The Tesla Model Y was the bestselling car in the world in 2023 and 2024, beating out the Toyota cars (mostly the Corolla) that had dominated the global market for years beforehand. But since then, there have been worrying sales figures, particularly from Canada and Europe. Many commentators blame Elon Musk’s controversial association with the Trump presidency in the USA. But the Model Y was also in between the original release and a major update. I tested the New Tesla Model Y to see if it can revive the company’s fortunes.
New Tesla Model Y: Incremental Upgrade, But A Large One
Buying a car isn’t usually a political choice, but the Tesla brand has become divisive thanks to Elon Musk’s stint with the US government and his opinions expressed on X, formerly known as Twitter. While most pundits are citing this as the reason for reduced sales, the Tesla Model Y hadn’t had an update since it was launched in 2020. Coincidentally with the sales dip, Tesla has been running down stock of the old Model Y over the last few months before the new car arrives, which is this month.
There were limited Launch Edition cars on sale before that, which was what I borrowed for a week, but the main stock was only just arriving on the road at the time of writing. I’ve now begun to see a few in the wild in the UK, so deliveries have begun. The Launch Edition, which you can no longer buy, is essentially the Long Range All-Wheel Drive with the acceleration boost pre-applied and some additional bonuses such as privacy glass. Other than the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive, there’s still a Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive and a standard Rear-Wheel Drive to choose from.
The exterior design changes are more noticeable than with the Tesla Model 3 facelift. The front lights are thin and Cybertruck-like, moving away from the froglike look of the original car. These are still matrix LEDs, a great technology that only dips sections directly facing oncoming traffic. The rear lights have become a single line, too, and take a novel approach. The red lightbar reflects off the rear panel rather than projecting directly, accentuating a generally more futuristic appearance.
However, the side profile has barely changed, and the overall practicality of the Y remains the same. The car was designed to maximize interior space, so there’s plenty of room for front and rear passengers. There have been some tweaks here. When the new Tesla Model 3 came out at the end of 2023 (which the company claims isn’t called Highland despite everyone else calling it that), its lack of an indicator stalk (like the Model S Plaid) garnered criticism.
For the new Model Y, an indicator stalk remains, although the drive modes are now operated with the LCD panel, like the latest Model 3, rather than a shift stick. There are buttons above the rearview mirror available just in case the LCD panel becomes unavailable. The front seats are now ventilated as well as heated. For rear seat passengers, the small LCD panel introduced with the new Model 3 and Model S Plaid has been added, so passengers in the back can control their own air conditioning, watch streaming media and play games, although you will probably won’t want to use the latter if you get travel sick.
However, although Tesla Model 3 and Y interiors have gradually improved, they are still quite spartan. You might like this, but many prefer a more traditional premium finish and instrumentation, which BMW has the upper hand with. Chinese midsize SUVs are offering plusher upholstery, too, such as the BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr 7X, and Smart #5.
The New Model Y continues the original’s class-leading luggage space, with 854 liters even with the rear seats up. There’s a sizeable 117-liter frunk, too, which is large enough for an overnight bag on its own, plus a big space under the boot floor. There’s another upgrade here, because dropping the rear seats forward is powered. Buttons lower them with a 60/40 split, increasing the capacity to 1,869 liters, and these buttons will also bring the seats back up. You can drop the middle seat forward on its own, but this can only be achieved manually. The Y will tow 1,600kg braked, too, with the £1,090 towbar option.
Tesla Model Y: Class-Leading Performance And Range
One thing that hasn’t really changed with the new Model Y is the performance. Even the basic Rear-Wheel Drive takes just 5.6 seconds to hit 60mph, while the Long Range version drops this to 5.4 seconds. The Long Range All-Wheel Drive takes 4.6 seconds, and with the acceleration boost of the Launch Edition it’s just 4.1 seconds. There are faster SUV options, but not that many, and generally more expensive.
Tesla has improved the sound protection for the new Model Y, however. This is a quieter car on highways than previous versions. The Model Y wasn’t famous for its ride quality, and this is another area of enhancement. The suspension is now much more forgiving of poor road surfaces, although there is a little more softness to the handling as a result.
Tesla has always done well with range and efficiency. Although there are now quite a few cars that go further, most use bigger batteries to do so. The battery sizes haven’t changed since the previous version of the Y, although Tesla doesn’t officially state what these are. The basic RWD car is believed to have 62.5kWh (net) while the Long Range options have 75kWh (net).
However, there have been some aerodynamic improvements with the New Model Y, which have increased the efficiency. The original Long Range All-Wheel-Drive promised 331 WLTP miles, but the new version goes to 364 miles, or 353 with 20in wheels like my review car. The Rear-Wheel Drive car with the smaller battery can still manage 311 WLTP miles, while the Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive car achieves 387 miles, which is impressive for a car with a 75kWh battery.
I drove the New Model Y from London to Devon and back, mostly using motorways. Travelling efficiently at the speed limit I managed 3.4 miles per kWh, although this dropped to 2.8 miles per kWh with more vigorous A-road driving. Still, you can get 250 miles easily out of the Long Range All-Wheel Drive car if your driving is not too boisterous, and there’s the superb Tesla Supercharger network to make long distance journeys easy. My trip to Devon was simple, with plenty of charging options along the way.
Tesla Model Y: Still A Competitive Option, For Now
The Tesla Model Y’s price hasn’t changed considerably with the update. In the UK, the Rear-Wheel Drive is £44,990 (€44,990 in Europe, not currently available in the US), the same as the old version. The Long Range option is £48,990 (€46,990 in Europe; $44,990 in the US), which is more expensive than it was before, and the Long Range All-Wheel Drive £51,990 (€52,990 in Europe, $48,990 in the US), which is a bit less than previously. There are cheaper options, but many more expensive. In its class, the Model Y is decently priced.
It’s certainly true that the clear lead Tesla enjoyed has narrowed. Competitors are closing in, particularly those from China, and a few surpass in some areas. The Smart #5 offers faster charging, while the Zeekr 7X offers a distinctly more premium feel. But neither are as efficient as the Model Y. Combining practicality, price, performance, range and efficiency with Tesla’s superior connected technology, all in one package, the Model Y still edges ahead. Refusing to buy one because of Elon Musk is a personal choice, and there are plenty of great alternatives now. But they’re not quite as good as the Tesla Model Y overall – not yet, anyway.
