Living With the Tesla Cybertruck: First 77 Days
Trading a compact Model 3 for a stainless-steel behemoth sounded exciting on paper, but nothing prepares you for the first morning the Cybertruck fills your driveway. Over the past 77 days I have logged city errands, highway runs, and one five-hour road-trip to build the most honest Tesla Cybertruck review I can deliver. The aim of this article is simple: explain exactly what changes when the Cybertruck becomes your only set of wheels and whether the upgrade is worth it.
To keep this a fair Cybertruck daily driving assessment, I treated the truck as I did my sedan—same commute, same grocery runs, same tight downtown parking garages. Almost immediately size, charging patterns, and software quirks reshaped my routine, yet the truck’s utility, sound system, and surreal acceleration kept a grin plastered on my face. If you are weighing Tesla truck pros and cons, you’ll find the next sections filled with practical data, real electricity costs, and brown-bag lunch hacks at Superchargers.
For readers new to EVs, check our guide to federal EV tax credits and our comparison of the Rivian R1T versus Ford F-150 Lightning for additional context. By the end of this deep dive you will know whether the Cybertruck’s brawn, brains, and undeniable curb appeal can outweigh its garage-busting footprint in everyday life.
Size, Parking & Practicality: The Pros and Cons of Big
Let’s address the literal elephant in the room: the Cybertruck measures 223.7 inches long and nearly 80 inches wide. Coming from a Model 3, that felt like piloting a small condo. On day one I discovered my split garage accepted the truck only when every bicycle, lawn tool, and storage shelf was evacuated. Even then, the charge port hugged the back wall so tightly that plugging in the Level 2 charger was impossible without leaving the truck outside.
Those headaches illustrate classic Tesla truck pros and cons. The pro? A cavernous 67-cubic-foot vault swallows luggage, camera rigs, or an entire bachelor-party’s worth of coolers. The con? Tight urban lots now require three-point turns and constant camera reliance. Parking sensors, 360-degree cameras, and steer-by-wire do ease the anxiety, but you must recalibrate depth perception, especially around the thick A-pillars that create a substantive blind spot.
Practicality also extends inside. The Cybertruck’s flat floor lets rear passengers stretch like a first-class cabin, and under-seat storage easily hides charging adapters. Up front, the enormous windshield feels panoramic until sunrise, when the small origami-style sun visors struggle to block glare. If garage space is premium, measure twice before writing a deposit check. But if your weekends involve lumberyards, DIY projects, or off-grid camping, the sheer volume on offer eclipses any midsize pickup. For more space-planning advice, see our post on fitting full-size EV trucks into standard American garages.
Charging & Range Reality: From Superchargers to Wall Outlets
Because the charge port sits on the driver’s rear quarter, my garage wall left zero clearance for a home charger—so 95 % of energy came from Superchargers. That flipped the ratio I enjoyed in my sedan and forced a new rhythm: arrive at lunch with 20 % state-of-charge, plug in, stream a Netflix episode on the 18.5-inch screen, inhale tacos on the fold-flat center console, and depart 35 minutes later at roughly 80 %.
Costs run higher than residential rates, yet the network’s 250 kW speeds kept life manageable. On average, I spent $18 per session, visiting every two to three days. Owners with cheap overnight electricity will obviously fare better, so include that in your Cybertruck charging tips checklist.
Longer journeys surprised me in a good way. A five-hour bachelor-party trip required one 100 % departure plus a trickle charge from a campground-grade 120 V outlet overnight. Conservative chill-mode driving (and resisting the urge to unleash Beast Mode) returned me home with buffer to spare. Rated at 340 miles, real-world mixed driving hovered around 285 on 20-inch wheels—a figure consistent with other owner reports.
If you’re mapping road trips, our interactive EV charging planner tool and article on maximizing battery health at high-power DC stations will save you time and money.
Behind the Wheel: Ride Quality, Acceleration & FSD Quirks
From the driver’s seat, the Cybertruck feels equal parts pickup and spaceship. The steer-by-wire yoke reduces lock-to-lock rotation, letting the truck pivot sharply even in multistory car parks. Air suspension smooths potholes, yet stiff stainless panels transmit more road roar than a Model Y, so crank that outstanding 15-speaker sound system for serenity.
Straight-line performance borders on absurd. Engage Beast Mode and 600 horsepower hurls 6,800 pounds to 60 mph in about 2.6 seconds, but in daily life I preferred Chill Mode for smoother throttle response and better efficiency. Remember: flooring it once can shave 10–15 miles from your projected range.
Software remains a mixed bag. Full Self-Driving (v13.2.9) technically works, but several limitations—no reverse activation, park-to-drive restarts, and an occasionally lane-hugging bias—kept me wary. In my Tesla Cybertruck review logs, FSD usage dipped below 10 % compared with 90 % on my previous sedan. Owners who rely on advanced driver assist should temper expectations until promised updates arrive. Meanwhile, Autopilot and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control continue to excel on divided highways.
If advanced autonomy is a deciding factor, read our breakdown of current FSD features across all Tesla models and our comparison with BlueCruise and GM Super Cruise.
Utility & Stand-Out Cybertruck Features You’ll Actually Use
Utility is where the Cybertruck silences skeptics. The 120/240-volt outlets in the vault powered LED film lights during an outdoor shoot and kept our refrigerator running for four storm-related blackout hours—no gas generator needed. Tie-downs, hidden under-bed storage, and a powered tonneau (quirky buttons aside) transform the truck into a mobile workshop.
On the bachelor-party weekend every inch of cargo space was occupied: golf bags, coolers, inflatable kayaks, and two e-bikes. The powered tonneau kept gear dry during a mid-trip thunderstorm. Back at home, the truck bed’s built-in drain made post-camp cleanup as easy as a quick hose-down.
Inside, the Cybertruck features cabin LED strips that sync to music—party trick? Absolutely, yet unforgettable during late-night parking-lot tailgates. The new Tesla sound system deserves its own Grammy; podcasts sound studio-recorded, and bass-heavy playlists rattle the seats without distortion. Add OTA updates (expect new off-road modes and camera improvements) and the package feels future-proof.
For shoppers comparing payload numbers, our article on EV truck towing capacity breaks down how the Cybertruck stacks against Rivian and Silverado EV. Remember to subtract trailer weight from battery range before planning that cross-country Airstream adventure.
Final Verdict: Is the Cybertruck Worth It as a Daily Driver?
After 1,100+ miles and eleven weeks, my Tesla Cybertruck review lands somewhere between admiration and pragmatic caution. If your lifestyle craves a mobile power station, massive cargo space, head-turning design, and supercar acceleration, few vehicles deliver a more compelling bundle of Cybertruck features. The truck has been faultlessly reliable, the vault never leaked, and steer-by-wire feels second nature now.
Yet size, charging logistics, visor quirks, and still-maturing FSD software are impossible to ignore. City dwellers with narrow garages or limited Supercharger access should pause; a Model Y or upcoming Model 3 Ludicrous may suit better. For suburban or rural owners with driveway space and weekend adventure agendas, the Cybertruck daily driving experience is addictive.
In short, would I buy one? Yes—provided I budget for a driveway charger extension and accept that OTA updates will keep ironing out rough edges. The Cybertruck embodies Tesla’s philosophy: release early, iterate often. If you can live with that ethos, welcome to the stainless-steel future.
Before you decide, compare insurance quotes specific to electric trucks and read our maintenance checklist for EV pickups; both resources will help ensure this six-figure investment fits seamlessly into your life.
