5 Surprises after 20 Days with Cybertruck

[carsly]

I'm sure like many of you, I've watched most YouTube reviews (often more than once) and read just about every article before having the good fortune of taking delivery of my Cybertruck AWD 20 days and some 600 miles ago. With that backdrop, I thought I'd share my top five list of surprises, in no particular order:

1. Super-easy to clean inside and out - we're a family of five with three teenage boys and two dogs. Stuff gets dirty, especially our vehicles. With the all weather mats, a few wipes for the interior and a hose and Sprayway ammonia free glass cleaner I can do a quick clean inside and out of the entire truck in under 30 minutes. With our SUV's I'm looking at least two hours for a similar quick clean. Didn't expect it to be this easy.
2. Drives like a sporty SUV - yes, it's a 220+ inch long pickup truck. But it handles similarly to a BMW X5 4.6is (what would have been an X5 M at the time) that was one of my favorite vehicles. The mass is evident, but it carries itself with a structural firmness and rigidity that exceeds today's X7 or Mercedes GLS. It's not a canyon carver, but for sporting duty this is tough to beat in this size/weight class.
3. Second row legroom for days - why I am talking about second row legroom? I've got three teenage boys who seem to get taller by the day. From 5'2" to 5'11" that's a lot of arms and legs and second row legroom is always a concern. With elevated front seats the second row legroom in the Cybertruck readily exceeds that in the Audi Q7 we owned previously and even in the Defender 130. For two rows of seating, this is really tough to beat and second row comfort - seat width, back support, leg room, etc. is really top-notch and exceeds that of any luxury SUV I've test driven.
4. Bizarro rearview mirror - c'mon Tesla. Even with the tonneau open this micro-mirror was manufactured to have distortion along every edge. Why? Adding a camera-based rearview mirror - that's not embedded in the main screen - should have been done. I've adapted by using my side mirrors more often, and using the rear view in the main screen, but I prefer a bigger, clearer, view of what's behind me. This should be an easy solve.
5. Efficiency is outstanding - I just took a 69.1 mile trip and used 19.5% of my battery. Doing the math, that's 350miles of real-world range (against rated range of 318 miles) on 35" all terrain tires. What? How? In a Tesla?! Tell me again how the Rivians struggle to get 2 mi/kwh and I'm pulling closer to 3 mi/kwh! Forget about the Hummer EV, I'm basically at double plus the efficiency of that bloated oaf. Oh, I'm also within spitting distance of the efficiency I previously achieved with my Model S Plaid. In a 6,000+lb wedge-shape truck.

I didn't leave myself any more room, but the 4 wheel steering is super-easy and its progressive nature just takes minutes to adapt to while driving. It really shortens the effective length of the truck. I like using the frunk for groceries. I did install the vault divider, with substantial difficulty, installed the mud flaps in about 15 minutes, have the snap in sunshade in place (5 mins, maybe) and found some Amazon wheel hub caps that probably took 2 mins to install all four and they subtly match the wheel design and style of the vehicle. RainX is on the front windscreen and it performed well in this mornings rain - as RainX often does. No noticeable noise at speed from the all terrain tires and the hint of motor whine under acceleration is surprisingly welcome. The regen is particularly strong, stronger than the Model S I had, but really simple to modulate. Love the clickable turn signal buttons as opposed to the haptic touch buttons from the Model S and the return of a horn in the middle of the steering yoke. All in all, very happy with the machine and appreciate the ingenuity and inventiveness of the engineering that went into more and more with each passing mile and day.

Finally, 95+% of the people have positive reactions. Many have no idea what it is. Kids see it and often exclaim excitedly "Cybertruck!". The novelty will pass but driving this machine will put smiles on our faces for years and miles to come.

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[Spacenoddle]

I'm sure like many of you, I've watched most YouTube reviews (often more than once) and read just about every article before having the good fortune of taking delivery of my Cybertruck AWD 20 days and some 600 miles ago. With that backdrop, I thought I'd share my top five list of surprises, in no particular order:

1. Super-easy to clean inside and out - we're a family of five with three teenage boys and two dogs. Stuff gets dirty, especially our vehicles. With the all weather mats, a few wipes for the interior and a hose and Sprayway ammonia free glass cleaner I can do a quick clean inside and out of the entire truck in under 30 minutes. With our SUV's I'm looking at least two hours for a similar quick clean. Didn't expect it to be this easy.
2. Drives like a sporty SUV - yes, it's a 220+ inch long pickup truck. But it handles similarly to a BMW X5 4.6is (what would have been an X5 M at the time) that was one of my favorite vehicles. The mass is evident, but it carries itself with a structural firmness and rigidity that exceeds today's X7 or Mercedes GLS. It's not a canyon carver, but for sporting duty this is tough to beat in this size/weight class.
3. Second row legroom for days - why I am talking about second row legroom? I've got three teenage boys who seem to get taller by the day. From 5'2" to 5'11" that's a lot of arms and legs and second row legroom is always a concern. With elevated front seats the second row legroom in the Cybertruck readily exceeds that in the Audi Q7 we owned previously and even in the Defender 130. For two rows of seating, this is really tough to beat and second row comfort - seat width, back support, leg room, etc. is really top-notch and exceeds that of any luxury SUV I've test driven.
4. Bizarro rearview mirror - c'mon Tesla. Even with the tonneau open this micro-mirror was manufactured to have distortion along every edge. Why? Adding a camera-based rearview mirror - that's not embedded in the main screen - should have been done. I've adapted by using my side mirrors more often, and using the rear view in the main screen, but I prefer a bigger, clearer, view of what's behind me. This should be an easy solve.
5. Efficiency is outstanding - I just took a 69.1 mile trip and used 19.5% of my battery. Doing the math, that's 350miles of real-world range (against rated range of 318 miles) on 35" all terrain tires. What? How? In a Tesla?! Tell me again how the Rivians struggle to get 2 mi/kwh and I'm pulling closer to 3 mi/kwh! Forget about the Hummer EV, I'm basically at double plus the efficiency of that bloated oaf. Oh, I'm also within spitting distance of the efficiency I previously achieved with my Model S Plaid. In a 6,000+lb wedge-shape truck.

I didn't leave myself any more room, but the 4 wheel steering is super-easy and its progressive nature just takes minutes to adapt to while driving. It really shortens the effective length of the truck. I like using the frunk for groceries. I did install the vault divider, with substantial difficulty, installed the mud flaps in about 15 minutes, have the snap in sunshade in place (5 mins, maybe) and found some Amazon wheel hub caps that probably took 2 mins to install all four and they subtly match the wheel design and style of the vehicle. RainX is on the front windscreen and it performed well in this mornings rain - as RainX often does. No noticeable noise at speed from the all terrain tires and the hint of motor whine under acceleration is surprisingly welcome. The regen is particularly strong, stronger than the Model S I had, but really simple to modulate. Love the clickable turn signal buttons as opposed to the haptic touch buttons from the Model S and the return of a horn in the middle of the steering yoke. All in all, very happy with the machine and appreciate the ingenuity and inventiveness of the engineering that went into more and more with each passing mile and day.

Finally, 95+% of the people have positive reactions. Many have no idea what it is. Kids see it and often exclaim excitedly "Cybertruck!". The novelty will pass but driving this machine will put smiles on our faces for years and miles to come.

Agree all except that clickable turn signal after 35 days 1850 miles. I am from GLS and found CT is a bit easier to maneuver but i am still struggling on the parallel parking due to its size.

 

[carsly]

Agree all except that clickable turn signal after 35 days 1850 miles. I am from GLS and found CT is a bit easier to maneuver but i am still struggling on the parallel parking due to its size.

Very good point on the parallel parking, the length - even with 4WS - makes parking a new challenge. Heck, it barely fits in most marked spaces in front of shopping centers and sometimes the ass end is hanging out even if you have the front nosed up the edge of the parking spot. #trucklife.

If I could have a CyberSUV that was 200" long and had an emergency use third row with enclosed rear space I would have opted for that. But it doesn't exist. Yet.

 

[CyberTW]

I'm sure like many of you, I've watched most YouTube reviews (often more than once) and read just about every article before having the good fortune of taking delivery of my Cybertruck AWD 20 days and some 600 miles ago. With that backdrop, I thought I'd share my top five list of surprises, in no particular order:

1. Super-easy to clean inside and out - we're a family of five with three teenage boys and two dogs. Stuff gets dirty, especially our vehicles. With the all weather mats, a few wipes for the interior and a hose and Sprayway ammonia free glass cleaner I can do a quick clean inside and out of the entire truck in under 30 minutes. With our SUV's I'm looking at least two hours for a similar quick clean. Didn't expect it to be this easy.
2. Drives like a sporty SUV - yes, it's a 220+ inch long pickup truck. But it handles similarly to a BMW X5 4.6is (what would have been an X5 M at the time) that was one of my favorite vehicles. The mass is evident, but it carries itself with a structural firmness and rigidity that exceeds today's X7 or Mercedes GLS. It's not a canyon carver, but for sporting duty this is tough to beat in this size/weight class.
3. Second row legroom for days - why I am talking about second row legroom? I've got three teenage boys who seem to get taller by the day. From 5'2" to 5'11" that's a lot of arms and legs and second row legroom is always a concern. With elevated front seats the second row legroom in the Cybertruck readily exceeds that in the Audi Q7 we owned previously and even in the Defender 130. For two rows of seating, this is really tough to beat and second row comfort - seat width, back support, leg room, etc. is really top-notch and exceeds that of any luxury SUV I've test driven.
4. Bizarro rearview mirror - c'mon Tesla. Even with the tonneau open this micro-mirror was manufactured to have distortion along every edge. Why? Adding a camera-based rearview mirror - that's not embedded in the main screen - should have been done. I've adapted by using my side mirrors more often, and using the rear view in the main screen, but I prefer a bigger, clearer, view of what's behind me. This should be an easy solve.
5. Efficiency is outstanding - I just took a 69.1 mile trip and used 19.5% of my battery. Doing the math, that's 350miles of real-world range (against rated range of 318 miles) on 35" all terrain tires. What? How? In a Tesla?! Tell me again how the Rivians struggle to get 2 mi/kwh and I'm pulling closer to 3 mi/kwh! Forget about the Hummer EV, I'm basically at double plus the efficiency of that bloated oaf. Oh, I'm also within spitting distance of the efficiency I previously achieved with my Model S Plaid. In a 6,000+lb wedge-shape truck.

I didn't leave myself any more room, but the 4 wheel steering is super-easy and its progressive nature just takes minutes to adapt to while driving. It really shortens the effective length of the truck. I like using the frunk for groceries. I did install the vault divider, with substantial difficulty, installed the mud flaps in about 15 minutes, have the snap in sunshade in place (5 mins, maybe) and found some Amazon wheel hub caps that probably took 2 mins to install all four and they subtly match the wheel design and style of the vehicle. RainX is on the front windscreen and it performed well in this mornings rain - as RainX often does. No noticeable noise at speed from the all terrain tires and the hint of motor whine under acceleration is surprisingly welcome. The regen is particularly strong, stronger than the Model S I had, but really simple to modulate. Love the clickable turn signal buttons as opposed to the haptic touch buttons from the Model S and the return of a horn in the middle of the steering yoke. All in all, very happy with the machine and appreciate the ingenuity and inventiveness of the engineering that went into more and more with each passing mile and day.

Finally, 95+% of the people have positive reactions. Many have no idea what it is. Kids see it and often exclaim excitedly "Cybertruck!". The novelty will pass but driving this machine will put smiles on our faces for years and miles to come.

Love it! Thanks for the thoughts

 

[TickTock]

Rearview mirror is just there for compliance. You are not expected to actually use it. It is very easy to remove and has a nice cover that snaps to hide the mounting hole.

 

[Woodrick]

Rearview mirror is just there for compliance. You are not expected to actually use it. It is very easy to remove and has a nice cover that snaps to hide the mounting hole.

It's like the Budget rental panel vans. There's a solid box behind the cab, but yet they have their rear-view mirrors!

With the Cybertruck the mirror does allow to see the load with the tonneau open and it allows you to see back seat inhabitants as well, something really important for some parents.

And who says you have to leave the tonneau cover closed?

 

[Kaz109]

Honestly the the only think I have concern about is the backseat room. Like you I have boys ( oldest is 6’5 and youngest is 5’10 ) . They fit in my Raptor but I’m playing on daily driving my CT and the backseat has me worried since I can’t see it until delivery day.

there isn’t a center that has one on display with a 300mi radius

 

[Woodrick]

Honestly the the only think I have concern about is the backseat room. Like you I have boys ( oldest is 6’5 and youngest is 5’10 ) . They fit in my Raptor but I’m playing on daily driving my CT and the backseat has me worried since I can’t see it until delivery day.

there isn’t a center that has one on display with a 300mi radius

Are you in far northern CA?

Otherwise if there's not one on display, I'd suspect that there's someone who'd be happy to let you see it in the bottom 2/3 of CA.

 

[Kaz109]

Are you in far northern CA?

Otherwise if there's not one on display, I'd suspect that there's someone who'd be happy to let you see it in the bottom 2/3 of CA.

Yea I’m far north ( Sacramento/ Folsom ) I was just in SoCal last week and both Santa Monica and Marina Del Ray did not have one on display even tho they delivered a combined 90 trucks in June

 

[N8sCybertruck]

Yea I’m far north ( Sacramento/ Folsom ) I was just in SoCal last week and both Santa Monica and Marina Del Ray did not have one on display even tho they delivered a combined 90 trucks in June

I’m in Stockton. You’re welcome to see mine!

 

[Woodrick]

I’m in Stockton. You’re welcome to see mine!

That's what these forums are great for !!!!! I was hoping someone may step up!!Thanks @N8sCybertruck

 

[PeterOT]

Yea I’m far north ( Sacramento/ Folsom ) I was just in SoCal last week and both Santa Monica and Marina Del Ray did not have one on display even tho they delivered a combined 90 trucks in June

There is one on display at the Rocklin service center. At least there was last month.

 

[txtravwill]

Agree with most, but would also adjust a bit:
1) Agree that it seem structurally solid and it drives really well, comfy, but it's not as nimble as an X5. Have one also and it's much more stuck to the road and secure feeling on turns, etc. It is missing some luxury comforts of X5 like seats that are more comfy IMHO, thigh support, heated armrests, heated door rests, etc. that are just so nice on cold days.
2) DO agree on the mirrors as I use all my mirrors to track what's moving around me, change lanes with confidence, etc. Side mirrors seem adequate but do miss a clean view of rear - but get by without it.
3) I would say when driving versus our other F150, is that I do feel that I'm pushed forward a lot more if that makes sense, like I'm turning and almost closer/over the front wheels. Love it though. Best turning I'd had was in our Hummer EV - huge but turned so amazing.

 

[Kaz109]

There is one on display at the Rocklin service center. At least there was last month.

Ok I’ll have to call tomorrow, last time I checked it was about 3 months ago and they didn’t have one and the rep said they weren’t expecting one

 

[trentsize]

Honestly the the only think I have concern about is the backseat room. Like you I have boys ( oldest is 6’5 and youngest is 5’10 ) . They fit in my Raptor but I’m playing on daily driving my CT and the backseat has me worried since I can’t see it until delivery day.

I’m 6’2” and fit in the back seat without issue. The CT stated legroom is 2” more than our Subaru Ascent, which is totally fine for long trips in the 2nd row. Headroom is probably the bigger concern at 6’5

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