Tesla Model Y (2025 - )

It was half a decade ago that Tesla launched the first incarnation of the Model Y – a five-door family car that went on to be the global best-seller in 2023 and 2024.

And now, the innovative company has raised the bar even higher with extensive reengineering, improved efficiency, better connectivity and a fresh new look both inside and out.

There are three variants to choose from powertrain-wise called Rear Wheel Drive with a 63kWh battery, Long Range Rear Wheel Drive and Long Range All Wheel Drive, both of which feature a larger 83kWh unit.

Prices start from a very attractive £44,990 and there was a Limited Edition Launch Series spec in the UK and Ireland, costing a whopping £60,990. That car is no longer on sale, but it was the model we tested with all the bespoke features imaginable.

The Tesla Model Y was always been a great looking car, but now with front-end inspiration taken from the Tesla Cybertruck and Cybercab, it boasts an even stronger road presence. Eye-catching features include a lowered front end with a full-width light bar, plus a new 1.6 metre lightbar at the rear. The redesigned tailgate, spoiler and extended diffuser enhance stability and aerodynamics, while there is a panoramic sunroof, flush door handles, rear privacy glass and snazzy 20-inch alloy wheels to complete the look.

Move inside and it’s very sparse. There is the steering wheel and a large 15.4-inch touchscreen that really is the car’s nerve centre. If you prefer lots of physical controls, then this is definitely not the car for you as the screen operates everything from the boot opening, seat heating settings, glovebox, all the drive modes and steering weight, traction control and other performance settings, plus lots, lots more.

There is no driver display screen to show the speed and other data such as existing range. Instead, it’s all on that screen – we would have at least liked a head-up display.

On-board tech is impressive with a pitch-perfect 15-speaker sound system, but there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto mirroring function, unlike most rivals. Instead, you have to rely on the excellent infotainment set-up within the Tesla for sat nav and connection to specific apps.

The interior build quality has also taken a massive step upwards and getting comfy is easy with redesigned powered seats that can be heated or cooled, a powered steering wheel, upgraded materials throughout and a more high-end feel.

Rear seat passengers benefit from their own eight-inch screen with climate control settings, gaming and streaming, plus dual Bluetooth support. Back row seats have also become more comfortable with longer cushions, a powered recline function, deeper bolsters and heat settings.

Yes, we would like some more physical controls, but die-hard Tesla fans seem to love the minimalist approach.

We tested the Launch Series Tesla Model Y Long Range All Wheel Drive model with 514PS and 493Nm of torque. This power resulted in super sharp acceleration with a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 125mph.

Range is always a big issue when considering an EV for day-to-day driving and this is an area where the Model Y scores well. The Long Range Rear Wheel Drive model can achieve up to 387 miles (combined) on a single charge, the Long Range All Wheel Drive is 364 miles on 19-inch wheels or 353 miles on 20-inch wheels (as tested), while the Rear Wheel Drive version with the smaller battery has the least range at 311 miles.

There’s no denying the Tesla Model Y is bang on the money when it comes to performance. It’s sharp out the blocks, beautifully composed and balanced through sweeping country lanes.

It’s certainly a very comfy motorway or dual carriageway cruiser and city driving poses few problems with impressive agility and all the parking aids needed to squeeze into tight spaces.

Acceleration through the single-speed transmission is smooth and responsive and you can alter all manner of systems such as the rate of acceleration from Chill to Sport, the traction control settings and even the steering weight. It’s all very clever, but I’m not sure how many Model Y owners actually bother with these clever innovations.

The suspension has been tweaked on the latest car and, despite the ride quality being fairly good, it’s still a little on the firm side. That means you will feel the full force of any unexpected pothole – no matter how small. Models riding on smaller 19-inch wheels will probably fare better.

Driver visibility is okay, but not perfect due to the narrow sloping rear window. But the added reassurance of AWD is always a bonus with our ever-changing weather patterns.

There’s no denying the fact that the Tesla Model Y is an attractive car with plenty of kerb appeal. With stylish curves and sleek streamlining, it stretches 4,790mm in length, is 2,129mm wide (with mirrors extended), 1,624mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,890mm.

Up front, there is bundles of room so you will hear no complaints from any six-foot-plus adults who can enjoy the high-end, yet minimalist cockpit area. And there is a reasonable amount of room for back seat passengers too. Two adults could sit comfortably over a longer journey, although if you add a third, it all becomes a bit too cosy. 

While the original Model Y was sold with the option of seven seats for a limited period of time, that configuration is no longer available. New Model Y is five seats only.

The boot, accessed via a powered tailgate (opened using the touchscreen of course), is well sized at 854 litres (to the roof) and can be expanded to hold 2,138 litres of luggage with the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats lowered. There is plenty of under floor space to store the necessary charging cables as well as a frunk beneath the bonnet – which, you guessed, is also opened via the touchscreen.

Additionally, there are plenty of storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin, including a glovebox (opened via the touchscreen), a large centre console box, wide door bins, front and rear cup holders, coat hangers, a charging pad and some trays.

With maximum rapid charging of up to 250kW, a 0-80 per cent boost can be achieved in just 27 minutes, although it will be more cost-effective to boost the battery from home where a zero to 100 per cent limit takes 8 hours, 15 minutes if plugged into an 11kW wallbox.

With an impressive driving range of up to 353 miles between charges, the Model Y with all-wheel drive capabilities, can tow a trailer or caravan weighing up to 1.6 tonnes.

The Tesla Model Y is competitively priced and it’s worth noting that the cars all come very well equipped so there is no real need to add any of few options that are available.

The Model Y Rear Wheel Drive costs £44,990 (£349 per month PCP), the Long Range Rear Wheel Drive model is £48,990 (£399 per month PCP) and the Long Range All Wheel Drive is £51,990 (£449 per month PCP). 

Our test car, which is no longer available, was a limited-run Launch Edition version and that carried a £60,990 price-tag. But for that outlay, it featured a number of bespoke features and all the technology Tesla could throw at it.

EV owners will have noticed that many of the government-led incentives have been cut back or withdrawn completely from April, so there will be extra costs to factor into the mix. For example, whereas road tax was free until 2025, there is now a token first-year charge of £10 which increases to the standard fee of £195 after 12 months. 

In addition, as the Model Y costs in excess of £40k, owners will now be charged an Expensive Car Supplement which bumps up annual bills by a further £425 from years to six. And the Congestion Charge, which has always been free, is also going to apply to EV drivers from Christmas Day onwards, albeit in a reduced form.

While the Tesla network of supercharges is truly impressive at more than 1,800 across the UK and Ireland, it will still be cheaper to charge at home whenever possible, especially if you can negotiate a deal with your energy supplier for cheaper overnight tariffs.

Reliability is yet another area where Tesla excels but for added peace of mind, the Model Y comes with a four-year, 60,000-mile warranty that is extended to eight years or 100,000 miles for the battery.

The previous Tesla Model Y was not without its faults, but with more dynamic styling, interior upgrades, highly innovative tech enhancements and a tempting pricing structure, the new version certainly ups the ante.

It may seem we’ve been a tad repetitive with the number of times the touchscreen has been mentioned. But that is to emphasise the variety of functions that are dependent on it, such as the boot, bonnet, glovebox and much, much more. This is something that Tesla fans love about the car, while others may find it a little irritating at times.

One talking point that is topical right now though is Tesla boss Elon Musk and his somewhat outspoken views. While we are not getting into any political debates, the resale value of Tesla models has dropped quite considerably in recent months.