The Tesla Model Y is the American brands most popular model, and it’s not hard to see why.
Can’t be bothered to read? Well then click these words for our video review!
Overview
Yes, the 5th car to be released by Tesla is now their most popular model sitting alongside the current lineup which includes the Model 3, Model S and Model X. The Y itself is based on the 3, and features three trim levels, the single motor RWD (this one), the dual motor (AWD) Long Range and the top-spec (also AWD) Performance.
So, the entry-level option. Typically the worst trim level for any car, but Tesla is a bit strange. See, you don’t get any extra features as such for picking a Long Range or Performance, the interior is exactly same, as are the options. If you do opt for the latter two, you do get more performance, better brakes, larger alloys and a lowered stance (in the Performance). But not any extra creature comforts as such.
That’s actually good news, typically you have to pick the fastest and most powerful car to get the decent trim levels, and not everyone can handle all of that power. So the RWD is perfect for most people. It is still quick, whilst not quick enough to kill you.
Let’s discuss that performance.
Performance
As standard, you get 340bhp to play with powering, you guessed it, the rear wheels only. As per typical full EVs, there is no gearbox, just a single speed motor. The new Model S/X Plaid and Porsche Taycan have a 2-speed ‘box, though. There is also the instantaneous torque that you’d expect, that was very much the same as the Model 3 RWD we tested before.
What is hugely apparent though is the weight, especially if you drive them back to back. The Tesla Model Y just isn’t quite as sharp as the 3, but this can still sling its way around corners in the same manner. That super low centre of gravity really helps and it feels like you have a never ending amount of grip. On a wet, greasy Welsh road you can get the rear to slip but the traction control handles it pretty quickly and gets it all back in line. You don’t need to lift off as it sorts itself out.
The suspension also feels very well sorted for a good balance of speed and comfort. It isn’t rattle your teeth unpleasant, and it isn’t wallowy in the bends. A genuine surprise how well the coils cope with the weight. The Model S and Model X both use a fairly sophisticated air suspension set up, but you don’t feel like this is lacking without it.
At higher speeds the acceleration isn’t quite as impressive, but that is the same for most EVs, however it is very good at real world speeds. The other not so great thing is the lack of initial burst of acceleration from a standstill. There’s no launch control so you get this weird delay before anything really happens, it feels like it takes ages but in reality, it is less than half a second.
Still, it allows this near 2 tonne ‘SUV’ to hit 60 in 6.6 seconds.
Economy
This isn’t the Long Range model, but it does share exactly the same underpinnings as the Model 3. So that means you get the same 75 kWh battery pack that is good for 280 miles of range according to Tesla. From 75% on an 80 mile journey that consisted of normal A-Roads through the Brecon Beacons and some dual carriageways, we arrived at Tesla Cardiff with 32% remaining, bang on what the car said we would do.
Bear in mind that this wasn’t driven with the intent to preserve as much battery as possible, it was driven normally, like you would any other car. With 43% used over 80 miles, some quick maths would indicate a range of about 186 miles. A fair amount off the claimed 280 miles, but that is in the best of conditions and no ICE car ever seems to get their economy figures anyway. I’m sure we could much closer to that figure if we really tried, but we didn’t.
Still, I suppose if you were doing a longer journey, you would be more conscious of range and drive accordingly. The benefit of this though is that it costs about around £15 for a full charge on a domestic supply when using the cheaper overnight tariffs. The Y does allow you to schedule your charging to maximise this. You can of course use the Supercharger network though. Current Supercharging charges are off-peak at 54p per kilowatt hour for most of the day, and up to 67p between 4pm-8pm every day of the week.
What we really wanted to know was how well does this work in a rural setting. Mainly because there are no Superchargers near Auto House HQ within 50 miles, so we would never charge them unless on a longer journey. The average miles driven in the UK is 5,920, so let’s look at some more maths. If you drove every single day, then you would only be covering 16 miles on those days. Meaning you could charge your Y every 11 days for £15 (if basing of 186 mile range). Yes, on longer journeys you would of course use the Supercharging network, but it does show that it is viable.
As a personal note, I should say that I do not own an EV, nor have I ever. But my mind is very much open to the concept. Being a journalist, it is my job to assess whether it actually does work for you, the consumer. I can safely say, that yes it does – because the vast majority of people do not drive 300 miles a day, and this car isn’t aimed at them. I’m not making an argument that you should all go and buy EVs, but I am giving you my impression of what I experienced.
Comfort
So we’ve spoken about the economic figures, its performance and the design. But what is it actually like on a day to day basis? Well, being the same as the 3, it shares the same interior. The seats are comfortable, there is a good amount of adjustment in them, and the steering wheel also features enough motors to get it exactly where you want it. Being a slightly taller car, I prefer to sit higher up, and differently to how I did in the 3, and I didn’t find it at all odd.
You have synthetic leather that does feel very similar to the real deal of an inside-out heifer. In this particular one, as it was the black seat option, you did have a wood trim that spanned the dash. I do prefer the white seats and white interior as it really brightens up the cabin, but the black is also fine. The large panoramic roof also gives an impression of being a much larger room to sit in.
Surprisingly, there is a good suppression of wind and road noise, even at speed. A couple of people I have spoken to did mention that the ride is harsh or crashy, however I really didn’t experience that. If you drive a Bentley, or an S-Class and that is what you are used to, then yes it may feel like this. But I drive all manner of cars, and didn’t find it at all uncomfortable. As I mentioned, the blend of performance and comfort from the springs was a surprising feature.
For creature comforts, you have a heated steering wheel, heated seats, dual climate control and even heated seats in the rear. The climate control can be fully autonomous, meaning that the seats and steering wheel will adjust accordingly to your temp settings. If you’re not a fan of getting into a cold car on a winter’s day, you can pre-condition the cabin before you get in using the Tesla app – which also allows you to use your phone as the ‘key’.
Practicality
Now this is a strange one. Yes it is an SUV of sorts, but it is more a stretched Model 3 than anything. So you do get an actual rear hatch, but you also have that strange sloping roof line that really eats into the boot space. As such, getting a large dog in there is possible, but they won’t be comfortable sitting up as their face will be pushed against the glass like a scene out of Scooby-Doo.
If you don’t have a large dog however, then it will be perfectly adequate. There’s 854 litres of load space (up to the roof) but there is also a large parcel shelf in the way. Rather annoyingly, there isn’t anywhere to put that shelf in the car, so for someone like me with dogs, it would take up a corner of the garage. There is no load lip to contend with, so getting things in and out is a doddle as well.
In the cabin, you have a fairly sized glove box (which is opened through the screen), a big centre console with storage and good sized door bins. Perhaps the best thing however, is that you have two wireless charging pads rather than just one. They’re huge so even the biggest phones have no problem getting juiced.
We also can’t forget the ‘froot’ or ‘frunk’ if you’re American. That is actually very useful for storing your charging cables and what not as it keeps them out of the actual boot. Again, that is accessed through the screen but it opens up like a conventional bonnet (it is not electronic).
Reliability
This will be broadly similar to our Model 3 review, however, we actually spent more time with the Y than we did the 3 and ran into a problem. In the morning of bringing it back to Tesla Cardiff (thanks guys), the screen decided it didn’t want to work. It had turned on, as we could see the backlight, but it was just black. A little Google revealed that holding down the two nipples on the steering wheel would reset the screen. Which it did, and then it worked.
That was the only issue though, the Autopilot system was flawless, as was the other electronics. Some other owners have reported minor issues with their cars, namely relating to the screens and sensors. Now, we can put a lot of that down to the fact that Tesla is relatively new to this game. It should be noted that Tesla themselves are very keen to rectify issues quickly under the generous 4 year or 50,000 mile basic warranty. With the battery and powertrain warranty being 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes sooner.
Because they are so keen to sort out any issues that should occur, you should have little worry in the car going horrifically wrong. The other thing to point out is that any software issues can be rectified without having to go anywhere through the use of over the air updates. The high ranking of customer satisfaction should comfort you if wanting to purchase one of these, as you can rest assured most (if not all) issues will be sorted promptly.
Verdict?
All round, it is a very good car and one that Auto House can safely recommend. Our choice would be (aside from the Performance) the Long Range. The RWD is very good for most people, but the obvious extra range and surefootedness of the AWD is a better bet. It is a strong alternative to the Model 3 and features more tech than the equivalent VW ID.3, Kia EV6 and Hyundai counterpart.
The Model Y is more family friendly than the 3, and more useful for those with dogs. It may not have the same sharp driving dynamics as the aforementioned but it never feels out of its comfort zone. It thankfully also works in rural areas, provided you can charge at home – if not, it would be a bit of a problem.
If you are budget conscious, then the RWD may be the car for you, mainly because it is 8 grand cheaper! If you are apprehensive of electric cars, it is worth having a test drive and seeing one for yourself, Tesla do offer overnight test drives which is incredibly useful.
Overall, the Tesla Model Y offers fantastic levels of performance, useability and the technology that we have come to expect from Tesla.
Nice one, Elon.
| Price [tested] | From £44,990 [£44,990] |
| Power | 342bhp |
| Torque | 350Nm |
| 0-60 | 6.6s |
| Top speed | 135mph |
| Weight | 1909kg |
| Fuel capacity | N/A |
| Road tax | £0 |
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