I had the opportunity to test drive the Cybertruck and it exceeded everything I thought it would ever be

[RayzorBEV]

For years before we had anything close to a production version Cybertruck, I've been saying that it's ultra stiff chassis, combined with the fully adjustable air suspension, was going to give it driving dynamics that couldn't be matched by current trucks, ICE or EV. Tesla even put more expensive extra-long A-arms on it to accomodate all that travel. This is putting good engineering above the typical bean-counters desire to cut pennies and increase profits.

My biggest concern was that the exoskeleton style structure was going to transmit wheel impacts throughout the cabin and give it a "boomy" sounding cabin that was tiring and irratating to drive long distances on rough roads. As it turns out, it sounds like Tesla engineers did a bang-up job preventing sound transmission from the road to the cabin and my original concerns didn't give them the credit they deserve. My misplaced fear was that they would say, "It's a truck, it's not supposed to be like a Cadillac". However, by almost all accounts, the cabin is a very pleasant environment, even if the roads are imperfect.

To be clear, the cab of my F-150 is relatively quiet, except for the irritating drone of the V8 that Ford engineers bragged they had purposefully not muffled too much, instead tuning out the undesirable frequencies and leaving mostly deeper sounds, what they probably considered a manly rumble. But there is no other way to describe it but irritating and disruptive to conversation when climbing hills or accelerating, especially on longer freeway travels but also at low off-road speeds. They can take their acoustically tuned intake and exhaust noises and shove them up their collective ass because once you experience the futuristic whine of an electric powertrain it's obvious that an ICE engine has no desirable frequencies, regardless of how much ignorant ICE fans wax poetic about engine noises. Not even my V-twin Ducati, with a carbon fiber pipe and open airbox sounds desirable any longer. The sounds are particularly irritating when gas prices spike, because those accoustically tuned intake and exhaust notes are like the Devil's own choir reminding you every time you climb a hill or accelerate to a higher speed that your giant 36-gallon gas tank is rapidly sucking dry, trying to get you to pry your wallet open yet again. It takes all the fun out of what an enjoyable day should be, working or recreating.

So, yeah, other than the obnoxious engine drone, the F-150 cab is pretty quiet, on roads that don't have jarring bumps, but Ford achieved that at the expense of driving dynamics by making the chassis a flexy flyer and isolating the cab from the chassis. This works reasonably well on dirt roads with lots of dips and puddles as long as you go a slow enough speed, appropriate to the low-tech suspension. But it can add a lot of time to a remote excursion going 20 mph instead of 40 mph. It can double the travel time. The tires lose contact with the ground far too easily as the speed increases, which reduces the normal margin of safety. I haven't driven a Cybertruck yet, but it's obvious to me, from all early accounts, that the rigid chassis coupled to the long-travel air suspension is far superior on bad roads, dirt or pavement.

Granted, the F-150 Raptor would be the better comparison, but then the price rises into the realm of the Foundation Edition Cybertruck, and the gas bills and maintenance soar even higher. And the chassis is still too flexy for reasonable on-road driving dynamics which just ruins driving for me. The Cybertruck adapts to its environment better than any other truck on the market.

Thanks for sharing your first-hand impressions of the driving dynamics.

Great take on the Cybertruck and comparison to the F150 and the Raptor. As a former F150 owner with the twin turbo V6, I too was irritated by the fake exhaust sound. As far as the Raptor, we have about a dozen at my work (many are the R type) and most paid a market adjustments between 50-75k on top of the MSRP, making them more expensive than the FS Cyberbeast. These same owners moans about their fuel expenses, frequent maintenance and inability to park in their home garages

Sponsored

 

[RayzorBEV]

Thanks to Anne and Joe for giving me the opportunity to drive the Cybertruck, it was so incredibly amazing and I can’t thank them enough.

I had only seen the truck from the outside and behind the roped off perimeter, and also had to drive 450 miles from AZ to San Diego just to see it.

So I was thrilled to be able to finally see one up close.

It’s 100 times more spectacular in person than any photos or videos.

And I can’t believe I got the opportunity to take it for a cruise.

Everything about the truck was amazing, it’s such a joy to drive and it’s the most comfortable smooth vehicle I’ve ever driven including my old Model S and Porsche’s with air suspension.

The cabin is so incredibly quiet, and the four wheel steering and steer by wire are the most remarkable things I’ve ever experienced driving.

I’m totally OCD and super happy to see with my own eyes that the Everbrite ProtectaClear works awesome on preventing fingerprints.

I’m still waiting for a VIN on my 1/17 AWD order, hoping it comes soon.
Now that I got a taste of the Cybertruck, I am even more eager to get mine.

Go to Glendale, AZ. They have one on display open to all to play with, no test drive though.

 

[Celiboy]

My service center isn’t big enough to have a display model and it’d be a 3 hour drive to the nearest one that does. My first experience will be in my actual truck.

 

[agordon117]

My service center isn’t big enough to have a display model and it’d be a 3 hour drive to the nearest one that does. My first experience will be in my actual truck.

Mine has one right now and I just can't bring myself to go. What would it accomplish? If my truck is 90 days out still, the wait won't be any easier once I've seen/sat in one.

 

[Celiboy]

Mine has one right now and I just can't bring myself to go. What would it accomplish? If my truck is 90 days out still, the wait won't be any easier once I've seen/sat in one.

True. It may actually make the waiting harder.

 

[jasper7821]

Go to Glendale, AZ. They have one on display open to all to play with, no test drive though.

That's so awesome people are finally allowed to see the inside and sit in it.
I was so impressed with the interior layout and quality and how comfortable it was.
I was so excited, I forgot to test out the ventilated seats which in the desert here it's a must have with dark leather. (my M3 has white interior and it's fine in the heat, I wish the Cybertruck had white seats)
But from reviews, all have said the ventilated seats work great.

 

[RayzorBEV]

That's so awesome people are finally allowed to see the inside and sit in it.
I was so impressed with the interior layout and quality and how comfortable it was.
I was so excited, I forgot to test out the ventilated seats which in the desert here it's a must have with dark leather. (my M3 has white interior and it's fine in the heat, I wish the Cybertruck had white seats)
But from reviews, all have said the ventilated seats work great.

Fantastic inside and out. I was really blown away by how much better the Cybertruck was in person. I tested the ventilated seat on the Cybertruck and on the refreshed Model 3 that I had test drove in another SC location; both work as advertised. Imho, the Cybertruck and the refreshed M3 are the best truck and compact sedan money can buy, for now ?

 

[RayzorBEV]

My service center isn’t big enough to have a display model and it’d be a 3 hour drive to the nearest one that does. My first experience will be in my actual truck.

Yeah, I drove over 8 hours to get to Glendale, AZ when I found out they have a Cybertruck on display. Well worth the drive to be able to finally see one in person and be able to seat inside the Cybertruck since I pre-ordered it back on NOV 2019...It's 10 times better than photos and videos. A few things really stood out about the Cybertruck was it's smaller than in photos; its presence wasn't imposing, just awe-inspiring; the steering wheel was not truck-like big but sport-car like compact similar to my BMW X3M Competition, and everything felt solid; oh yeah, lots of easter eggs everywhere to remind you just how special this beast is. Check out the front window, when they are rolled down and you open the door, a glass silhouette in the shape of the Cybertruck pops up, so dope ?

 

[jasper7821]

Fantastic inside and out. I was really blown away by how much better the Cybertruck was in person. I tested the ventilated seat on the Cybertruck and on the refreshed Model 3 that I had test drove in another SC location; both work as advertised. Imho, the Cybertruck and the refreshed M3 are the best truck and compact sedan money can buy, for now ?

Ya, Tesla let me take the Highland for 45 minutes. Way better than my 2021 M3, especially the suspension. I actually forgot to try the ventilated seats in that too. Probably due to it was a cold evening ?

 

[jasper7821]

Yeah, I drove over 8 hours to get to Glendale, AZ when I found out they have a Cybertruck on display. Well worth the drive to be able to finally see one in persin and be able to seat inside the Cybertruck since I pre-ordered it back on NOV 2019...It's 10 times better than photos and videos. A few things really stood out about the Cybertruck was its presence wasn't imposing, just awe-inspiring; the steering wheel was not truck-like big but sport-car like compact similar to my BMW X3M Competition, and everything feels solid ?

Exactly how I felt when I drove 6hrs to San Diego to to see it. That first look was spectacular ?

 

[Gigahorse]

It makes the truck so so nice and shiny and the no fingerprints thing is awesome.
Plus the protection it gives the metal.
All my cars and motorcycles after I cruise them around or get home from work, I use my air compressor and blow them off, then use the California car duster, then wipe the wheels every single day, that’s how OCD I am.
And with the coating, it makes keeping it clean so much easier.

Good to hear someone with a high level of OCD likes the coating option. I am not to your level but the fingerprints look BAD on the stock stainless, and I am not a wrap guy and not looking to drop $10k on a wrap.
Hopefully the coating will be a good long term solution for those of us that like the stainless look.

 

[Ezman]

Thanks to Anne and Joe for giving me the opportunity to drive the Cybertruck, it was so incredibly amazing and I can’t thank them enough.

I had only seen the truck from the outside and behind the roped off perimeter, and also had to drive 450 miles from AZ to San Diego just to see it.

So I was thrilled to be able to finally see one up close.

It’s 100 times more spectacular in person than any photos or videos.

And I can’t believe I got the opportunity to take it for a cruise.

Everything about the truck was amazing, it’s such a joy to drive and it’s the most comfortable smooth vehicle I’ve ever driven including my old Model S and Porsche’s with air suspension.

The cabin is so incredibly quiet, and the four wheel steering and steer by wire are the most remarkable things I’ve ever experienced driving.

I’m totally OCD and super happy to see with my own eyes that the Everbrite ProtectaClear works awesome on preventing fingerprints.

I’m still waiting for a VIN on my 1/17 AWD order, hoping it comes soon.
Now that I got a taste of the Cybertruck, I am even more eager to get mine.

Pretty cool, I drove mine to a member in this forum that lives is Savannah Ga area and him and his colleagues love it today!

 

[jasper7821]

Pretty cool, I drove mine to a member in this forum that lives is Savannah Ga area and him and his colleagues love it today!

I plan on letting people do the same

 

[Ezman]

I plan on letting people do the same

Similar group of guys also, engineers for an airplane company. Everyone was very impressed. It was cool to see the older gentlemen take to it!

 

[jasper7821]

Similar group of guys also, engineers for an airplane company. Everyone was very impressed. It was cool to see the older gentlemen take to it!

That’s awesome

Sponsored