▶주메뉴 바로가기

▶본문 바로가기

The Korea Herald
검색폼

THE INVESTOR
March 28, 2024

Automobiles

[BEHIND THE WHEEL] The Tesla experience, powerful but kinda bumpy

  • PUBLISHED :December 11, 2017 - 16:51
  • UPDATED :December 19, 2017 - 10:48
  • 폰트작게
  • 폰트크게
  • facebook
  • sms
  • print

[THE INVESTOR] PALO ALTO -- Cruise control isn’t exactly a new driving concept. We’ve had it for years, even decades. But auto pilot mode is still kind of cool, and now, cars can control speed and brake on time.

When I tried out Tesla’s autopilot last week, it made me ponder about just how far cruise control has come.




The car I test-drove was the Model X that was gorgeous to look at, from both inside and out. It has a wrap-over windshield that makes for a breathtaking view of sunny California, and the rear “Falcon Wing” doors were like sci-fi come true. Inside, the SUV was fitted with all the basic technology of Tesla that was displayed on a large panel.

I drove on the “Chill” mode, which is the latest driving feature added for a smooth ride. Personally, I couldn’t feel that much of a difference between Chill and other settings.

Still, autopilot was pretty cool, and driving without hands on a freeway was quite thrilling. The car adeptly followed the traffic, and it broke and accelerated pretty seamlessly. Weaving through the lanes, however, had to be done by human hands, and it was hard not to keep your foot hovering over the brake pad, just in case.

There’s also adaptive cruise control, which is when you want to go into autopilot on busier streets. This function was a bit temperamental, and from what the Tesla employee told us, it did seem that it’s always a bit funky. It took a while to switch into the mode, and it kept switching out of it.

I would probably have to drive this car more often, and for longer periods, but on the hour-long drive that alternated between busy streets and freeways, it didn’t quite meet my expectations. In fact, my past experience with Toyota’s Prius was a much smoother one. This could be perhaps due to my personal preferences, and also because the Model X is not a sedan, but whenever the battery recycles, which was at every stop, the ride felt more than bumpy, and the braking severe. 




On the whole, the Tesla experience was still an extraordinary one. But my opinion is that Tesla cars are prettier to look at than drive. I have to admit, standing there in the sunlight, it looked almost majestic. This shiny gray machine that’s supposed to do wonders. And the way the door handles slide out when touched is just another way of saying, hey, you gotta get one.

After the ride, I felt I would love to own a Tesla for its looks and contribution to cleaner air, but not for the feel behind the wheel. 


The Investor Rating (out of 5 stars)

Design: 5 stars

Safety: 5 stars

Gas Mileage: 5 stars

Price: 4 stars 

Ride: 2 stars


By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)

EDITOR'S PICKS