Tesla Model Y review

Our opinion on the Tesla Model Y

While CEO Elon Musk divides opinion, there’s no doubt that the Tesla Model Y is one of the best EVs that’s currently available to buy. It was good before, but Tesla’s engineers have made a series of improvements to the car that help it maintain its position at the front of the electric SUV pack. The touchscreen-only controls won’t be for everyone, and we’d like a few more physical controls to help with day-to-day driving, but the ride and handling have been improved while battery efficiency remains a strong point. Combine this with Tesla’s market-leading Supercharger network, and the Model Y will make a lot of sense for many buyers.

About the Tesla Model Y

With the arrival of the Tesla Model Y, the US company introduced a car that was just right for buyers’ demands. It’s based on the same running gear as the Tesla Model 3 saloon, but the extra height of the body offers more space for families, while the slippery shape means there isn’t much compromise in terms of efficiency, making it one of the most rounded electric SUVs available on the market. Buyers agree - it was the world’s best-selling car in 2023 and 2024, while the updates for 2025 should help it remain competitive, and based purely on merit, the Tesla Model Y has a lot going for it.

Constant revisions to the line-up have taken place, with the introduction of standard and Long Range versions, rear or four-wheel drive, plus there’s the option to add a second row of seats to make the Tesla Model Y a seven-seater. However, space won’t be as generous as it is in larger (and pricier) electric SUV offerings like the Hyundai Ioniq 9 or Kia EV9.

The latest 2025 model-year updates are the most significant the Model Y has received yet, and look to focus on a wide range of improvements across the board. Many of these, including the more aerodynamic face inspired by the Tesla Cybertruck, are aiming to eke out even more range from what was already one of the most efficient cars in its class. A revised spoiler helps here, too, but there are also tweaks to the powertrain, including optimised lubricants and revised gear designs. A stiffer body structure, new suspension geometry and improved dampers aim to enhance comfort, while the steering ratio has been revised, too.

Elsewhere, Tesla has made some changes inside the cabin, with a redesigned interior that features 300 per cent faster WiFi, 65-watt USB-C charging, and a new glass roof, which reflects more solar energy, helping to keep things cool on a hot day.

Tesla offers two battery sizes in the Model Y: 63kWh for the Standard Range car and 83kWh for the Long Range. As a result, the base model can travel up to 311 miles on a full charge, while the rear-wheel drive Long Range model has the best range at 387 miles. Adding a second motor for four-wheel drive reduces the range slightly, but it’s still pretty good, at 364 miles.

These three versions make up the model range, because there are no trim variants to choose from, and the only extras available are paint options.

Kicking off the facelifted Tesla Model Y line-up is the Standard Range model, which features a 63kWh battery and a single rear-mounted electric motor that produces 279bhp. Above that is the Long Range version, which still has rear-wheel drive, but features an 83kWh battery and an electric motor tuned to make 308bhp.

The range-topping Long Range AWD uses the same 83kWh battery as the rear-drive model, but it features two electric motors – one for each axle - that make a combined 375bhp.

Electric motors, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

With three variants on offer with three power outputs, there are three 0-60mph times quoted for the Tesla Model Y - and unlike European manufacturers that quote 0-62mph time (equivalent of 0-100km/h) Tesla is from the US, so the 0-60mph times officially cover that increment.

For the Standard Range model, the 0-60mph time is quoted at 5.6 seconds, while the heavier but more powerful Long Range car manages it in 5.4 seconds. The AWD version has the most power and better traction, so there’s a 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds, although the optional acceleration-boost package lowers that time to 4.1 seconds if you add it.

All versions of the Tesla Model Y have a top speed limited to 125mph.

Town driving, visibility and parking

The Tesla’s regenerative braking is superbly composed. Nothing in this class can bring itself to a halt with the same limo driver-like smoothness as the Y, which makes low-speed manoeuvres very relaxing. 

The addition of a second level of brake regeneration for 2025 – weaker than the full one-pedal mode that was previously the only option – is welcome. If you’re a bit too jumpy on the throttle, there’s a small clunk as the motor engages, but otherwise it’s as smooth speeding up as it is slowing down. The turning circle is poor, though, at more than 12.1 metres.

B-road driving and handling

Tesla has gradually enhanced the ride comfort of the Model Y as the years have passed, and this revised version gets another incremental improvement. While it’s still on the firm side of the class, there’s more sophistication to the way it deals with bumps than before, controlling its body fairly well over all but the most severe potholes and undulations. 

Body roll is pretty well contained in corners, and grip is relatively strong through the balanced chassis. It’s easy to reach that limit, though, because the hyper-sensitive steering makes it easy to turn the front axle faster than the chassis can handle. Given that the steering has a gloopy weight and precious little feedback, driving the Model Y with enthusiasm is not very enjoyable.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

The soundproofing has been much improved, including acoustic glazing all round, and this makes the Model Y a very refined and quiet car at speed. Tesla claims noise has been reduced by up to 22 per cent over the previous model.

Tyre roar was that car’s downfall, and while it remains the most noticeable sound inside the cabin, it is now significantly more muted than before. Once again, that steering takes getting used to, because it’s so sensitive that you need only the tiniest of corrections to keep the car on your chosen course at speed.

Expert view, on driving experience

“Oddly, there’s a bank of gear selection controls on the roof panel, but these are touch sensitive, too, so they’re not any more tactile than swiping between Drive, Park and Reverse the screen.” - Alex Ingram, drove the all-new 2025 Tesla Model Y against the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Audi Q4 e-tron in a triple test.

There’s a potential for high insurance costs, but the Model Y beats its rivals for efficiency and is competitive in every other area.

Official figures from Tesla quote a range of 311 miles combined for the Standard Range model, while the Long Range is quoted at 387 miles, which is among the best figures for any EV currently on sale. Adding the AWD powertrain shaves a few miles off the total, but a quoted figure of 364 miles is still pretty strong.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Tesla has always led the way when it comes to range and efficiency, and that remains the case with the latest Model Y. Our time behind the wheel of the updated car, which was in temperatures in the high teens and included plenty of motorway miles, resulted in a figure of 3.9 miles/kWh, which was enough for a range of 293 miles.

On a more relaxed, shorter trip with no motorway driving, the Model Y returned a superb 5.6mi/kWh, meaning the Tesla will cover almost 420 miles between charges. That figure is for a model equipped with the optional 20-inch wheels, which has a slightly shorter official range than versions with 19-inch wheels.

When it comes to charging, few manufacturers can touch the convenience that Tesla can offer. Drive to your nearest Supercharger, park up and plug in. Once you have enough charge, you can leave, and your usage is charged by direct debit each month. We really wish all charging networks were this easy to use. Thanks to its 250kW charging capability, the Model Y is among the fastest-charging cars in its class, too.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups are at the high end for the Model Y. Even the base model starts off from group 37 (out of 50), with the dual-motor models sitting in group 42. However, these figures are better than those for the previous generation, which was in groups 46-48. Quoted costs are still pricey, though.

Tax

There’s little to separate any EV when it comes to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates now, and beyond the second year, there’s little to split any new cars at all. The Model Y costs £10 in its first year, which rises to £620 for the following five – including the VED surcharge for cars that cost more than £40,000 when new.

Company car users benefit from the lowest Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax bandings offered to EVs, and the whole Model Y range is in the three per cent bracket, just like every other electric car on the market. That means there’s more to pay than in the past, but costs of £270 a year for 20 per cent taxpayers for the base car, rising to £312 for the Long Range AWD, are still considerably less than they are for hybrids and PHEVs.

Depreciation

Industry expert CDL estimates that the latest Tesla Model Y will hold on to its value better than many of its rivals. After three years or 36,000 miles, it is expected to be worth roughly half of what it was when it was first registered.

The Tesla Model Y’s spartan cabin design lacks many of the physical controls that we take for granted in most new models, replacing them with touchscreen options or the bare minimum of actual buttons. Once you’re used to it, you’ll find that much of the in-car tech is excellent to use.

Interior and dashboard design

The seats are new for the 2025 Tesla Model Y, and they introduce a cooling function for the first time. Storage has been boosted and the sliding doors on many of the cubbies feel of a higher quality than what was there previously.

We’ve said many times how we like physical controls, and the Tesla, in effect, has none. Almost everything is controlled through the large, central display. One of the few actual buttons you’ll find is for the hazard warning switch, but there are extra controls on the steering wheel, including the windscreen wiper washers and the headlight flasher. 

The latter works well in practice, but we still think it’s a poor decision to remove a physical control for the headlights. While automatic lights make this less necessary than before, they’re not perfect; we’d much rather be able to take control manually if we need to.

Materials and build quality 

One of the few physical controls here is the indicator stalk, which makes a return for the updated model; the buttons were previously on the wheel. While we welcome having an actual stalk, it feels incredibly cheap, and it’s a pain to use. It doesn’t click into place like most indicators do, which means that simply trying to cancel a signal might inadvertently leave you indicating in the opposite direction, potentially confusing other road users.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

While we’re still of the opinion that the Model Y relies on its touchscreen too much, the system itself is excellent. The 15.4-inch display looks super-sharp, while few set-ups available on the market can compete with its responsiveness to touch or its loading times. 

The mapping pages are clear and easy to read, while the way the display is split – with the driving section a permanent fixture on the part closest to the driver – looks neat; even the on-screen climate functions aren’t too much of a pain to use compared with rival set-ups. Dive into the driving data sections, and it will show some neat graphs, allowing the most nerdy of us to analyse how the car’s energy was used over previous journeys.

Not only is Tesla’s charging network brilliant, but the car helps out there, too. By plotting a route in the navigation, the Model Y will calculate where to stop and how much charge is needed to reach your destination. It will also optimise its battery temperature on the way to a charger, so that charging speeds are as quick as possible upon arrival.

Expert view, on design

“While all brands’ auto wipers are poor, Tesla makes them worse than anyone else. Please, Tesla: just give us a proper wiper stalk with a manual intermittent control.” - Alex Ingram, drove the all-new 2025 Tesla Model Y against the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Audi Q4 e-tron in a triple test.

The Tesla Model Y’s cabin and boot space are both great; the interior packaging is among the best in the class.

Dimensions and size

The Tesla Model Y is one of the larger cars in the compact electric SUV sector. It’s longer and wider than a Hyundai Ioniq 5, but has a shorter wheelbase, although this doesn’t have a negative impact on cabin space.

Driving position, seats & space in the front

The Model Y’s dashboard line is fairly low, which gives the driver a great view of the road ahead. The same can’t be said out of the back, because the rear window is tiny and positioned high, so what goes on behind the driver is much more of a mystery. It’s not helped by the lack of rear windscreen wiper, either. Fortunately, a range of cameras makes driving in tight spots fairly stress-free, while the updates have brought an extra camera in the front bumper to help with parking.

Seats & space in the back

A completely flat floor makes the back-seat area feel very roomy, even with three people sitting on the bench. While the smaller Model 3 suffers from a high floor relative to the seat base, there are no such issues here, which means that taller occupants will still feel comfortable. 

Plenty of foot room beneath the front seats and soft, forgiving seats help when it comes to passenger comfort, although the centre seat’s backrest is a little hard. 

New for the updated model is the addition of an eight-inch touchscreen at the back of the centre console, which allows the back-seat occupants to not only fiddle with their own climate settings, but to select media and play games, too.

Boot space

Tesla only quotes a boot volume that extends to the roof rather than the window-line figure that most brands use, so the very generous-looking 854-litre capacity needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. However, the space on offer is still enormous when compared with most rivals, and the neat, square load area and relatively low boot lip are extremely well thought out. 

Under the boot floor is an additional storage area, which is very deep, improving versatility further.

Expert view, on practicality

“For 2025, the Model Y’s front boot has been improved with the addition of a drain plug, so if you wish to carry dirty items up front, you can simply hose the area down afterwards.” - Alex Ingram, drove the all-new 2025 Tesla Model Y against the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Audi Q4 e-tron in a triple test. 

Tesla achieved an impressive second place overall in our 2024 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey of car brands. 

It is worth noting, however, that despite this score, 37.9 per cent of owners experienced a fault of some sort within the first year; out of the 32 manufacturers in the rankings, only Jaguar and Land Rover threw up more issues.

The Model Y scored a maximum five stars out of five in the Euro NCAP crash test in 2022. It scored higher in the adult occupancy category than rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Ariya, Genesis GV60, and Volkswagen ID.5. However, the Volvo EC40 (formerly known as the Volvo C40) scored better in child occupancy protection.

• Best buy: Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD
   

You don’t sacrifice much in the way of range for the added performance and roadholding of the AWD model, and in the past this version has offered a better ride than lower-spec cars. We’ve yet to try the updated RWD model to see if that’s still the case, so for now it’s the AWD version we’d pick.

Tesla offers buyers a four-year warranty with four years of breakdown cover. The latter is a very generous package, while the former ranks Tesla ahead of the premium German brands, if not the likes of Hyundai, Kia and MG, which provide either five or seven years of manufacturer cover. 

The minimal running costs served up elsewhere by the Model Y also apply to servicing. Recommended maintenance consists of a biennial cabin filter change and brake fluid check, plus a suggested tyre rotation every 6,250 miles. Otherwise, there are zero service costs.

Alternatives

On merit, the Tesla Model Y is one of the best electric SUVs on the market, but Tesla’s boss and his connection with current US politics mean that some people aren’t comfortable taking the plunge. However, there are a few options available that come close to matching the Model Y, with the recently updated Hyundai Ioniq 5 being our top pick as an alternative option. It has the looks of a hatch, but is as big as the Model Y, and offers a long range and spacious accommodation for a similar price - we rated both cars at 4.5 out of five when we tested them together. The Genesis GV60 and Kia EV6 use the same EV technology as the Hyundai, just in different packages that look a little different.

Other options include the Audi Q4 e-tron and Cupra Tavascan, which share the same platform, or the Volkswagen ID.4 and Volkswagen ID.5 duo, again, based on the same running gear as the Audi and Cupra. BYD is a major threat, and its BYD Sealion 7 offers good value for money and plenty of tech. Other options come from BMW in the shape of the BMW iX1 and the coupe SUV BMW iX2, or the Mercedes EQA and the more practical Mercedes EQB.

Tesla Model Y pictures

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