Tesla Model Y review – the cure for range anxiety?

The Tesla Model Y has been the top-selling EV in the UK for multiple years running, and if you spend any time on our roads, it certainly feels that way. There are well over 120,000 registered here at the time of writing but as a result of its popularity, it’s become quite easy to overlook it as fresh new alternatives have entered the market. 

Unlike most cars, the Model Y has only become more affordable as time has progressed. When it first entered the UK in 2021 it was offered in limited forms, but now buyers have the choice of four variants priced from £41,990, all the way to £61,990. This reasonable entry point is one key reason for its popularity, but we spent time in numerous iterations to find out precisely what you get for your cash. 

> Tesla Model Y Performance review – a Porsche Macan on a budget?

Powertrain and technical highlights

• Rear- and all-wheel drive powertrain options offer buyers flexibility
• Good range, but not a match for the BMW iX3
• Seamless Tesla fast-charging network virtually eliminates range anxiety

As with the Model 3, the Model Y is available in numerous rear- and all-wheel drive configurations to give buyers full flexibility between performance and efficiency. Despite this, the range is quite simple when you look at the figures. Every rear-wheel drive model, from the 'Basic' to the Long Range and the Premium Long Range, have the exact same 295bhp motor. Opt for the Premium Long Range all-wheel drive model and this same rear-axle motor is paired with a 211bhp front motor – the only difference between this and the Performance in terms of its powertrain is a unique 406bhp rear motor.

Tesla keeps battery capacity close to their chest, instead keeping things simple for buyers by marketing each model purely by WLTP-certified range. Every model in the range performs well here, with the entry-level RWD Basic extracting 309 miles from a charge, and every other variant after it (likely with larger battery capacities) estimated to hit closer to 400 miles. The Long Range all-wheel drive model has the longest range of all at 387 miles and while that's a fair way from the 466 miles of the Long Range Model 3, it's more than enough to make it comfortably capable of longer stints – over 200 miles of inefficient, cold motorway driving is easily possible on a charge in our experience. The new BMW iX3 manages a class-leading 500-mile WLTP figure in iX3 50 xDrive-form, but it does come at a £6765 premium.

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Overall range is no longer best in class then, and neither is efficiency. We saw an average of 2.75mi/kWh across our mixed test in the Basic RWD model, which is marginally lower than the 3mi/kWh figure we achieved in the iX3 in similar use. Low speed, shorter journeys returned around 4mi/kWh to bring efficiency closer to Tesla’s claimed figure, but this is just another reminder of just how inefficient the SUV bodystyle can be – we managed around 4.7mi/kWh on average in our test with the Model 3 saloon. 

Why is it the answer to range anxiety? The charging network. As with every other Tesla sold, buyers of the Model Y gain instant access to the most seamless, readily available fast charging system in the country. It unlocks a new level of useability for EVs, with stall availability and location all displayed clearly on the central display, and no frustrating app fumbling required – payment is handled automatically through the car, so it’s a one-time setup. Such is the seamless integration with the car that entering a charger as a destination will immediately begin pre-conditioning the battery for fast charging, ensuring a rapid charge once you arrive. Just don’t be alarmed if steam begins to pour out of the arches, as this is simply a byproduct of the heat pump (standard on all Model Ys) drawing excess heat away from the system. 

Performance, ride and handling

• Smooth power delivery and intuitive controls
• Synthetic steering lacks feel and precision
• Firm ride on rough surfaces, but refined overall

The driving experience in any Model Y is consistent with the rest of the range, which is to say, uneventful. The controls are well judged and easy to adjust to out of the box (for the most part), and every model in the range feels reasonably quick – rear-drive 295bhp models often require full throttle for brisk junction departure, but this is more a result of that calm throttle mapping. Power is easy to modulate and free of that harsh, snappy feel of some alternatives, and if you’d like to soften response further from ‘Standard’ mode, ‘Chill’ takes the edge down another notch for ultra-relaxed (and likely marginally more efficient) response.

Our biggest complaint with the all-wheel drive Performance model is its poor steering weighting, and this plagues the standard models too. The wheel itself is small, well-sized and free of distractions but for whatever reason, the power steering system has a synthetic, gloopy feel which masks any sort of information you might hope to receive from the front wheels. It’s as if you’re driving the Model Y through a cheap gear-driven simulator wheel and while many buyers won’t mind this, it does put it quite some way behind the more transparent Model 3, and its closest rival from Germany in the BMW iX3. 

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The underlying chassis hardware of the standard Model Y range has been consistent between each model, until the RWD Basic came along. This car gets downgraded dampers along with other minor cost-cutting measures, but even so, every Model Y rides well the majority of the time, with good isolation from the road for a car at this price point. When it’s not so good is when you hit a rough patch, which is when high spring rates – there to counter its 2-ton kerb weight – and 42 PSI tyre pressures make themselves known. The Model Y is firm.

Push past the odd steering feel and the Model Y has reasonable composure though, with the steering responsive and grip high. It does lack that final level of dynamic sophistication you get from the more expensive BMW iX3 though, with unexpected lateral movement occasionally appearing at higher speeds like with the Model 3. It’s a car you can make good progress in no matter the variant though, and while its mass soon becomes clear once you apply load to the front end, it gets the job done.

Despite its crossover stature, the Model Y’s brakes inspire much more confidence than in its more conventional Model 3 sibling. There's a keen-but-linear response from the top of the pedal on the rare occasion you don’t rely on lift-off regenerative braking, with the friction brakes blending seamlessly with regen without that mushy feel of some EVs. Out-of-the-box regenerative braking isn’t as strong as on some EVs, which will be pleasant for those coming from combustion cars, and perhaps not so much for those used to an EV with one-pedal driving. 

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Of course, Tesla’s experimenting with taking the driver out of the equation entirely with ‘Autopilot’, but in the UK we go without the fully fledged ‘Full Self Driving’ system available in other markets. It’s marketed as ‘Autopilot Beta’ here, and that means that while all cars have the same hardware, we’re limited to what is effectively an unreliable active cruise control. It’s not reliable enough to use in any scenario in our experience, and we’d much rather see a standard cruise control system implemented until legislation allows for the full package. 

Interior and tech

• Minimalist cabin with exceptional storage
• Solid build quality and ultra-quiet at speed
• Intuitive, snappy central display

It’s minimalist and bare inside like every other model in the range, which will be refreshing for some, and quite the opposite for others. The Model Y is a spacious, airy place to be regardless of your take on the design though, with the flat, binnacle-free dashboard kept low for great forward visibility. The packaging is especially impressive, with endless storage compartments, a huge boot and a usable cubby under the bonnet too – it feels as if there’s more space for luggage than in a car of the size class above.

It might be bare, but the few interior elements that are here are well executed, with build quality solid and the materials more than premium enough for the price. It feels more premium than an iX3 in this department, in fact, with the BMW making use of cheap, scratchy plastics and those clumsy haptic steering wheel touch pads. The Model Y has very few physical buttons, but it does have two clickable scroll wheels on the steering wheel for the most vital controls. 

Given the lack of a dash binnacle, the central display is quite literally where everything happens, including gear selection. A climate control panel, customisable app panel and car status window (including speed) are all permanent fixtures, with every other window configurable. Having even the speed readout offset to your left all feels a bit odd at first, but it doesn’t take long to get used to it: the thoughtful layout of the UI and snappy response of the system all make it quite pleasant to use day-to-day.

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It’s an ultra-quiet cabin even at high speeds, and this means that its sound system has a lot of room to breathe. It’s a great listening experience for the price, and if you’ll spend any amount of time at Tesla Superchargers, you’ll be especially thankful for this – it’s worth noting that the RWD Basic does get a downgraded sound system, but it’s still not terrible. YouTube, Netflix and a number of fully fledged games are built into the car for just this reason, and rear-seat passengers get their own dedicated display for the same, unless you opt for the RWD Basic which removes it from the equation.

Price, specs and rivals

Now the entry-level RWD Basic is here, the Tesla Model Y starts from £41,990, a whole £11,260 less than the BMW iX3. For that money you do get more from the German alternative, with the iX3 40 claiming a much higher 395-mile WLTP range and a marginally higher 316bhp power output. Spec-for-spec, the Model Y costs around £4000 more than the Tesla Model 3. 

The range continues with the £48,990 Long Range rear-wheel drive which pairs the entry-level powertrain with a larger battery pack, before jumping to £51,990 for the Premium Long Range all-wheel drive for an extra motor and more standard kit. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 is another alternative worth considering, as while it fails to match the Tesla for range, it has a real quality feel with plenty of attention paid to everyday practicality. Better still, prices start from a lower £39,910.

The range is topped by the £61,990 Model Y Performance which is a quick car for the money, considerably quicker than the £60,655 iX3 50, but lacks the dynamic finesse we expect from a performance car of this calibre. Although not quite as practical with its 278-mile range, the similarly priced Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a much more appealing driver’s alternative. 

Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD specs

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