How does the ride quality of Tesla's vehicles compare to that of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class? Well, there are certainly several ways to find out, and the above video puts a fun little spin on it. Prepare yourself for a little surprise, as there's also another, much smaller car to make things a bit more interesting.
While the testing process is far from scientific – and really just about some guys having some fun and making a mess – it really delivers in terms of understanding the real-world impact of a firm ride, as well as the worth of an air suspension and adaptive air suspension.
We'll start right up front by saying it's a bad idea to ever bring a beer into a car. An open beer poured from the draft is possibly the worst idea. First of all, open containers of alcohol arguably don't belong in a moving vehicle, and in many places, you might find yourself in some trouble with the law if you're caught.
Moreover, no matter how smoothly a vehicle rides, the beer is almost certain to spill and make a mess. Getting that smell out of the car isn't likely to be easy, and it's not the first thing you want a police officer to notice as they approach your car.
With all of that said, we will say that Tesla's vehicles are often considered to have a firmer ride than competing luxury models. This is especially of the EV brand's smaller Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, neither of which has an adaptive air suspension. These vehicles are designed to deliver engaging handling, and while they're arguably comfortable over most road surfaces, many sedans and SUVs provide a more cushioned experience.
The latest Tesla Model S and Model X both come standard with an adaptive air suspension, and their ride quality is notably smoother than their smaller siblings. However, German luxury cars like Mercedes' flagship S-Class are built to deliver a much more pampering experience. It's important to note that while the Model X used in the video has the adaptive air suspension, the Model S only had a standard air suspension.
The gist of the video doesn't really require much explanation. Pour some pints of beer off the draft, make sure they're filled clear to the top of the glass, take them into the cars, and try to keep them from spilling as the driver goes over various bumps and road imperfections.
Again, there are many more scientific ways to do this, but we have to give kudos to YouTube channel RSymons RSEV for providing the real-world footage and keeping things fun. The channel shares:
"Bit of a practical experiment called “Hold My Beer”
This is just for fun really but we are using this to test the ride quality of 4 different Tesla Models and compare to the benchmark - a Mercedes S-Class. Oh - and then the worst riding car ever (but my favourite!) the Renault Twizy ..!!
The aim is to not spill your beer of course. We can then measure any losses and see which car is the best for holding beer and not loosing any!"
The Renault Twizy microcar surely adds a little spark. Rather than ruining the fun for you, we're going to leave you to watch the video. However, before you click play, let us know in the comment section how you think the test is going to play out. Which car makes the biggest beer mess? Which will prove to deliver the silkiest ride quality?
