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2019 Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor Performance
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By Peter Neilson Jul 9 2020 - 2:00pm

The Number One Reason People Do Not Like Tesla

Want to know why there are still Tesla haters out there? Let me tell you what I did recently that made this very apparent to me.
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If you have been following me, you know that I primarily cover the Toyota Prius and other hybrid vehicles. Something that many do not know about me is that I am also following the EV and FCHV market very carefully as well.

I believe that we are heading into a new world of transportation in a speedy way. Staying involved with what is coming allows me to give accurate information to all of my readers and speculate what is going to happen.

My latest adventure took me into the Tesla world with a Model 3 Dual-Motor Performance. I had been in Tesla cars before, but this time it was different. It put me in deep thought of why people could dislike Tesla, and then it dawned on me why.

My Tesla Experience
I had literally just met Kevin that day. All I knew about him is that he owned two Tesla Model 3, one of them being the performance model, and he has a fresh job. Other than that, we shared almost nothing in common, and the last thing I ever expected happened. He let me drive his car to dinner.

2018 Tesla Model 3 Red front shot

I have been in the Model S and other Model 3, but I had never been in his car and had surely never driven a Tesla. Most owners that I have driven with were very protective of their cars and wanted to show them off while they drove. Kevin was the opposite; he wanted me to drive and experience the new ultimate driving machine (Sorry, BMW, you can no longer make that claim).

I hopped in with Kevin in the front passenger seat, and he coached me through the basics of getting settled, then we headed off. The 3 was in hold mode, which allowed me to completely control throttle response and most of the braking from the accelerator pedal. It was strange at first but took very little time to adapt to it.

We wove through the neighborhood and headed towards one of the longer stretches of road. Once we could take on some speed, I was persuaded to floor it, and what came next sent every sense in my body into a full euphoria of complete ecstasy and excitement.

I wholeheartedly believe that in this day and age, driving a Tesla is the equivalent of jumping into hyperspace like on Star Wars. Everything became a blur as I was thrown deep into the plush vegan leather seats. My heart was racing, the first time in years, I was excited to drive, but the adventure did not stop there.

We still had quite a few miles to cover, and Kevin let me know it was okay to drive the 3 as it was intended. I will tell you I had no shame obliterating people in other cars off the line, grinning ear to ear the entire way. Was there anything that could make this car better? Yes, there were several things.

When we came to a cruising road, it was time for cruise control and auto-steer to do their job. Again, never having done this before, I was apprehensive about it, but why? It was a new and unfamiliar experience for me; that is why.

The auto-driving features worked terrifically; I could enjoy a conversation with the others in the car, all while getting to my destination safely. Later on, dove into some of the other features of the vehicle. We toyed around with the voice commands and some of the "easter egg" features of the car.

The overall experience was like a day at the racetrack and spa. I felt excited and refreshed all at the same time. It was the jubilation of the body, mind, and soul. It was the absolute best driving experience I have ever had in a vehicle, and I have driven over 100 different sports cars, pickups, and SUVs.

Why Do People Dislike This Amazing Machine?
Driving and fully experiencing a Tesla in that way got me thinking of how people could dislike these cars. It was then it dawned on me why. Those who do not like Tesla have never driven or owned one. It is that simple.

Are there other reasons for people not liking Tesla, sure. I know there are people out there who do not like having to put tires on it, or there are people who hate to charge it. Others nitpick about all sorts of things, but honestly, anything can.

Maybe you do not like Elon Musk, so what, the car is still phenomenal. Perhaps you think or that technology is aiding to the slow demise of human civilization. Whatever it is, we can agree there will always be opposition.

Conclusion
First off, a huge thank you to my new friend Kevin for letting me drive your Tesla. It was astounding, and I really appreciate it. Second, hate Tesla all you want, but do not be a jealous hater because you have never driven or owned one. Drive one, and then we can talk.

Have a great day, everyone. I hope you are all safe out there. I look forward to seeing you in the next story. What To Do With A Generation 2 Toyota Prius Mysterious Engine Knock.

Watch this Toyota Prius truck with a cute little bed and click to subscribe to Torque News Youtube for daily automotive news analysis.

Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Instructor of Automotive Technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter. Find his page on Facebook at Certified Auto Consulting. Read more of Peter's stories at Toyota news coverage on Torque News. Search Toyota Prius Torque News for more in depth Prius coverage from our reporters.

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Comments

Timothy Parker wrote on July 10, 2020 - 11:20am
No, you've got it all wrong. People don't like Teslas because owners come off as snobs and jerks. That might not be entirely true, but just read other EV forums. Tesla people are always bashing other EVs. They can't just enjoy their choice, they have to incessantly denigrate and belittle other EV owners choices. People would be more open to a Tesla if Tesla owners weren't such jerks.
Mark wrote on July 11, 2020 - 5:13pm
I agree that Tesla fanboys are an annoying lot but they are the minority. The online world is stuffed with boors, snobs and trolls. Some of them Tesla boosters. But in the real world (note that total Tesla sales are now approaching a million vehicles since inception and the bulk of those owners are generally very nice, considerate and generous just like almost everyone else. A lot of hate also comes from the current political climate where being allied with what is seen as liberal "green" issues signifies opposition to ones political views. Again, with actual conversation, we find more in common than not.
Digital Doc wrote on July 10, 2020 - 4:47pm
Good point Tim, and that is quite true. Musk also comes off as this which sets the tone. Also, for the record, I do not want to charge my car, or get a charging station installed in my garage. Also, folks do not like the tablet mounted on the dashboard that has plenty of glitches, that needs reboots just to drive the car. Finally, I find the cars expensive for what they are.
Scott Kaye wrote on December 5, 2020 - 1:14pm
I own a model S 2017 Worst purchase of my life. The mapping system is awful, but no android auto, so you can't use waze. Their music is terrible, but again, no android auto, so pandora doesn't link right. It burns through 1-2 miles just sitting idle and even though I have free supercharging for life, having to do it once a week after driving only 30 miles is insane. When they finally added voice to text, they did it with necessary scroll choices so you have to take your eyes off the road. Full self drive? After 5 minutes you will learn DO NOT TRUST THE CAR. Electric cars are great. My wife got a Ionia electric. Thats the car we each want to drive. Tesla is overpriced, underwhelming and simply the worst purchase decision I ever made. I would sell it tomorrow if it wasn't only worth 20% of what I paid, despite the fact it only has 11k miles on it. DON'T BUY A TESLA!
Josh wrote on December 24, 2020 - 8:40pm
It's called a work in progress. You can't expect a new method of transportation to be perfect within a few years. Also, no one has ever claimed that Tesla has full self-driving. It is very obvious to anyone paying attention that they do not want people assuming that it does.
Mi wrote on December 22, 2020 - 5:21pm
Im a big fan of right to repair, and do a lot of work on all my cars. Tesla is strongly opposed to this, and does things like not selling parts to the public. Not saying no one should get them, but i certainly wont be.
Tesla owner for now wrote on January 26, 2021 - 2:34pm
Wow, this is the type of article that makes non-Tesla owners never want to be associated with owning a Tesla. Number one reason people don't like Tesla is bc of the Tesla fanboys. If you give any type of negative feedback about Tesla, Tesla fanboys will come out swarming and attacking. I believe it stems from this arrogance just like how the author of this article is stating that people don't like Teslas b/c they've never driven one before. Get off your high horse. After owning used Model S for about a month, there are plenty of things that I don't like about it, but if I complain, it will somehow be my fault and not Tesla's. 1. Excessive wind/road noise is awful. It messes with my ear pressure that gives me a slight headache at times. 2. I've had to reboot several times as my screen will go black. Very inconvenient 3. Range estimate is awful. I know they follow EPA guidelines, but still sucks that you get lot less range than what you'd expect. ICE EPA estimates are not this off. 4. Supercharging time is ALWAYS much longer than what is claimed or what my screen estimate states. 5. Supercharging is expensive. It's similar in price as if I have 32mpg car. So when traveling long distance, it sucks to wait to charge as well as you're not really saving much money on fuel. 6. my door handle broke. Yea, regular ICE cars break too, but with how much Tesla fanboys tout about how EVs are so much more reliable with less moving parts and its simplicity, you still get plenty of annoying things that go wrong. 7. Tesla fanboys will tell me that majority of my issues are due to having used Model S and newer models won't have these issues, or Model 3s have resolved many of my concerns. I call that BS as I've seen other Model 3 owners complain. Also, JD Power ranked Tesla dead last out of all brands in quality survey that was released June 2020. So, there are enough problems.