Tesla Model Y review
Wide-ranging improvements keep Tesla’s updated Model Y towards the top of the electric crossover class
Pros
- Better ride and refinement
- Higher-quality feel
- Longer range than the old model
Cons
- Ergonomics still won’t be to all tastes
- Some rivals are better to drive
- Autopilot remains quite expensive
Tesla Model Y verdict
The updated Tesla Model Y is a step in the right direction, keeping everything that has made the original such a big seller, but adding worthwhile improvements in driveability, quality, and of course range. The market has changed significantly since the Model Y made its UK debut in 2021, and competition is tougher and more talented than ever. While the latest car is effectively a facelift rather than an all-new approach, the Model Y already offered a pretty good starting point, and it’s been improved in all the areas that matter.
Details, specs and alternatives
The Tesla Model Y is nothing less than one of the world’s best-selling cars, and for 2025, it enjoys a series of updates aimed at keeping up with rivals and maintaining its hugely popular status. Market conditions and competition, to say nothing of the politics of Tesla’s possibly too high-profile CEO, mean the ageing Model Y hasn’t been pulling its weight as much recently, so Tesla will be hoping the new car is enough to rejuvenate interest.
The latest version of the popular five-door electric crossover comes with styling updates that ape either the divisive stainless steel wedge that is the Cybertruck, or Tesla’s as-yet unreleased Robotaxi, depending on how hard you squint, along with interior and quality improvements, and a boost to the range of all models.
In the UK, it now comes in three variants: the £44,990, 311-mile Rear-Wheel Drive, the £48,990, 387-mile Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, and the range-topping, 364-mile Long Range All-Wheel Drive for £51,990. All are visually identical, with any aesthetic difference coming from the handful of paintwork options and alloy wheel choices, and all-black or black and white cabin themes.
Buyers can also add ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ for extra assistance features including automatic parking and the ability to function semi-autonomously on slip roads for £3,400, or ‘Full Self-Driving’ at £6,800 for even more features, plus the promise of owning a car that is able to “drive itself almost anywhere with minimum driver intervention” from an unspecified future date.
Key rivals include cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Audi Q4 e-tron, which were starting to become a spanner in the works for the outgoing Model Y. Improvements to quality and driver appeal mean the new version is better equipped to take them on, and Tesla still has the edge over several of its competitors for real-world efficiency and infotainment.
