Tesla Model Y review

You can think of the Tesla Model Y as a Model 3 that’s been pumped full of growth hormone to give it a higher driving position and more room inside.

You see, while the '3' is a fantastic electric car, Tesla is all too aware that its entry-level saloon doesn’t suit everyone. Its small boot opening isn’t great for families and it's not an SUV, which is an instant turn-off for many buyers.

That's where the Model Y comes in. It sits below the Tesla Model X in the brand's electric SUV line-up, although it doesn't have that car’s 'falcon doors'. As it stands, all Model Ys sold in the UK have five seats, although a seven-seater option is due at some point.

Its rivals include the Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW iX1, Genesis GV60 and Kia EV6, although the price of the range-topping Model Y creeps into VW ID Buzz territory. 

Read on to find out how we rate the Tesla Model Y against the best electric SUVs in all the important areas...

The Model Y isn’t quite as rapid as an equivalent Tesla Model 3 (blame the extra weight for that). Mind you, at our private test track we timed a Long Range version rocketing from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds, while the range-topping Performance model has a supercar-rivalling official 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds. That’s much quicker than any Audi Q4 e-tron and a close match for the GT version of the Kia EV6.

Even the entry-level RWD (rear-wheel drive) Model Y managed 0-60mph in 6.9sec in our tests, which is plenty fast enough for most buyers. However, the RWD has a shorter official range than the Long Range (283 miles against 331 miles). The Performance version can officially do 319 miles.

In our real-world range tests, the Long Range managed 272 miles in winter and an impressive 304 miles on a warm July day.

Ride comfort isn’t a Model Y strength. It has bigger wheels than the equivalent Model 3, with 19in rims fitted to the RWD and Long Range versions as standard, and 20in wheels available as an option.

Neither wheel size is particularly forgiving over ridges and potholes, and you're jostled around in your seat along roads that, to the eye, appear quite smooth. Surprisingly, though, the Performance version, with its 21in alloys and sports suspension, isn't much more fractious.

While the Model Y is more settled than the Ford Mustang Mach-E, many other electric SUVs – including the Q4 e-tron, GV60 and EV6 – offer a smoother and more composed ride.

It should come as no surprise that the taller and heavier Model Y isn’t as good to drive as the Model 3, but it’s a shame Tesla hasn’t spent more time tuning the car accordingly – especially given how rapid it is.

The incredibly quick steering that works well on the Model 3 has been carried over, but with the slightly more lethargic responses of an SUV, it makes the Model Y feel a bit nervous. 

When you get past that and into a corner, you’ll find plenty of grip and not too much body lean, but the EV6, the Genesis GV60 and even the Skoda Enyaq feel better balanced, inspire more confidence and are more enjoyable on twisty roads.

The Model Y isn't that quiet by electric SUV standards. The interior is a bit of an echo chamber, actually, because the entire roof is made from glass, which doesn’t absorb sound very well. 

You hear a fair amount of road noise and boom from the suspension when you're driving. If you’re looking for a hushed cruiser, particularly for motorway driving, the Q4 e-tron, GV60 and Enyaq are better options.

The Model Y's brakes are really good, though. They're far smoother and more progressive than in most electric cars, so it’s easy to judge how much pressure you need to apply with your right foot.

Driving overview

Strengths Rapid acceleration; long range; reassuring brake pedal

Weaknesses Unsettled ride; noisier than many rivals; hyperactive steering

From the driver’s seat, everything in the Tesla Model 3 is near-enough identical to how it is in the cheaper Model 3 – except for one thing. You see, the seats are mounted on plinths so you sit noticeably higher up in the car, almost looking down on the dashboard. In other similarly priced electric SUVs – including the Audi Q4 e-tron and the Kia EV6 – you feel more cocooned by a taller dashboard and higher window line.

We wish the Model Y's front seats had a bit more support around the sides and shoulders to hold you in position through corners, but they’re comfy enough when you’re going in a straight line.

The driver’s seat lines up neatly with the pedals and steering wheel, although the wheel itself is a faff to adjust for reach and height. You have to use the infotainment touchscreen to tell the car that’s what you want to do, then play around with some small controls on the wheel.

The Model Y's windscreen pillars are fairly wide, and are angled in such a way that they can hamper your view out at junctions and roundabouts. How badly will depend on how tall you are and your preferred driving position.

The same goes for the rearview mirror – it's mounted too low on the windscreen, so it can block some of your view when turning left.

All versions come with front and rear parking sensors, plus there are multiple cameras around the car to help with manoeuvring. LED headlights are standard and illuminate the road well at night.

The Model Y comes with a 15in touchscreen infotainment system. The operating system is fairly intuitive, and while some of the smaller icons can be distracting to hit accurately while you’re driving, the system is responsive once you’ve made your selection.  

There are loads of useful features (sat-nav and web browsing, for example), welcome additions (such as Netflix and Spotify) and some purely fun applications (driving games controlled using the steering wheel and the ability to make whoopee cushion noises).

You also get two easily accessible wireless phone-charging mats located below the infotainment screen and USB-C ports for rapid device charging in the large, covered centre console storage bin.

Overall, the infotainment system is better than the ones in the EV6 and the Skoda Enyaq, but the GV60's system is less distracting to operate when you’re driving.

One notable omission is that Tesla doesn't include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. However, you can sync your phone using Bluetooth to make phone calls or play music through the punchy sound system.

The quality of Tesla cars is something we’ve been a little critical of in the past, but things do seem to have improved. All of the Model Ys we’ve tested felt well screwed together inside and the exterior panel gaps were relatively consistent.

The materials inside are a little more appealing than those in the Enyaq and the Mustang Mach-E. Don’t expect to be blown away, though – the "vegan leather" on the seats and steering wheel is soft but very obviously plastic. The rival GV60 is much plusher inside.

Interior overview

Strengths Minimalist interior feels fairly upmarket; infotainment system is quick and packed with features; lots of parking aids 

Weaknesses Windscreen pillars hamper visibility at junctions; seats could do with more side support

No one sitting in the front of a Tesla Model Y is likely to have any complaints about space – there's plenty for even the tallest occupants. There’s also loads of room for odds and ends, with a lidded cubby between the front seats and a good-sized storage area under the centre armrest.

The front seat area feels remarkably light and airy thanks to the combination of tall side windows and a standard full glass roof.

There's (unsurprisingly) more rear leg and head room in the Model Y than in the Model 3 – although not by a dramatic amount. The biggest difference is that, because the seats are mounted higher in the car, the seating position is more comfortable and you don’t feel as though your knees are being forced up towards your chin.

A couple of six-footers will be more than comfortable enough on a long journey, and thanks to the flat floor, a third passenger sitting in the middle won’t feel too hard done by.

That said, if you really must have limo levels of legroom, we’d recommend you take a look at the Kia EV6 or even the VW ID Buzz. Those cars also have longer seat bases for better under-thigh support.

At some point, Tesla plans to offer the Model Y in the UK as a seven-seater, but no dates have been given.

The Model Y comes with 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats as standard, as does the BMW iX1 (the EV6, the GV60 and the Model 3 all have a less flexible 60/40 split). That gives you the option of slotting something long and thin, such as skis or a golf travel bag, between two rear passengers. 

The seats are super-easy to fold – you just flick switches on the wall of the boot and they drop down of their own accord. And when the boot isn’t crammed full of luggage, you can recline the rear seatbacks slightly.

The Model Y has a huge boot – especially when you factor in the large well hidden under the floor. There’s also a smaller underfloor storage area directly behind the rear seats, which is a great place to stow the charging cables.

Using the additional front boot under the bonnet, we managed to squeeze an impressive 10 carry-on suitcases into the Model Y's load bays – more than in the Audi Q4 e-tron and the EV6 (seven). However, the immensely practical ID Buzz swallowed 16 cases.

The hatchback tailgate makes the Model Y a much more practical option than the Model 3. Fitting a big buggy inside is no problem at all, and all versions have an electric tailgate that can be opened and closed using the touchscreen, from the Tesla app on your phone or by pressing a button on the boot lid.

Practicality overview

Strengths Huge boot with lots of underfloor storage; spacious rear seats; extra storage under bonnet

Weaknesses Rear seats don't slide back and forth

The Tesla Model Y is cheaper to buy outright than many premium-badged electric SUVs, including the BMW iX1, the Genesis GV60 and the Jaguar I-Pace. In fact, it's cheaper than a like-for-like Kia EV6.

Resale values are predicted to be excellent and, because it's fully electric, the Model Y is seriously cheap to run for company car drivers who pay benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax.

The Tesla charging infrastructure is a big reason to choose a Model Y over rivals. The company’s Supercharger network is extensive, reliable and, in ideal conditions, allows you to charge the battery from 10-80% in less than half an hour thanks to impressive charging speeds.

Alternatively, if you plug into a 7kW wallbox at home, a 0-100% charge in the entry-level RWD will take around nine hours and 15 minutes, or roughly 12 hours in the Long Range and Performance variants.

All versions of the Model Y come with plenty of luxuries, including climate control, adaptive cruise control, faux-leather seats (heated in the front and back), an electric tailgate and keyless entry via an app on your smartphone. 

It’s a good thing it's well equipped as standard because there isn’t much on the options list. Apart from metallic paint, different alloy wheel designs and a tow bar package, the only options are the extra assisted driving functions.  

The so-called Full Self Driving Capability doesn’t mean you can sit in the back while the car takes you to your destination. It simply allows the Model Y to make lane changes on its own (just press the indicator), steer itself into a parking space or be "summoned" via a smartphone app at very low speeds. So, if someone parks too close to you in a car park for you to open the door, you can drive your Model Y out of the space using your mobile phone.

The Model Y was one of the most reliable electric SUVs in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, with Tesla as a whole coming a respectable 10th (out of 32 brands) in the overall manufacturer league table. 

Tesla gives you a four-year/50,000 mile warranty, with the battery and drive unit covered separately for eight years or 120,000 miles (100,000 in the entry-level RWD version). The warranty covers the electrical bits against faults and guarantees a minimum 70% retention of battery capacity.

The Model Y has been awarded a superb five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP. A closer look at the test scores reveals better adult occupant crash protection than the GV60 and EV6 offer, and about the same as the Q4 e-tron. Meanwhile, child protection was found to be exceptional.

There's loads of active safety kit to prevent you from having an accident in the first place, too, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-departure warning.

As for security, as well as the usual kit, there’s something called Sentry mode. When enabled, it uses the car’s external cameras to start recording when the car is approached after it’s locked, saving the footage to a USB drive. If someone tries to break in, or if someone drives into your Model Y when it's parked up, the cameras should record the incident.

Costs overview

Strengths Well priced; all versions are well equipped; excellent Euro NCAP safety score

Weaknesses Not a lot

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here