

Once you go over 75 mph. The 26 model starts shaking.

I have a 2021 MYLR with 100k miles now I think the right discomfort is somewhat overblown. On the performance models I get it, if that’s definitely a stiff and harsh ride, but the long range to me has been comfortable and I have not gotten complaints from anyone in my five years having it.

Really? I haven't experienced that.

Recently just sold my 22 Model Y Performance, I never noticed the ride being too harsh but the passengers I've had always mentioned the ride being harsh. Suspension was just too tight for rear passengers I think

We just replaced our X with the new Y. Much better ride than the X even.

Hahahaha

My 2020 is a long range as well and I don't know maybe it's because the infiniti is what I came from but I find it quite rough. But to your point I was venting to a friend of mine who I give a lot of rides to how bad the ride quality is and he thought I was crazy he thought it was great

Compared to luxury cars it’s obviously gonna be not as good so that makes sense if you’re in an infinity

Can confirm- I had a 2024 and now a juniper. Totally different (better) feel with the new version.

Coming from a 10 year-old ice vehicle the new model Y feels incredible. Everybody’s experience is different and expectations are unique, if ride is very important to you look for an air suspension car.

That's interesting usually going up in size makes the ride rougher. Back in the day I had a CRX that had super crazy sporty suspension on really low pro wheels. It was maybe the worst ride I ever experienced in my life but man that thing could turn on a dime. I ended up downgrading to some super small wheel and it made such a big difference I was really surprised Maybe a little bit but it's got quite a lot of feedback and control I've driven very floaty cars and this is nothing like that.

We upgraded to the Juniper Y from a 2019 3. The 3 was a far superior ride to the Juniper for me as the passenger. I wobble mightily if the road isn't absolutely smooth. My husband the driver says the steering feels much better in the Juniper.

Absolutely terrible. Performance was even worse. Gave me back pain from one test drive before.

it was softened back in 2023 and now the Juniper is even more comfortable.

Juniper on 19s is the smoothest riding vehicle I've ever owned, including 8 BMWs.

2021 MYP owner here and I have no noises or squeaks, comfort is great but the roughness I encounter is due to the lack of rubber on the tires. I now run 19’s with some thickness and it’s like a night and day difference. Also any older car will ride better, when the tires are like balloons 😂

You think that’s bad, once you hit 88 you’ll see some serious shit.

If you keep your original Y, I'm pretty sure you can install the Juniper suspension to legacy Ys.

My 2026 rides like a dream. It’s night and day difference vs. my previous Model 3.

That's true I do have some fat old tires on my Infiniti 😂

Get 50 series tires next time you're due for a new set. That'll help absorb the road imperfections etc Also look into the updated Tesla Y suspension and swapping it in. Or aftermarket comfort series setups.

I dove in my buddies 2022 y and was surprised how rough the ride was. Test drove a juniper and it was night and day.

The Flux Capacitor really kicks in at that speed. First time it happened it took me back to the days of my youth.

K update us your thoughts on juniper

I got a 2025 y, the last of the original model and I suspect it has updated suspension from the juniper since the ride is infinitely smoother than the other older versions I been in

Also had a g35 for a while. It does have a good suspension setup and is quite a bit lighter than a model y.

Haha. Yeah our 2021 Y rides like brick.

Of course it’s bad, it has a bunch of torque and it’s an EV lol. If you want a car with better comfortability daily something else.

That's an insult to bricks 😂

Look I'm a Tesla fanboy, but ride could use, ahem, improvement my advice, go to 18" wheels better ride longer tire life quieter Less expensive tire replacement much less potential for wheel n tire damage

My 22YP seems horrendous this winter. Like every single rivet on the road is amplified in the car.

Any recommendations?

My car came with 21" Uberturbines, so wheel size stays the same but I went up in tire sidewall, apologies if that wasn't clear initially. I love how the car rides bow. It's worth a shot. UP threw some incredible wheel/tire deals on eBay a few months ago, not sure what is left. I got mine for a steal. Just an option.

I have a Model 3 and currently have a Model Y loaner. Not sure the year but, man, it’s so much nicer than my 2020 3. I’m sad I’m picking up mine after work today.

I've seen a few here - I need to go look I have a 2024 w/ 19"

It's better but I wouldn't say night and day. Just noticeable.

its so weird because my 24 myp has pretty decent comfort despite low springs and low profile wheels. there must be significant suspension differences between model years

Not a car guy. How do I modify the car for a smoother ride? 2022 MY LR. I love everything else about it.

You can swap the new suspension to your older model Y. The parts all align up. There's even a post on here last week of a guy that does it and posted a video on how to do it yourself.

Mine is 2021 and I had to put in Ohlins at full soft, then bought taller tires to be comfortable

2024 MY with 18 inch aftermarket rims (and winter tires) vs stock 21 inch rims (with "no season" tires) [https://imgur.com/a/0Bd10dL](https://imgur.com/a/0Bd10dL) And there's yer problem.

Pre-Juniper is very firm. I cannot speak to the 2020 model, but you can definitely feel the road. In my view, this is a good thing if you’re driving fast around turns. It’s clearly a sports car style suspension. Great on the twisties, but bad during your 9 to 5 commute over rough pavement and potholes. But it’s basically impossible to have a firm sport suspension without also having them suspension be jarring on rough roads. You’re just fighting physics there.  Although I have not spent much time driving at Juniper, it is noticeably smoother while still being on the firmer side. And I’d still take it over the very floaty suspension you find in many other cars.

Same here. 14 yrs old ICE to Model Y, my spine is very grateful for the change.

I just sold my 2019 Mercedes E450 coupe in December 2025 and got the Juniper AWD premium on 12/31. You would have thought the Mercedes would be comfy, but the Model Y is even better on the 2026 model year. I'm in LA and driving the same freeway every day, I remember how it feels for every bump or gap on the freeway, Model Y handles much more smoothly than the E450 coupe.

We have the 2023 with the comfort suspension. It's the most uncomfortable car our family has ever experienced. We should have test drove it longer. It's more jarring than my old BMW M3.

Love it. Is this yours? How's the ride feel on the 18s?

So far it sounds like 18-in Wheels and/or swap out the suspension with the juniper

Factory ride sucks. Yes, it should be better from the factory. The car is awesome and so convenient making it worth the upgrade. I upgraded My 24 MYP with MPP adjustable comfort coilovers / FUCA’s / toe and camber arms. Downsized to 20” induction Even lowered the car 1.5” fender / wheel gap Night and day difference. Driving in LA, there are potholes… don’t be a shit driver and pay attention.

Okay forget older models. How does it actually ride compared to BMW X5, Mercedes GLC/GLE? Can anyone speak on its comparison to actual other luxury, high end models with known good suspensions?

Really? Doesn’t the X have air suspension though?

I test drove a 23 Y and I could not believe how different it was from Juniper. I never intended on buying a brand new vehicle(the depreciation is crazy), but it was impossible to overlook. I freaking LOVE my MYJ.

The ride quality before juniper is objectively the worst part about the car

I had the juniper suspension put in my 21 model y. Made a big difference.

I am driving the 2024 model y now and it’s ok? I don’t understand why people are saying like it’s the worst thing ever. My Juniper is not coming until maybe 3rd week of Feb, but I don’t really see it blowing me away with improvements, but we’ll see.

We have a 22’ MYP and a 21’ Audi SQ5 and the Audi is so much more comfortable to drive than the Tesla. It does have air ride suspension which I’m sure plays a big part in that. It also has a much tighter turning radius making it easier to maneuver and park. But for daily use the Tesla is more “fun” to drive I would say. However, if I have to drive more than an hour at a time I am taking the Audi all day.

Yeah the red one

Tesla 3 and Ys are not luxury cars, nor should they be compared to an X5, for example. The base AWD Y is $49k. Base AWD X5 is $70k. These are completely different class of cars.

I got the wheels here BTW: [https://atomic-wheels.com/](https://atomic-wheels.com/) Should have went with the gold ones but I let my wife talk me out of them :(

I just today changed my 21" turbines to 18" wheels and it's like I bought a new car. The ride is night and day different.

I rode in several older model Y’s for uber and it always put me off from purchasing because the suspension was not great. Test drove a juniper and it’s a night and day difference

The pre-Juniper Model Y has the classic Hot Wheels-style suspension.

What were the wheels you switched to?

I have to agree with you.

Same. I have a ‘24. I’m not in a position to get a new car. And I’m not sure if I trust a non-Tesla shop to do it, but don’t want to pay the dealership. My husband has a ‘26 model 3 and it rides like a dream.

Our family garage has had a 2020 model y, 22 model s, and juniper model y. The 2020 feels like a totally different vehicle and my sister argues she would never buy a 2020 model y if it felt that poor. I think the new model y is really well refined though it is a bit floatier.

Sports suspension is not automatically firm and uncomfortable. It’s about limiting body roll in tight curves and the car being compliant. That can be achieved by adding active dampers and adjustable stabilizers. So, no, Tesla did not use sport suspension, they used poorly designed suspension

Not my 26 MYP 😎

I feel like I’m floating in mine (26), always heard there is a huge difference

Well I have to say my 22MYLR rides pretty good, not as good as my MBE350 but not terrible. All in all I think it rides pretty good for a crossover. And so far I'd say it's built pretty well so far I have no squeaks or rattles.

not sure if these are 855 per each or set of 4 [https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/1r0jqk5/i\_live\_in\_a\_pothole\_infested\_city\_am\_i\_a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/1r0jqk5/i_live_in_a_pothole_infested_city_am_i_a/)

This is the way. Like $2000 installed I think. The chassis is basically the same as far as I know. Just a facelift and revised suspension.

I'm going to do this in the next month.  I know it's not 100% the same as a new one but hoping for an improvement

Just got a quote for $1600 including parts and labor

I drive a 2022 MYP and I don't really mind the suspension. Sure it's rough, but I've owned and driven many sports cars were i bought stiff suspension like coilovers that rode like you were sitting on a skateboard down the road. Although yes, some old cars do feel a lot more comfortable. Before getting mine i was in an 07 bmw x3. That was probably the best and most quiet car I've owned. It was plush. Although gas was horrible, needing to use premium every fill up in california burns a hole in your wallet.

Yeah early 2020s are rough. When mine (vin 9xxx) got totalled and I replaced it with a 2021, the suspension and ride quality were a noticeable difference.

I prefer it. To me a stiffer suspension is better. Gives you more feel for the car. But this is subjective, if you like a soft ride then you wont like it.

Where did you get this quote? How can I do this lol

Please let us know how the juniper test drive goes. I have the 2024 MY and the ride comfort is my biggest issue - it sucks.

Yeah, I had that guy do the swap. It’s a normal, nice car now (MYLR 2021). Parts are $985.

Wait yeah from where tell me more please!

You have the upgraded 20” wheels on your 2020. Find some 19” Geminis on marketplace and the ride will improve a little bit.

Yes. The guy is the dealership said he also preferred the Juniper suspension over the X!

+1 for juniper. Having been in a number of Model Y (pre-juniper) Ubers, it’s night and day in terms of suspension compared to my juniper.

2020 is two suspensions ago, though.

You can still get some small bump compliance without giving up cornering confidence and stability though - the Tesla is just poorly tuned, partially because the weight takes away a lot of options.

The new Y doesn't feel poor for performance driving. The old Y just had shit suspension. You can have soft or hard shit suspension, the better it gets the more it feels soft cruising down the road but firm in corners and takeoff.

lol same. Test drove for fun and ended up ordering one 🙈

Agree the original model Y is a rough ride. The new model Y doesn’t even compare it so much better

Like glass at 115. Go get your tires balanced and stop hopping curbs.

I guess I should avoid driving other cars, my 2022 Model Y suspension seems fine to me.

I don't really think there's such a thing as shit suspension it's pretty simple technology. It's really about how you calibrate it. I've had really sporty high-end suspension before and it felt even rougher than this.

I went from a 2020 model 3 to a ‘24 and it’s insane the improvements they made to the suspension, wind noise, rattles, and overall comfort.

There absolutely is a huge gap in quality and complexity from the cheapest to the most expensive. There's also a lot more tuning than firm vs soft. Soft on bumps but firm in corners for example is tuning two different components that don't need to agree with each other.

19-18's doesn't help that much. Even dropping pressure to minimum offers little. I think its the Juniper dynamic damping that makes the difference.

In 2023 I think they changed the suspension. Maybe you can see if they can put a newer one on.

I tried two different service centers and they wouldn’t let me. I even ordered the parts and scheduled it to be installed. I went there and they told me no, they wouldn’t do it. Trade-in value is so bad that I just have to keep it and run it into the ground (which I feel, constantly, with this suspension). And my back two seats (7-seater) are completely useless now that my kids are bigger. Oh well.

I have a 23 with the “comfort suspension” when they rolled that out and OMFG I can’t imagine it gets worse than this. It’s almost embarrassing taking people for a ride on what they think is a fancy Tesla.

Same here. Did you spring for fsd? If so, curious what software version was delivered with it

Go to literally any qualified mechanic and get it done. You dont need Tesla to do it for you.

Its basically less than $1k in parts to change out to the juniper suspension. The parts are not expensive.

Try Firestone or Midas

Its all bolt-on stuff. Its easy for any shop that does suspension work. Nothing special about a Tesla in that department! You can watch youtube videos on it even!

What size wheels?

I have a 2020 Y, and test drove the Juniper last year. Huge improvement in comfort and road noise. However, you buried the lede: 20” wheels? Those are the premium “induction” wheels with lower profile tires (255/40R20), of course your ride comfort is awful, even compared to other 2020s. Stock Model Y wheels have always been 19” (255/45R19).

O it’s been almost a year(June 2025), so I can’t remember. We started with 1 month free and that sealed the deal. But I don’t remember what it came with sorry. 13.2.9 perhaps? We did go thru the regressions of 14.1(I think that was it). But now… it’s SO good.

I have the same car and was thinking of doing the same. Is it noticeable enough to justify the cost? I’ve heard mixed reviews from people who bought mountain pass performance’s suspension kits.

If you want to keep your current car replace the shocks and struts with new Juniper variety. And replace the 20 inch wheels with 18 inch. Otherwise you have a good excuse to trade it in for a new Juniper.

Anything is better than jeep, especially wrangler...

the juniper refresh is better... much in the same way smoking 1 pack a day is probably better for you than smoking 2 packs a day

Our new Y feels the same as our previous bmw x3. Still firm but very comfy

Posting as a comment so people get a notification that are following. Just finished the test drive and oh my goodness the ride quality is not even in the same universe. Makes my 20 Y feel like a 92 Civic lowered on cut coils with low profile wheels. You don't feel the road really at all and it doesn't constantly vibrate. Also zero rattles. But it for sure feels more floaty not a crazy amount but enough that when you floor it the front end goes up significantly. Which kind of blew my mind because I was driving AWD. Not even going to mention how much faster it is than mine. I didn't think I could feel like my car was actually slow. Also I know this is off topic but it's on my mind I tried out FSD. I felt like standard profile was actually quite comparable to hardware 3. One cool thing is that it used the middle turn lane which hardware 3 never uses for an unprotected left. Also thought it was very hesitant at stop signs and turns.... Until you use mad Max... Oh my God that's really the winner here I put it on plus 30% offset and let me tell you that bad boy didn't even try to go to the speed limit I was going 70 on the on ramp to the highway before I even touch the highway. 50 in a 40. Floors it off the line. It was glorious. It was threading the needle through traffic it didn't even think about the brakes what are those.

I was just at Tesla service and asked if the 2023 suspension is different than the juniper and he said nope same thing. Wife hates the ride and I agree that it is rough.

I had the same issue with my 2020 MYP. You could feel and hear everything. I test drove the Juniper and it was much improved. Ultimately, I didn’t go with Tesla for my current EV specifically for cabin comfort (a lot of commuting).

Yea those pre refresh Model Y’s and 3’s are so rough. Sometimes when I get an old loaner Y it gives me a weird tension headache because the car is constantly vibrating, buzzing, or getting beat up by any and all imperfection in the road. I know the used Y market is a screaming deal but I can never own another pre 2026 Model Y. They are just way too rough and unrefined for my liking.

They did do a pre refresh suspension improvement, I can’t remember exactly but it was late 2023 or early 2024.

Tesla Service won’t install them unless you’re super lucky to find one that will. They’ll only install parts that are linked to your VIN.

And lack of sound deadening.

I emailed a local auto-body shop that said it did suspensions with something like this:  > Hello,  > >I'm looking to swap the suspension on my Tesla model Y with the newer one as per this thread:  > >https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/model-y-juniper-suspension-retrofit-install-on-1st-gen-model-y-2020-2025-installation-video.352719/ > >Is this something you do? If so, generally how much would it cost and if not, is there anything you would recommend? I also provided my VIN The specific place I got it was: https://apexautosworks.com/ Interesting motto but the price was reasonable for the work.  Another place quoted me $3,400

I emailed a local auto-body shop that said it did suspensions with something like this:  > Hello,  > >I'm looking to swap the suspension on my Tesla model Y with the newer one as per this thread:  > >https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/model-y-juniper-suspension-retrofit-install-on-1st-gen-model-y-2020-2025-installation-video.352719/ > >Is this something you do? If so, generally how much would it cost and if not, is there anything you would recommend? I also provided my VIN The specific place I got it was: https://apexautosworks.com/ Interesting motto but the price was reasonable for the work.  Another place quoted me $3,400

You can order Juniper suspension parts from Tesla directly (you’ll have to five then part numbers and forego warranty as they don’t match your VIN) then get a mechanic to install them. You may find a mechanic that can order parts for you to reduce the hassle. Should be much cheaper than buying aftermarket suspension from TEIN, MPP and UPP. Brings the car much closer to a typical car, but the sound improvement is a smaller difference.

Our Juniper has the new suspension.

As others have said, Juniper suspension retrofit is pretty straight forward: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EahoyTgkkyU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EahoyTgkkyU)

2020 Model Y is golf kart bad. Debating switching the components out myself this spring.

Can anyone guide on ride quality between 2026 model Y premium AWD vs Performance. For the price difference performance is very tempting but not by sacrificing ride comfort last thing I want is to have harsh ride for crossover. I test drove AWD and it was comfortable for me but couldn't get performance so far as they are not available beyond 15 mins demo drive. So any comments would be helpful for me to decide. If you think replacing tires to 19" tires on P would be same as AWD

With how much my 20 Y vibrates I could totally see getting a migraine. Just constantly vibrating at all times.

I don’t want to drive the new juniper man.. my 23MYLR is super awesome. I absolutely love it,but my family complains every time about ride quality.

19

Pray you don’t kiss your mother in your travels. I hear that can do funny things to you.

2023 Y. Definitely a comfortable ride for us.

There are a lot of design choices I don’t understand, suspension and frame less doors being 2 biggest ones. It’s one of the best selling cars in the world, does Tesla not have competent product managers? What percentage of their buys prefer this kind of “sportiness”? Even if they offer a softer suspension for $3000 extra I’d buy it without hesitation, even though all the other brands make sportiness an extra option. And no, all the other EVs in the price range I test drove have similar driving dynamics without this kind of harsh suspension. It’s pure cost cutting IMO. But FSD beats the living hell out of anything else

I am curious as well. Does the swap offer the same ride experience as the Juniper?

I have a late 23MYLR. Is it still worth the upgrade from that year?

My 2023 MYP rides fantastic. It was fine on the stock 21s, it’s a dream on 19s, even at 45psi. I wouldn’t mind it being stiffer actually.

The damping curve is shit. Too linear plus being stiff enough to handle high cornering loads at speed makes it overdamped - harsh and jarringly bumpy - on average road bumps.

Lol the price does not determine the level of luxury. The Y was $70k not long ago. I can’t find a single reason I would pick an X5 over my MYP even at the same price. Never getting into a hot or cold car is reason enough.

Yes, pre-Juniper Model Y has a harsher ride.

Just buy the comfort suspension, swap out the old, and then change to 19’s. I did that on my ‘22 MYP and it’s been a godsend.

Just sharing as someone who worked spoke with Gigs Texas engineers working on the production for Model Y. They have updated the suspension for Model Ys more than 30 times since 2020, and that was in 2023 - way before Juniper. Tesla has been incrementally making the car better all the time and implementing into production as they happen. The yearly update is what you can see but a ton of internal updates goes on under the hood all the time

They have been updating the suspension all the time. From a Giga Texas engineer I spoke to who was working on the Texas Model Y production said that there has been like 30+ revisions on the suspension/ride quality since 2020 and they implement them immediately not waiting for any yearly updates - that conversation took place in 2023 so many more updates has happened since I’m sure I have one of the 2020 Covid production ones and even 2021 or 2022 models I can feel the improvement

2020 was worst than 2021, trust

Agreed. Tesla hasn’t figured out suspension yet. My 2018 BMW 440i GC is *miles* ahead of our 2026 Y. Sooooooooo much smooth and softer.

Where did you find someone to do your suspension swap? Or did you take it back to tesla?

I dropped down to 18s from 21s on my '23 MYP last week and that's been pretty good for me. I doubt if I'm ripping out the current suspension for the Juniper unless it's a nighy and day difference.

MYLR on 20” - just changed to 275 40 20 Uniroyal Rainsport 5 and dropped pressures to 38psi. Totally different animal in terms of ride comfort. And hopefully less kerb rash… 🫣

Battery and technology are costly. There are suspension upgrades available.

I just did some quick math. We bought our 2024 Model Y in May 2024 when they were running 0.99% APR with $0 down for 72 months. Of course, the $7500 tax credit was still valid then as well. We optioned for white paint, 7 seater, and tow hitch. Configuring that right now with their 3.99% APR for a Model Y Juniper, the total cost of the loan is $19,000 more expensive. I'm definitely not upgrading any time soon.

I own a 24 MY, are you saying a 26 juniper is waaayy better?

Yes, by leaps and bounds. I loved my 2024 but the Juniper feels much more refined. Better interior, quieter ride, softer suspension, no incessant rattles.

Can’t you do the Juniper shock/strut upgrade to make your ride much better?

92 Civic lowered on cut coils with low profile wheels😆

Softer suspension because Tesla reduced the coils diameter thickness that plays a big part of the softer suspension ride

Some people just can't handle a firm suspension.

I did it myself and it took a couple hours. The rear was easiest. Torque specs are online and I got new bolts from the SC since some of them should be new and replaced.

I also switched to the Ion Evo EV tires like they put on Juniper and it’s WAY quieter now too. All combined I see zero reason to move to Juniper.

You can’t blame Tesla for improving their cars. Granted, the bar was very low, but the newer vehicles are really very much better.

WHAT?

You could get the koni red shocks as an in between. It would soften up your road feel and bumps, while maintaining or improving spirited driving dynamics. I plan to toss some on when it's time to change tires.

model Y drives itself 🤷🏼‍♂️ that fact trumps all imo

I had a 2023 MYP and it took awhile to get used to the bumpiness. The performance model is even worse in this respect, but it was really fun to drive anyway. Traded for 2024 MYP for HW4 and it's still bumpy, but I'm 100% used to it. My wife's 2026 MY is way more comfortable drive. It's perfect.

I feel like our 8 year old's time in the 3rd row is limited. But we also have a 5 and 3 year old that can cycle back there for a good number of years!

AND LACK OF SOUND DEADENING!

I like my 2026 Model Y premium, upgraded from 2016 Honda accord with 140,000 miles

and going to a 206 Y wouldn't be much better. Somewhat better, but not hugely.

2021 model y feels like a horse wagon, had one passenger trying to take a sip from her coffee just couldn’t because it was too bumpy lol

Yup I got my awd long range for same rate, hard to beat

The same with the model three high one compared to the old model three the suspension and just the way it rides is so much better. You don’t even feel the bumps or anything on the road. It’s like totally different.

Tesla cars are tech heavy cars. They are not luxurious cars. They are not BMWs, Mercedes Acura or anything like that. People shouldn’t compare them to them because that’s not what they are. They’re in a class by themselves. They are not a standard car they are not a luxury car. They are a very nice car that has great tech.

Was like that with the older 3 and I got a new 3. The quality from the interior to the ride quality is literally buttery smooth, you wouldn't be able to tell they're all that different. I went from testing a 22 model 3 to a 25 M3LR and it is so much softer and the seats don't feel like I'm sitting on cardboard.

That's why I got it even with the ride quality when I test drove it. Can't beat a car that drives itself.

I can blame them for giving their 50,000 plus dollar car 92 Honda Civic LE ride comfort in the first place. Even if they wanted to put sporty suspension in this car they should have made sure that the ride comfort was still premium. I've driven in sporty cars that have sporty suspension and it still feels premium because they find ways to dampen the sporty suspension in other ways.

Oh, yes. The dampers they use now were of course also available back then. But I guess because the cars had to be as similar as possible, they chose the same cheap ones for all versions. These days, you get cheap ones for the entry level car, better ones for the mid level car and higher end for the top car.

The new Juniper 2026 RWD has a smother ride, but the front suspension has a clunking sound on less than perfect roads that many people are complaining about. I noticed this since the first day I got the car with only 6 miles on it on December 31st 2025, Yesterday I took the car to the service center and they told me that Tesla is aware of the issue in many 2026 Yunipers, and they simply don't have definitive cure for the problem, they replaced the upper strut mounts on my car yesterday, and this only helped a tiny bit, but as soon as I drove out of the service center, I let them know that issue is still present. They told me that they want to have me schedule a test drive with the service center manager so he could document the issue and send as much information as possible to Tesla's engineering department, cause for now. Thay can only try to mitigate the issue, but don't have a permanent fix. Some people may have ethe issue and not even notice, or deemed it normal, and some others only commute on near perfect roads where the noise doesn't show up. But my town has both, good and bad roads, so I can tell the clunking noise is there as soon as I go on a bad road. The issue is very well documented, and even if you Google the car year and model, Google will give you an explanation of the issue and what's going on.

Did you take it for an alignment after?

highly recommend replacing all strut and shocks to newer versions them, they will fit, if u gonna keep the car

I thought about it, but the swap nor new tires didn’t change anything. After the swap if the car drove different I would have, but it was still straight and true with steering wheel centered. There was about 2mm left on the tires at that point. After the tire change, it was still straight and true. I asked the guy at Americas Tire and know the recommendation is to do it, but I pushed it off since the car was driving straight after doing both. At this point everything is great and tire rotation is coming up soon.

The new ones are different

They fixed this for new models

I know the alignment adjustment is minimal on our cars anyway. In order to truly adjust camber on the rears you’d have to get aftermarket camber arms. Prob not worth it if you have no issues with premature tire wear. I love everything about the myp but the stiff suspension has me thinking of the juniper. I’ve already downsized the 21” wheels to 19”s but it’s still a horrible ride for NJ roads. Just did a long drive from Florida to NJ (mostly FSD) and it was such a wake up call when I got back to the rough roads. Some sections of the turnpike make it feel like I’m driving a shopping cart.

On the performance, my concern was trying to move to juniper performance suspension which didn’t seem feasible, and comfort was the next best thing. I also moved to 19’s before the swap, but after it was OMG finally it’s comfortable… night and day difference. Then the ION EVOs were another eye opener despite having the Continentals with sound foam. The ION EVO is an awesome tire for sound absorption and comfort.

I’ll check the ion evo next time I need to swap tires. I only have 4k miles on the Michelin cross climates so it’s gonna be a while. This is good info though. Thanks. When you say “comfort suspension” do you mean the official Tesla one or the comfort suspension from Unplugged.

This is OEM equipment, so from Tesla directly and much cheaper than aftermarket. Front Left Damper Assembly: 1188371-00-F Front Right Damper Assembly: 1188376-00-F Rear Dampers: 1188465-00-F Rear Springs: 1188475-00-D Not including the nuts/bolts to replace.

The Juniper still moves way too much over 80 for me personally.

It blows my mind people don't realize just how bad their OG model Y rides. Hands down the most uncomfortable riding car I've ever ridden in which includes NASA gutted TT cars. And yes the hype around Juniper improvements is worth checking out. Night and day to a more reasonable ride comfort. Crazy it takes folks driving a different car after getting the OG Model Y to realize this.

I have a 23 MYLR. I hate the ride quality. I had a 26 MY RWD as a loaner for a week. MUCH improved ride quality. I would not call it floaty or too soft. I would say it is acceptable, with still retaining some harshness over bigger bumps. Also I have the 19” wheels on my MYLR and switched from the OEM 45 series to 50 series tire. Save your money. It didn’t make enough of a difference to be worthwhile.

Did you end up going with apexautosworks? That shop looks like its near where I live. Did they quote you a decent price?

They're the ones that quoted me. $1,600, I haven't gone through with it yet.  And asked me again in about a month or so

Just out of curiosity, how many miles do your 2023 Y tires have ?

You can get suspension from JUNIPER MODEL Y installed on you model Y plenty of videos telling what to buy. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EahoyTgkkyU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EahoyTgkkyU)

news flash: your Y is 6 years old

News flash it was also bad 6 years ago.

breaking news: tech 6 years ago was 6 years older than it is today

We have a breaking story coming out of automotive history just in. I'm here to share it with you first: suspension technology today and 6 years ago is in fact the same technology. There's been no advancement in suspension it's just a choice on what you want to put in your car. Cars in the equivalent price range even 20 years ago we're running much more comfortable suspension

Nope, mine is the "new model" and Tesla doesn't even have a remedy for it yet!

I wanted to follow up.  They hadn't done this before and after some research they came back with me with a price of $2,400.  It's not $1,600, but it's definitely cheaper than the $3,400 have been quoted before

Just a follow-up on this. They hadn't done it before and didn't finalize their pricing.  They just got back to me and the price is $2,400.  That's cheaper than the $3,400 that I was quoted elsewhere.

Yeah. Nice. Thanks for the follow up!

The ride on pothole stricken and crappy MI roads feels like my Lexus RX350 F-sport: bumpy and hear and feel everything and just an overall cruddy feeling due to the performance suspension without the advanced air ride technologies, etc. I have a Model S P100D and it is one of best riding cars I've ever owned in terms of sportiness and comfort (everything). I'm saying this after coming from multiple Lexus LS's, that I had thought were the best. BTW, I love the MYP and no complaints, just stating the facts.