There’s no mistaking the new Tesla Model Y for the old one, such is the styling overhaul the latest car has had. The full-length light bars at the front and back give it a distinctive look, even if the profile of the car is pretty much unchanged – it’s slightly longer with improved aerodynamics helping the car’s efficiency.
The seats are new and more comfortable – with a cooling function, too – the steering wheel feels nicer to hold, the material across the dashboard looks better, the rear seats have been revised and there’s a 9in screen for those in the back. The new tailgate – which can open automatically as you approach – means the boot is a slightly different shape and ever-so-slightly smaller.
The interior doesn’t look a whole lot different, but there are subtle improvements to everything bar the touchscreen. Constant over-the-air updates mean an old Tesla Model Y will get much of the on-screen functionality as the new one.
The car is much quieter thanks to lots of sound-deadening and double-glazed windows. But where Tesla still steals a march over rivals is on range and charging. The Long Range Rear-Drive car will go for a claimed maximum range of 387 miles, putting it in a class of its own. That’s before you consider the Tesla Supercharger network, which is worth its weight in gold.
I’d rate the new Tesla Model Y slightly ahead of the cheaper Xpeng G6, and way ahead of the BYD Sealion 7, but I can’t help thinking Tesla could’ve pushed the Model Y a bit further ahead, particularly around quality and comfort. It might not be that long before another newcomer comes along that makes Tesla sweat.
How we tested
I grabbed one of the first new Tesla Model Ys off the boat and spent a couple of days driving on the motorways, country roads and around town in the south of England, even talking to a few existing Model Y owners to get their thoughts on the new car.
Tesla Model Y (2025): From £44,990, Tesla.com
Independent rating: 9/10
Tesla Model Y (2025) specs:
Battery, range, charging, performance and drive
I drove the Launch Series Tesla Model Y in a lovely metallic quicksilver colour (black is the only other Launch Series option). Other Model Ys are set to arrive in the UK in June.
Tesla doesn’t quote a battery size for its cars, but it’s understood that all Model Ys get a 75kWh battery, which goes to show how efficient the car is to achieve the ranges it claims with a relatively small battery.
The limited Launch Series car is based on the Long Range All-Wheel Drive car, but gets its own stats, including a boosted 0-60mph time of 4.1 seconds, while the range is 353 miles. When normal Long Range All-Wheel Drive cars come through from June onwards, they’ll have a maximum claimed range of 364 miles and a 0-60mph time of 5.6 seconds.
The most popular Model Y is likely to be the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive car which claims the super-impressive 387 miles, while the Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive car – the entry point to Model Y ownership – goes 311 miles.
Tesla’s whole Supercharging network is available to owners. That means your car seamlessly connects and charges to the Tesla chargers at a discounted price. If you’re on a journey, your car’s navigation will automatically work out if you have enough charge for your journey, route you to a Supercharger if needed, precondition the battery for optimum fast charging and let you know how long you need to charge for. No other electric car comes close to this convenience.
The speed of charging is also convenient, with up to 250kW charging speeds meaning 150 miles of range can be added in just 15 minutes.
What’s equally impressive is the engineering. Acceleration is swift and smooth, and the autopilot systems are the most advanced and most usable on the market. It’s just a shame that road legislation means we can’t get full self driving in the UK yet – it works brilliantly in the US.
The self-parking system works easily and reliably. The ‘smart summon’ function is able to park the car or get it out of a spot by using the Tesla app – which again is the best out there.
And at last, we’re now able to report that the Tesla Model Y actually rides okay. The old car was so firm over potholes and drain covers that it would rattle enough to make you physically wince.
The new Model Y is far more composed over bumps. The ride is still a little firm, but it’s far from uncomfortable. It feels like a much more mature, luxurious car now.
The steering also feels slightly meatier than before, helped in part by the new steering wheel that feels great and looks good, too. Previous Tesla Model Y owners might find themselves waving their hands behind the right hand side of the wheel where the gear selector used to be. It’s now on the screen, although the car will automatically select reverse whenever it makes sense. For example, if the nose is parked close to a wall.
All-in-all, the new Model Y is a much more comfortable car and more rewarding car to drive, which isn’t something we could say about the old car. The extra sound-deadening and double-glazing also makes it much quieter than before.
Interior, practicality and boot space
There are plenty of detail changes inside, not that they’re obvious at first glance.
The structure of the dash remains the same with the central touchscreen dominating. The vents are hidden away and the large windscreen flows from the lovely, long panoramic sunroof down into the bonnet giving a huge and widescreen view forward.
The view rearward is very similar to other SUVs of this kind, so not fantastic. The rear screen is rather shallow, but the door mirrors are a good size and the plethora of cameras help out, too. The car’s self-parking tech is so good anyway, we’d sooner use that than the mirrors.
There’s no change to the space on offer inside the car. The new seats in the front and back are more comfortable, and there’s now cooling for the front seats and heating for those in the back. The rear seats are also powered, so can recline slightly and will fold flat from a button inside the boot.
Talking of the boot, it’s barely smaller than before. There’s still the frunk under the bonnet, giving a total cargo volume of 2,138 litres.
As is the trend, the new Tesla Model Y gets a tiny strip of customisable LED lighting around the cabin to make it feel a bit more premium inside, as well as a new material finish across the dashboard. The centre console doesn’t look much different, but the aluminium sliding doors on the cubby holes are new, while there’s extra storage inside, too.
Early Launch Series cars get a few extras including a bespoke badge on the boot that’s mirrored on the screen at start up, a puddle light badge and Launch Series emblazoned on the door plates.
Technology, stereo and infotainment
The only real change to the 15.4in touchscreen is that it now controls the gear selection. Besides that, things should be mostly familiar to older Tesla Model Y owners. A new 8in screen now sits in the back for rear passengers to control their own heating (including the seats), to play games or stream Netflix or YouTube – there are separate Bluetooth controls for rear passengers, too.
The new steering wheel features fast controls to flash the front lights or get a window wipe, while you can also customise the buttons on the right for quick access to certain functions. Unlike the new Tesla Model 3 saloon, the new Model Y gets an indicator stalk with a nice feel, although it doesn’t click into place, it’s just a nudge up or down to activate.
Tesla’s own audio system continues to impress with the Launch Series car’s 15 speakers and a subwoofer; Rear-Wheel Drive Model Ys get a nine-speaker set-up.
Improvements have also been made to connectivity with faster wifi, cellular downloads and improved phone key performance. The microphone clarity for in-car calls is also said to have been improved by 66 per cent.
Prices and running costs
With a starting price of £44,990 for the standard range Rear-Wheel Drive car, the Model Y undercuts BYD’s Sealion 7 rival and will go further, too. However, the Model Y is £5,000 more expensive than the Xpeng G6 and the upcoming Changan Deepal S07, although it will go further than both of those cars on a single charge.
That price above £40,000 means all Model Ys will be hit by the new expensive car supplement, upping the cost of annual vehicle excise duty from year two onwards.
The Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive car costs £48,990 – again, undercutting the BYD and going much further – while the Long Range All-Wheel Drive Model Y costs £51,990, repeating the story over the equivalent BYD. You’ll have to be quick to get one of the Launch Series cars costing £60,990, but they do arrive first.
We’d expect a Performance version, probably mirroring the Launch Series car’s 0-60mph time of 4.1 seconds, to come later this year, while a seven-seat option should also become available, as it was in the old model.
Tesla does seem to outperform its rivals on range, with the most efficient model claiming 4.4 miles per kWh, putting it in the mix with much smaller models.
Tesla Model Y rivals
FAQs
How long does it take to charge?
With up to 250kW charging speeds meaning 150 miles of range can be added in just 15 minutes.
How much does it cost - is it worth it?
Prices start at an £44,990 putting the Model Y above some key rivals, but those models don’t go as far, nor do they have the seamless connectivity with the Tesla Supercharging network
Does Tesla replace batteries for free?
As with all EVs, there’s cover for eight years for a battery that has been regularly checked by the Tesla dealer network.
Why trust us
Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.
The verdict: Tesla Model Y (2025)
Tesla has done exactly what it needed to do with the new Model Y, but could it have gone further?
The biggest bugbear of the old car was its ride quality. The new car fixes that. Quality has taken a step up, too, as has efficiency. The new Tesla Model Y would be our pick of the EV SUV crop, but it hasn’t taken as big a leap forward as we’d have hoped. It’s a great car, but it feels like it might not be long before another newcomer overtakes it again.
