Tesla New Model Y Review & Prices

This is the new Tesla Model Y. Yes, the UK’s best-selling electric car has a new look, can go further on a charge and has a subtly refreshed interior. You do have to pay a slight premium on before, though.

It’s a bit like your favourite football team changing its logo – on the face of it there’s a new look, but underneath everything you love about it stays the same.

Looking for the original Tesla Model Y? Click here to read our review and get a great deal.

The Model Y is an alternative to other electric SUVs such as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, but there’s also an expensive Launch Edition that puts it into competition with cars from posher brands, including the Audi Q6 e-tron and Polestar 4.

Of that bunch, the Polestar is particularly eye-catching, so the Model Y’s new look is a welcome one. Out goes the awkward blob shape and in comes a sharper, far more modern design, borrowed from the Cybertruck.

Tesla Model Y: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 311 / 353 / 387 miles
Battery size: 63kWh / 83kWh
Max charge speed: 250kW
Charge time AC: 8hrs 15mins, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 27mins, 0-80%, 250kW
Charge port location: Left rear
Power outputs: 275hp / 304hp / 370hp

That means you get a full-width light bar up front with the main headlight unit neatly hidden below, while at the rear there’s a new spoiler. You might also notice the rear light has a unique design that projects red light onto a black panel in the tailgate, which looked great in a studio but might not be so clear out on the road, covered in grime.

Inside there’s little change from before, with the same 15.0-inch infotainment display (now with thinner bezels) and hugely impressive practicality. You get big door bins and a central cubby that’s big enough to hold a small backpack.

Small changes include a new cover for the huge storage areas in the centre console, ambient lighting on the dashboard, and plusher materials.

Boot space is the same as before, meaning you get the same 854-litre capacity that makes other cars look pokey in comparison. That’s 269 litres more than you get in a Skoda Enyaq, which is a practical car itself.

Although the batteries and motors have been carried over from the old model, the new design is more aerodynamic than before, which helps reduce drag and improve range. As a result, the long-range rear-wheel drive model can now go 387 miles, which is over 50 miles further than the longest-range version of the old car.

There’s also a single-motor model with a smaller battery as the entry point to the line-up, while a more expensive Performance version with more power will go on sale at a later date.

If you like what you see, browse the latest Tesla Model Y deals here. You can also take a look at used Model Ys, as well as other used Teslas from our network of trusted dealers. When it’s time to sell your current car, Carwow can help with that, too.

As you’d expect with a new car launch, the Tesla Model Y is a bit more expensive than the old version, though it’s only about £2,000 like-for-like, so it definitely could have been worse.

The range opens with the Standard Range RWD, which has a smaller battery than the other versions – meaning it’s cheaper but has a lower range. You pay about £4,000 to add the bigger battery, and another £3,000 to add all-wheel drive.

At the top of the range is the Launch Edition. It’s essentially the Long Range AWD model with a bespoke badge on the boot and vegan suede upholstery, as well as ventilated seats, a display for the rear seat passengers, acoustic glass for a quieter cabin and ‘invisible speakers’ that don’t interrupt the cabin design.

Pricing for this is pretty punchy – at about £61,000 it’s a bit more expensive than the outgoing top-spec Performance version. That puts it into the ballpark of posher SUVs such as the Audi Q6 e-tron and Polestar 4, or the massive seven-seat Kia EV9.

Ignoring this, the rest of the Model Y line-up is more in line with other mainstream electric SUVs such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Skoda Enyaq.