Tesla Model Y review

Tesla Model Y verdict

The electric Model Y is everything you'd want a Tesla SUV to be. It boasts a supremely spacious cabin and a slick infotainment system, plus class-leading range and rapid charging capabilities. Performance is just as staggering too, thanks to powerful dual-motor setups in higher-spec models.

It’s a more appropriate size for UK roads than the brand’s falcon-doored Model X, so the Tesla Model Y will suit a lot of buyers very well. We wish it offered a more comfortable ride, and it’s a shame you can’t get the Model Y with seven seats in the UK, but overall, it’s still one of the best electric SUVs on the market, and one we’ve no issues recommending.

Range details, specs and alternatives

When it was unveiled in 2019, the Tesla Model Y was pretty much the only car of its type. However, fast-forward four years, and it's one of a dozen electric family SUVs on the market, facing heavy competition from a vast range of similarly priced and extremely talented rivals. Those include the Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW iX3, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia EV6 and Skoda Enyaq iV, plus the Toyota bZ4X and Volkswagen ID.4 – with plenty more waiting in the wings.

The Model Y is essentially a bigger, more spacious version of the Tesla Model 3 and sits above it in the EV maker’s line-up – behind the flagship Model S saloon and Model X SUV. Like all Teslas there are no trim levels to choose from here; instead, you get to choose from three versions of the Model Y: the base Model Y, the Long Range and the Performance.

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The entry-level, rear-wheel drive Model Y offers the shortest range of the trio at 283 miles and can go from 0-60mph in just under seven seconds. Perhaps the more impressive figure is the current starting price of a little under £45,000 following Tesla’s decision to slash the prices of both the Model Y and Model 3 in January 2023.  Unless you’re looking to travel longer distances frequently, this newest model is our pick of the lineup.

The other two variants feature dual-motor setups for all-wheel drive. As a result the Model Y Long Range takes just 4.8 seconds to get to 60mph, making it one of the fastest cars in its class. It can also cover up to 331 miles on a charge, or an estimated 351 miles if you go for the smaller 19-inch wheels, Tesla claims. Finally, there’s the top-of-the-range Model Y Performance, capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds, while also boasting a range of 319 miles.

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The kit list is largely the same for all Model Ys, with every car featuring a whopping 15-inch landscape touchscreen, the basic version of Tesla’s Autopilot system, a wireless charging pad for two smartphones, heated front and rear seats covered in vegan upholstery, a heated steering wheel and panoramic glass roof, plus a heat pump to warm the cabin more efficiently.

For a more detailed look at the Tesla Model Y, read on for the rest of our in-depth review...