Reviews
A Simple Center Console Organizer for the Tesla Model S
One of the things I most respect about the Model S is the care given to its design aesthetic. The Tesla team always chooses less over more. The abbreviated trumps the comprehensive at every turn. A great example of this is the center console in the Model S. Or should I say the lack of one. There’s no typical dashboard mutation curving down to invade the cabin crowding your knees. Gas cars require that space to house the transmission tail for linking to the gear shift lever, cup holders, power plugs, phone stand; sometimes even a parking brake handle and drive train. Whew, that’s a lot of stuff. No large console means more open space given over to the imagination to personalize and experiment. This unique quality of the Model S is under appreciated and often misunderstood.
Tesla Motors created the Yacht Floor with finish options to match dashboard décor. That subtle edition is for cosmetic purposes only, not utility. So along came a number of aftermarket products to further imagine the space by making it more useful while taking care to preserve the DNA of the car’s design. The problem they are trying to solve is how to have a collection of small items at the ready while behind the wheel.
Personally I never felt the need for an console organizer. I like openness and am not one to tolerate clutter. But I wear prescription sunglasses and so I need a safe place to store them. Either my sunglasses or regular glasses rest on that space at all times. Whatever I place there rests on the floor, so when I punch the accelerator items travel forward and backward freely. I want to be sure to protect my glasses, but the only way to ensure safety is to store them on the shelf below the touchscreen. The shelf is nice but it has height restrictions and is not as easy to get to while driving.
Here at Teslarati we came across a different approach to making use of the console space without losing the clean, open look. A very simple center console organizer from the Swiss firm, Tesla&More. I got my hands on one and have had it in my Model S for a couple of days now. I have to say that I am finding it useful, but it’s adding visual clutter.
Initial Impressions
The product arrived in a cocoon of protection. The foam packaging was precisely cut to house the organizer as if it had been part of the manufacturing process. No chance of it getting smashed or blemished in transit. This is a critical but often overlooked detail. The organizer has a very low profile, is made of aluminum and powder-coated in smooth black. It feels good to the touch and is pleasing to the eye.
No assembly is required for the organizer. Simply pull it out of the box and place it onto the floor of your Model S center console. It snuggles in nicely, resting forward and leaving a wide space against the armrest pillar. The dividers rise flush with the top of the leather covered lips, converting what was a single floor space into seven sections of varying sizes that can accommodate a number of small items.
ALSO SEE: Premium Tesla Model S Rear Seat Cup Holders (PARZ) Review
The key word here is small. The organizer provides one cubby 6″ x 6½”, two 3½” x 5½”, and two 4½” x 5½”. The largest compartments are at the top, exceeding 7″ tall, but they are a bit out of the line of sight and hard to reach. The best way to think about this product is as a desk drawer organizer; useful but not overly versatile.
Everyday Use
Unlike some of the other consoles out there this one is not covered, so you can see whatever you store and so can anyone else who might be looking. May not make much of a difference, but it’s something to consider.
At first I drove around without putting anything in it but my glasses. I arrived home after some errands and my glasses were right where I placed them when I backed out of my garage. Imagine that. So I was ready to branch out. Next I looked for more small items that I might need at any moment. I’m always transferring new music files to memory sticks so this seemed perfect. Turns out the organizer is a great place to park those sticks. I can place two or three of them in the same cubby and can easily get to them when I feel a musical mood change emerging.
I found it easy to slide charging wires beneath the dividers allowing for multiple devices to get juiced through the USB outlets without fear of them sliding around.
Other things that I’ve found to fit nicely are a stress squeeze ball to combat Chicago traffic snarls, charging adaptor, my iPod or iPhone and a tire pressure gauge. Any number of things can go in there as long as they don’t exceed a five inches and are not top heavy. Do not place your coffee cup in this organizer.
READ: Did you know you can personalize your Tesla Center Console?
Potential Improvement
The sections are fused together and cannot be adjusted. It would be nice to make the second divider from the bottom removable, allowing for the option of a longer compartment. This would introduce an entirely new size of items to be storable. A compact umbrella for instance. Since the Model S console is V-shaped, offering additional slots and dividers would make proper fitting difficult and likely add unnecessary expense.
Summary
Tesla Cybertruck’s three configurations are all the same on the outside from an appearance perspective, but they differ slightly in price, range, performance, and other features. After yesterday’s price adjustment, Tesla’s Base All-Wheel-Drive Cybertruck is now priced at $74,990, a far cry from the $59,990 it started at several months ago.
At $60,000, the Cybertruck All-Wheel-Drive is a steal: no pickup, electric or gas-powered, comes close in terms of overall driving capability thanks to Steer-by-Wire; no truck is more fun to drive at that price, and add in Full Self-Driving for $99 per month, and you truly have the best possible pickup on the market, at least if you’re planning to use it for driving.
I unfortunately didn’t have the equipment to test towing and payload and how it impacts the truck.
But at $75,000, is it still worth it? Obviously, the question gets to be more difficult because of the $15,000 difference. But there’s still an argument.
I spent the last week with this awesome truck, and when I took it back, I was sad because it truly is the best Tesla in the lineup. I formerly said the Model S was my favorite Tesla, but after a week with Cybertruck, I can easily say it would be my choice over the now-defunct all-electric sedan.
What makes it so great? Well, a lot of things, and there are some things that I’d like to see change. However, this is a truck that truly has a serious argument for those who are thinking of trying something completely different.
Exterior and Interior
This build comes with 18″ Molten Wheels as the standard offering, but 20″ Core Wheels with 35″ tires are also available. The standard wheel option on this affordable model is not my favorite, but it can be easily swapped for something more attractive.
Overall, this particular build did have some panel gap issues that were especially noticeable between the hood and both front quarter panels. This is obviously not an “across the board” issue, as the Cyberbeast I took home for comparative reasons was significantly better overall.
It’s 📐 week. Cybertruck AWD!!! pic.twitter.com/0hkmTQDQYk
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 19, 2026
The interior is different, with its textile material instead of the vegan leather. Personally, I missed the leather due to the ventilated seats, but I prefer the textile as I personally felt like they were more comfortable. This is something I’d definitely consider if I were between the three trim levels and money was not really an issue.
After 610 miles on Monday in this thing, I did not feel any different than I did when I left my house that morning. It feels like a living room on wheels; after a long drive, you truly do not feel as if you’ve been in a car all day long.
My biggest interior complaints were that I’d like at least two USB-C ports in the front; you are confined to just one, and it’s hidden in the center console. The rear row has two ports. Additionally, the windshield is super difficult to clean, so if you end up buying one of these, save your back and get something that extends.
Driving Performance and Comfort
One of the most surprising things about Cybertruck is the fact that it is perhaps the smoothest ride of any Tesla available. Most believe it might be rough, stiff, and rugged like most trucks, maybe not as forgiving on the back and bottom as you sit in it for an extended period of time.
I’m here to tell you, you won’t regret sitting in a Cybertruck for a long drive.
I put as many people who dislike EVs, don’t like Cybertrucks, or use trucks for work, and judge the Cybertruck in this thing in the past week. Every single person who got in this truck loved it: they loved the speed, the handling, FSD, the space, the capability, and the feel.
As previously noted, even after hundreds of miles and 14 hours spent driving around Pennsylvania, I didn’t feel tired, exhausted, or in any hurry to come home. I would have driven another 300 miles without question.
Final Thoughts
If I had my choice of the three Cybertruck trims, I think I’d take the All-Wheel-Drive for a few reasons. Initially, the price is more attractive, it is not that stripped of features, and it has everything I need.
Is it worth it at $75,000? I believe it is. I’ve driven trucks that are at a higher price point and consider this to be a better product from a driving and experience perspective. However, other pickups on the market have more towing capacity, payload capacity, and range. They do not have FSD or steer-by-wire, the two things that truly make the Cybertruck in a league of its own.
I can’t think of a time in recent memory that I’ve been this excited to drive a vehicle each day, and I literally look for excuses to drive my Model Y on a daily basis. This Cybertruck just blows the Model Y out of the water in every possible way, at least in my opinion. With the size, performance, and driving experience, there is no better Tesla out there.
You can check out the full video review below. If you have any questions about the Cybertruck AWD, be sure to reach out and let me know:
🚨FULL REVIEW of the unbelievable Tesla Cybertruck AWD 📐 pic.twitter.com/S0wHALl87K
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 26, 2026
News
Tesla’s AI Chief just hinted at something big for FSD v14 lite owners
Tesla’s AI chief suggests the newest FSD v14 Lite build may finally go wide release.
Tesla’s head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, noted on Sunday that the newest FSD v14 Lite build rolling out to Hardware 3 cars is likely the version that goes to wide release, the strongest signal yet that Tesla is near to closing out an early access phase that Hardware 3 owners have waited more than a year for.
Elluswamy made the comment in response to an extensive review from Tesla owner Zack, known on X as @BLKMDL3, who tested software version 2026.20.6.10 and detailed the changes in a lengthy post. “FSD v14 Lite (for Tesla AI3 hardware vehicles) review.
The update restarts a rollout that had stalled after its initial release. Tesla began pushing FSD v14 Lite to Hardware 3 early access drivers on June 29, bringing driving behavior learned on the newer Hardware 4 computer down to the more limited chip that has powered Tesla vehicles built between 2019 and early 2023. That release, as we covered in detail, gave roughly 4 million HW3 vehicles their first meaningful update since being frozen on version 12.6 in early 2025.
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14 ‘Lite’ Release Notes: new capabilities and features
The latest build adds features that bring Hardware 3 closer in line with what Hardware 4 owners already have. FSD can now start directly from park without a brake pedal confirmation, a change Zack called a small but meaningful quality of life improvement. The interface also picks up the blue “P” park icon, approaching destination alerts, and a dedicated Self-Driving app with streak tracking, all details previously exclusive to the AI4 branch of v14, as outlined in Tesla’s original release notes.
The stakes around Hardware 3 go beyond software polish. Tesla sold the Full Self-Driving package for years on the promise that every vehicle equipped with it had the hardware needed to eventually drive itself without supervision. That promise broke down during Tesla’s Q1 2026 earnings call, when Musk acknowledged HW3 cars could not run unsupervised FSD, prompting Tesla to offer trade-in discounts and hardware retrofits alongside the Lite software track.
Tesla confirmed HW3 can’t do Unsupervised FSD but there’s more to the story
Tesla has continued to frame v14 Lite as the primary path forward for the HW3 fleet, telling owners in April that international markets would follow the U.S. rollout once regulatory approvals came through. For now, HW3 owners in the early access group are the only ones running the new build. A broader rollout would mark the second major software delivery to the legacy fleet since Tesla first released FSD v14 to Hardware 4 vehicles, and the first sign since June that the Lite program is still moving rather than stuck in early access limbo.
The Tesla Model Y has won U.S. News award for “Best Luxury Electric SUV,” beating out a heavy lineup of worthy battery-powered sport utility vehicles.
The Model Y first was delivered to owners in early 2020 and was the automaker’s answer to the widely-popular crossover SUV sector. A sibling of the first mass-market vehicle the company offered, the Model 3, Tesla’s Model Y has quickly become the company’s best-selling electric car, and that’s saying something considering it is not the most affordable Tesla vehicle and starts at $62,990.
U.S. News recognizes Tesla’s influence in the changing automotive market, identifying that it was likely the catalyst in bringing EVs to mainstream status. Despite the rapid expansion of the EV segment, Tesla has remained at the top of the hill, fending off worthy competitors like Volkswagen, Ford, and General Motors, who have spent decades developing some of the best automotive technology the world has seen. However, Tesla has also managed to stay above tech-focused and savvy automotive startups entering the electric sector, with battery powertrains being their only focus. Rivian and Lucid, two of the most notable names to fit that description, still have not managed to catch up with Tesla.
The Model Y effectively expanded Tesla’s product line to include a new body style. While the Model X has been offered for seven years, the falcon-wing door-equipped SUV is still only produced for sentimental reasons, according to CEO Elon Musk. It also is much more expensive than the Model Y, and starts at $114,990.
Tesla plans to produce Model Ys with both 4680 and 2170 cells at Gigafactory Texas this year
Those who do not quite have the means to spend over $100,000 on an all-electric SUV have plenty of options, but if a consumer is looking for luxury, the Model Y may be the best choice. U.S. News highlights that, while the Model Y does offer less overall cargo and utility room than the Model X, it still boasts many of the same tech features that Tesla has been known to put in its cars. The Model Y has plenty of performance too, and its premier trim level will get you from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.5 seconds, while still having over 300 miles of range and a 155 MPH top speed.
“Despite the onslaught of new competitors, the Tesla Model Y is one of the most capable and well-rounded luxury electric SUVs that you can buy at the moment,” U.S. News writes. “If you’re in the market, this is an option that’s well-worth a test drive.”
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
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