To say that the Tesla Model Y has been quite successful is a bit like saying Elon Musk is a little bit unusual. In other words, quite the understatement.
The Model Y was basically what the world was waiting for when it first went on sale in 2020: a mid-size electric SUV from the company that almost singlehandedly made the electric vehicle mainstream.
And so, it would go on to sell a few (that’s another understatement, by the way) and become the best-selling EV of all time, on the way surpassing the mighty Toyota Corolla to be the best-selling car in the world of any kind in 2023 and 2024.
And now there is a new version of that particularly popular car, and it is considerably more than an over-the-air update, with the Model Y now wearing a new nose and tail, as well as a revised interior.
The new nose is a sleek and handsome affair that genuinely does bring a fresh look to the all-electric SUV, while tweaks around the rear keep things looking fresh back there as well.
This is particularly thanks to the slick light bar that sweeps across the front and the “light bar that isn’t really a light bar” (it’s more like down-lighting) that does the same at the rear and brings a modern, distinctive look that emphatically differentiates itself from the previous model, something Tesla has been previously shy of doing.
Inside it is more like business as usual, with a revised, but instantly familiar minimalist layout that you expect from a Tesla. Except… where the updated Model 3 went all-in on the whole minimalist thing, eliminating stalks on the steering column entirely, the Y has retained a single stalk for the indicators, confirming that Tesla is now aware of something that the rest of us already knew: that indicator buttons on the steering wheel are a crap idea.
One thing that has made the move to the touchscreen, however, is the gear selector. Yes, really - you now drag your finger along a small selector on the right edge of the big 15.4-inch touchscreen to select drive or reverse (there are still physical buttons up by the mirror in case the touchscreen fails).
Comfortable, superbly refined and unapologetically high-tech, the Model Y redefines the concept of a “daily driver” into something that can do most of it for you, if you want it to.
While this may be abhorrent to some people - myself included, I must say - I was genuinely shocked by how much I actually came to like it. Particularly when I discovered the setting that automated it even further and allowed the car to make suggestions based on what it thought you were doing - come to a halt when looking for a park? It will tell you to put your foot on the brake and turn the wheel if you want it to engage reverse, so you can back in.
It likewise recognised when you are moving out of a parking space or making a U-turn. Yes, it sounds rife with opportunity for the car to get it wrong, but it rarely does. And even if it does, you can just select whatever you want anyway.
This is the sort of clever automation that Tesla has made its mark with, and the ease with which it quickly integrates itself into your life goes a long way to explaining why Tesla fans are so genuinely enamoured with their cars.
The same sort of gradual integration was present in the Enhanced Autopilot system that was, initially, a demanding and abrasive experience that would insist it knew better than the driver and simply switch itself off in a fit of petulance whenever you tried to intervene, even slightly, despite simultaneously yelling at you to hold the wheel…
But given time, it learns, and by the end of my first few days with it had become far more agreeable and while it still didn’t like you adjusting the steering too much, it got much better at reacting to the road markings and surrounding traffic.
Someone who is after the ultimate digital device is the perfect buyer for the Model Y, with its sleek looks and massive amount of tech making it essentially a high-end mobile phone on wheels.
And Navigate on Autopilot was simply superb, far exceeding anything I have experienced in a Tesla previously, and was capable of handling travel on a motorway with a surprising degree of autonomy. And, more importantly, competence.
But while all this clever tech is fine and well, it is the vehicle’s fundamental competence as a car that has always been something of an Achilles' heel for Tesla. The Model S and Model X were impressively comfortable, but struggled with the concept of ‘corners’, while the Model 3 and Y were far better in a dynamic sense, but were still very sterile and appliance-like when it came to driver engagement.
So, is the newly refreshed Model Y any better in this regard? Well, no, not really, but it has refined the “transport appliance” concept in such a convincing way that it really won’t matter to anyone who buys it
Updates for the new model means that the Model Y boasts an impressively refined ride and is extremely competent at going around a corner, but it still doesn’t fire the synapses in the way something like even a Ford Mustang Mach-E can. But for the vast majority of the time when you are not driving like a lunatic, the Model Y is simply superb.
Comfortable, superbly refined and unapologetically high-tech, the Model Y redefines the concept of a “daily driver” into something that can do most of it for you, if you want it to. Whether that sounds like your ideal car is a matter of personal preference.
How much is the Tesla Model Y?
The Model Y range starts with the rear-wheel drive model we drove here at $67,900. Or $70,244 after ORCs and Tesla's mandatory $400 "order fee" and $1400 "delivery fee". The long range AWD model bumps this up to $77,900 (or $80,224 after the "fees").
What are the key statistics for the Tesla Model Y?
The RWD model is powered by 220kW/420Nm electric motor on the rear axle and a 64kWh (60.5kWh usable) LFP battery that Tesla claims is good for a WLTP-tested range of up to 466km.
Is the Tesla Model Y efficient?
Teslas have traditionally been some of the most energy efficient EVs on the market and the new Model Y is no exception to that. While Tesla doesn't like to make claims beyond range, EV Database lists the Model Y as returning 16.0kWh/100km, with a real world range of 375km, all of which tracked with the Model Y's consumption during our time with it.
Is the Tesla Model Y good to drive?
"Good" is subjective, depending on what you want out of a car. If you are after a comfortable, high-tech and utterly effortless way to move around on a daily basis, then the Model Y is very good indeed. If you are after something that is deeply involving and hugely entertaining on a winding road, then, well... you shouldn't be buying a Model Y. Or, indeed, a mid-size electric SUV for that matter.
Is the Tesla Model Y practical?
The Model Y is extremely practical. With huge amounts of interior space and a well-considered layout, the Model Y swallows an impressive amount of people and cargo for its size, as well as offering up plenty of useful storage options around the cabin.
What do we like about the Tesla Model Y?
Ride quality is massively improved over the last model, with the Y boasting an impressively refined ride along with excellent build quality and improved materials. The technology comes together far more cohesively now too, it looks much better and the stereo is awesome!
What don’t we like about the Tesla Model Y?
Tesla's reliance purely on cameras for its safety assists is a niggling irritation at times, with the Model Y getting easily flustered when trying to park itself and, to make matters worse, rather than just quitting it soldiers valiantly on in the hope it will eventually make sense of the situation. It rarely does.
What kind of person would the Tesla Model Y suit?
Someone who is after the ultimate digital device is the perfect buyer for the Model Y, with its sleek looks and massive amount of tech making it essentially a high-end mobile phone on wheels. Oddly, the Model Y would also suit someone with no interest in any of that whatsoever and just wants a refined, comfortable and effortless transportation device that makes their life easier.
