Tesla Model Y Review

Introduction

This 2025 Tesla Model Y isn't an all-new car; it's a facelift, so we’re talking about the same platform as the 'old' Model Y, but with a sleek new look inspired by the Cybertruck and Cybercab. It’s also more aerodynamic, has a stiffer body shell to improve handling and comfort, and it’s said to be quieter and more comfortable on the move.  

The Model Y remains much the same size, and at 4.79-metres long it’s still a rival for a huge array of other electric SUVs, ranging from premium stuff like the BMW iX3, Mercedes GLC, Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron through to more affordable alternatives like the Kia EV5,  Ford Mustang Mach-E, BYD Sealion 7, Peugeot E-3008, Skoda Enyaq, and Renault Scenic E-Tech.

For this new Tesla Model Y - also known as the 'Juniper' Tesla Model Y - the American brand has given it a new fascia with a lower front splitter and a sleek, full-width headlight that’s a bit reminiscent of the Cybertruck or Robotaxi. Or of Cyclops from X-Men, if you ask me. 

You get the gist – it’s all very futuristic and minimalist, and I actually rather like it. Although the Model Y Standard is distinguishable from the rest of the range as it does without the full width headlight, letting others know that you've gone for the err... cheapest Model Y (and also one of the best, if you ask me - but I'll explain that further down the review).

The styling changes are also key to the improved aerodynamics that have allowed Tesla to squeeze an extra 20 miles or so out of the official range figures, making this an impressively long range electric SUV, although the BMW iX3 goes quite a bit further. 

The back of the Model Y looks cool, too. I really love the way the new light strip is hidden, and reflects onto the bodywork so that you get an ‘ambient’ look to it. It's a bit different to the straightforward LED light strips that have become ubiquitous on many modern cars.  

Range, Battery and Charging 

With the 2026 updates the Model Y range has had a bit of a shake up. It now starts with the Tesla Model Y Standard, which is only available with rear-wheel drive and gets a WLTP range of 314 miles. The Model Y Premium is available with rear- or all-wheel drive for a WLTP range of 387- or 391 miles respectively, while the Performance gets banzai acceleration and is all-wheel drive, for a WLTP range of 360 miles.  

I spent a bit of time driving the new Model Y Standard in wintery temperatures of 5 degC, and with a fair amount of motorway miles, and still got 3.6 miles per kWh, which is good for a real world range of 260 miles despite the cold weather. I'd expect to see real-world range creep up to 300 miles or more in warmer weather. 

Ultimately, while some rival electric SUVs have longer range, Tesla is still one of the best at making EVs that are efficient in real-world use - and the Model Y is a good example of that. 

“Tesla doesn’t state battery capacities," says the nice man from Tesla when I asked him about the Model Y, and I can’t say I was surprised. I’ve been asking Tesla about battery specifics for a decade now, and have always had the same response. Never mind. It’s annoying, especially as the details inevitably find their way onto the internet via the ever-enthusiastic Tesla owners clubs, anyway, but it’s safe to say that the longer range Tesla Model Y has retained its 75kWh lithium-ion NMC battery and has made range gains through aerodynamic improvements. The Model Y Standard gets a smaller battery - more likely a 64kWh LFP pack. 

Rapid charging speeds peak at 250kW, which is nothing new for the Model Y, but still makes this one of the fastest-charging electric family cars. It’s up there with the Porsche Macan, Audi Q6 e-tron and Kia EV6 for that, and will manage a 10-80% top-up in well under 30 minutes. 

Obviously, being a Tesla, you have access to the Tesla Supercharger network, which remains a benchmark for cost and reliability when it comes to public rapid charging, and is still a big incentive for high mileage drivers.

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Used Tesla Model Y Review

Practicality and Boot Space 

You do lose 20-litres of space in the updated Tesla Model Y’s boot, as a result of the new, electrically-folding rear seats, but the boot space is still pretty huge with a total load capacity of 2,138 litres including the frunk. Don't pay too much attention to the claimed boot capacity of 854 litres, as that's measured to the roof rather than to the window line, like most manufacturers do. 

Still, the rear seats now fold flat electrically and the bootlid is powered, too. There’s also a funky, magnetic loadbay cover that you can fold up and back, and that can also be stowed away in a dedicated cubby under the boot floor. Speaking as a dog owner, this sort of stuff is a lifesaver when you want to get the dog in the boot, but don’t want to leave the loadbay cover behind. 

Up front in the cabin, there’s some big news… And it comes in the form of the indicator stalk. This is controversial, because the ‘Highlander’ 2024 Model 3 became infamous for the indicator buttons on the steering wheel, which replaced its indicator stalk, and which many of us really didn’t get along with. Not least, our illustrious leader, Ginny (you can check out her opinion, here). 

Tesla won’t confirm that it’s chosen to keep an indicator stalk on the Model Y because... well, there was a lot of hate for the indicator buttons on the 3. But it seems logical that that’s why the Y has a ‘precision engineered’ stalk. Anyway, regardless of why it’s there, we’re very pleased that it is. And sure enough, as of the end of 2025, the Tesla Model 3 has also gained an indicator stalk. Hurrah!  

The rest of the Model Y interior is improved with better material finish and ambient lighting, while the glass also reflects 26% more of the sunlight to keep the interior cool in the summer and reduce glare. It's a smart, if minimalist place to be. I actually rather like the Model Y Standard, which gets leatherette and textile upholstery, some open storage where the central cubby is between the front seats in the other models, and no screen in the back seats. It's straightforward, but I actually like the simple finish. 

As ever with the Y, space isn’t a problem and even a tall adult will be alright in the back despite that swoopy roofline. 

One last thing to know: the seven-seat Tesla Model Y that only arrived in 2024 (after a very, very long wait)? That's not confirmed for this facelift, yet. And they've sold out of the ones that did get brought into the UK. So if you want a seven-seat Model Y, you're out of luck unless you want to buy used. And even then, there aren't many out there. Check out the Peugeot E-5008 and Mercedes EQB, if you're after a seven-seat electric SUV. 

Interior, Design/Styling and Technology 

The 15.4-inch touchscreen stays much the same, and is still your portal to all of the car’s inner workings and functions. You even put the car into drive, reverse and park on the screen, and you adjust the seat, open the glovebox... Everything. Obviously, with Tesla’s over-the-air software updates it’ll always have the latest software. Still no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but it’s a good system regardless.  

Tech upgrades include improved wi-fi hotspot that’s now got greater range and faster download speeds. The phone key performance has also improved thanks to the addition of ‘ultra wideband’. Nope, I don’t know what that is, either, but it means that - if you set your phone up so that it functions as your car key for keyless entry and drive – the car will now sense your phone more reliably and from a bit further away. 

Other improvements include redesigned seats, which are usefully comfier than the seats you got in the pre-facelift Model Y. There's more side support in the front seats, and longer seat squabs in the back, and they feel a bit softer to me. Just nicer all round, really.

The Model Y Performance gets its own special seats with powered thigh cushion extenders and extra logos. There are also carbon dash and door trim inserts and aluminium pedals and a bigger 16” touchscreen with thinner bezels and higher resolution. It has 80% more pixels than the 15.4” display on other Model Y variants.

The trademark huge panoramic glass roof is still standard on all models too, which makes the whole thing feel nice and airy. You also get an 8.0-inch colour screen in the back, now, which controls the climate control in the back, or you can do some gaming on it.

Overall, the improved materials and new ambient lighting have lifted the feel of the Model Y’s interior so that it now feels noticeably classier, even if Porsche, BMW and Audi don’t need to worry about Tesla bettering their cabin quality any time soon. 

Motors, Performance and Handling 

I spent a few days running around in the Tesla Model Y Premium AWD, and it is a noticeable improvement on the previous Model Y. It’s still not the comfiest in terms of ride comfort; there’s noticeable thumps and jarring over patched up town roads, although it settles much better at higher speeds than the pre-facelift Model Y. 

A new steering wheel is another improvement; it’s a bit slimmer and looks nicer, which only helps you to enjoy the fairly quick but well-weighted steering. It really does feel quite sporty, the Model Y. Not in quite the engaging, sports-SUV way that the Macan does, but it turns nicely into corners and generally feels keyed in. Just a bit sharper and more assertive than the Skoda Enyaq, really, although the Skoda’s the better bet if you want a soft, cushy ride. The steering's quite heavy, so that can take a bit of getting used to.

Refinement is okay in the Tesla; again, it’s improved but it’s still not the best in class. There’s a bit of wind noise, albeit nothing that’s going to really bother you, and tyre noise is quite noticeable off the 20-inch Michelin tyres that were fitted to our test car. 

Performance? I mean, yeah, it’s got that! The Premium AWD manages 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds, so it’s not short of acceleration when you want it, and you can really shock your kids if you want to. The Premium RWD isn't much slower, and can crack 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds.

At the more modest end of the spectrum the Model Y Standard manages 6.9 seconds, which sounds glacial by Tesla standards but I spent a day in it recently and it's definitely fast enough, even in Chill mode. You get 19-inch alloy wheels on the Model Y Standard, which does improve ride comfort at low speeds, but you still get a heavy thump over potholes and coarse surfaces. 

If you want more, the Performance has more, er, performance. It now has 460hp and a top speed of 155 mph, which might be useful if you want to see how quickly you can drive between charge points on an Autobahn. There are three settings - Chill, Standard and Insane - and I think you'll only really want to use Insane when you are showing off as it is a little like being on a rollercoaster. At all other times, Chill is fine.

There are two brake regen’ settings in the Model Y. One is a one-pedal mode, and the other is a more moderate but fairly heavy setting. Both are easy to get used to as they're smooth and not at all grabby. I favour the heavier mode, which means you drive around almost all of the time just using the accelerator pedal – you barely need to use the brake pedal at all, although it’s got perfectly decent brake feel and response when you do. 

Generally, the Model Y is a slick and impressive drive. A Kia EV6 is a bit sharper and more fun (if a lot smaller inside), and the Enyaq is comfier yet misses out on the convenience and lower costs of the Tesla Supercharger network. 

The new BMW iX3 could be a big problem for Tesla, but it is a lot more expensive from launch, so we'll have to see how the iX3 shapes up against the Model Y for performance, range and cost when BMW introduces more affordable variants. 

Running Costs and Pricing 

The entry-level Tesla Model Y Standard costs £41,990, which is decent value for such a spacious, long range car with decent standard equipment, which is why this is our pick of the Model Y lineup. Don't be put off by the smaller battery - it's really good, and it's really efficient! The Premium RWD is a big step up in price to nearly £49,000, while the Premium AWD comes in at nearly £52,000 and the Performance is seriously pricey at just under £62,000.

The Model Y Standard does without the light bar and the 8.0-inch touchscreen for the rear passengers, but every other Model Y variant include front and rear LED light bars, acoustic glass, powered boot opening, customisable ambient lighting, and an additional front facing camera. 

Enhanced Autopilot, which includes semi-autonomous lane-changes and motorway slip-road control (on top of the standard adaptive cruise control) is a £3,800 option on every Model Y. 

'Full Self-Driving Capability' includes traffic light- and stop-sign recognition, and will also be updated automatically as Tesla introduces more upgrades in future. Mind you, it costs £6,800 and we can't stress enough that it is not - I repeat, NOT - an actual self-driving mode. It is probably the best and most advanced semi-autonomous driving system on sale. But even with it fitted, a Tesla will not drive itself. And it's not going to drive itself any time soon. So don't be fooled by the very misleading 'full self-driving' name. Rant over.

Obviously, the final decision for most potential Model Y buyers will come down to monthly finance costs, which start from £299 per month for the Standard, or £399- to £449 for the Premium models. The monthly costs for the Performance are MUCH higher though, as it depreciates in value faster - so think carefully if you need the extra everything it brings. 

Those are some very competitive monthly deals, but if you want to grab a real bargain then you can always check out our weekly deals page.

Verdict 

Overall, the new Tesla Model Y feels like more of the same – but better. We like all of the updates, including the style stuff, and the comfier seats and prospect of better ride comfort and refinement definitely sound good to us. It’s great to drive, and now more comfortable as well – which was always our main issue previously.

The Standard is the best of them, I reckon. Many buyers will opt for the longer range Premium models, and it's not hard to see why, but the real-world efficiency and charging rates of the Standard, together with its smart but unpretentious interior and - of course - that price, make it a seriously recommendable despite a huge range of competition.

We still prefer the Skoda Enyaq’s comfier approach to life, but the Model Y remains one of the best electric family cars out there. 

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