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ToolsVersus the competition: More than simply energy-efficient, the Model Y is space-efficient, with generous passenger and cargo room for its size, making it a perfectly available and roomy small SUV .
The Tesla Model Y is the most democratic EV today, with more record in the first quarter of 2021 than any other EV, according to reports from Experian and automotive News. So what is it about the Model Y that ’ s sol appealing ? A fortune, actually, even considering the latest competition from electric SUVs like the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E .
Looking at the Model Y, you might think, “ That ’ s an SUV ? ” The Model Y is a higher-riding version of the Tesla Model 3, with a liftgate and open cargo area versus a trunk, and it has all-wheel drive. thus — by today ’ south standards — yes, it ’ s an SUV. The Model Y ’ s outside footprint is about identical to the BMW X4, which is a fastback “ coupe ” version of the popular BMW X3 SUV — an originator of the pack luxury SUV course. The Model Y is sized right in the heart of the soon-to-explode EV SUV class, which could see up to a twelve fresh luxury and non-luxury offerings in the following couple of years.
Related: Tesla Replaces Radar Sensors With Tesla Vision Camera System
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Tesla didn ’ metric ton have a Model Y available for our evaluation period, so we turned to a peer-to-peer lease to test a long-range 2021 Model Y five-seater with AWD. It had an EPA-rated range of 326 miles, a Tesla-rated 0-60 miles per hour time of 4.8 seconds, and optional 20-inch wheels alternatively of the standard 19s. Its as-configured monetary value of $ 54,290 makes it a modestly priced SUV among luxury competitors, without being out of compass for non-luxury EV buyers ; the last Mach-E First Edition we tested was about $ 60,000. Of course, a union tax credit of up to $ 7,500 can make similarly priced competitors easier to swallow ; Tesla grew out of the volume-capped tax credit at the end of 2019, so no such discount rate applies to the Model Y .
Tesla Model Y as an SUV
Cargo Room
One of an SUV ’ s defining characteristics is cargo room, and the Model Y has ample amounts of it, specially considering its compact proportions. Three boastfully storehouse areas add up to big versatility : There ’ s the chief cargo area behind the backseat, equally well as two large tubs — one in back under the cargo floor and a front proboscis — both of which can store goodly items .
We perform our own cargo testing in part because automakers vary in how they execute standardize methods, leading to invalid comparisons. By our measurements, the Model Y ’ s 20.9 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the backseat, including the raise tub, is more than the ID.4 ’ s 18.9 cubic feet and the Mach-E ’ s 15.9 cubic feet. It ’ s besides slightly more than you get in traditional electrify compendious sport utility : the Honda CR-V Hybrid has 19.6 cubic feet and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has 20.7 cubic feet .
The Model Y ’ s backseat folds in a 40/20/40 split, but it doesn ’ t quite fold flat because of the seats ’ big slope bolsters. even indeed, with the seats folded, what looks like a belittled cable car on the external can haul items like a larger SUV could .
A bonus : The Model Y ’ s front luggage compartment measures 2.9 cubic feet, beating the Mach-E ’ s 2.0 cubic feet. The ID.4 has no frunk at all .
Passenger Room
I ’ m a slender 6 feet improbable with long legs, and my legs had room to breathe in the driver ’ s seat. The backseat reclines but doesn ’ metric ton slither in the two-row version, and I was adequately comfortable back there ; there ’ second good thigh corroborate and headroom to spare, plus generous cutouts in the second of the front seats that opened up metrical foot room. We tested a two-row model, but there ’ s a modest optional third gear row that increases the number of seats to seven and gives the second row a slide officiate for third-row handiness. I don ’ thymine expect the third-row proportions to be quite as generous, but we haven ’ t tested it so far .
Driving Impressions
What ’ randomness not SUV-like about the Model Y is how it drives ; it ’ second more like the Model 3, which is aggressively tuned for spirit drive. here in the Chicago sphere, where potholes are just a road feature rather of an episodic deterioration, you excessively may find the ride quality reasonably uncomfortable if you don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate concern for a close, sporty drive spirit .
The Model Y ’ s ride quality was a polarize topic among Cars.com editors. Some thought it was unrefined or simply besides harsh, but others, including myself, found the ride taut yet sophisticate and well controlled. For those looking for a sports-car-like feel, the stiff ride is worth the price of entree. It ’ s a genuine gladden to drive, with promptly reflexes thanks to a rigorous steering proportion, beneficial steering feedback and competent dynamics. Snaking the Model Y through curvy roads reminded me of the latest BMW 3 Series with the M Sport package : not for everyone, possibly, but those who appreciate a dynamic car will be rewarded .
Versus other EVs, the Model Y is more agile than the Mach-E, which feels a piece bloated in comparison — and it is 500 pounds heavier when similarly equipped despite comparable outside proportions. There was no polarization over the Mach-E ’ s ride choice : We all found something peculiar about how it porpoised down the road, apparently pitching from its center over bumps .
Most low-cost EVs don ’ triiodothyronine tease that well, but if none of the above sounds appealing, check out the VW ID.4 : Its soft, euphemistic ride makes it a standout among the current cultivate of EVs .
The Model Y ’ sulfur acceleration is punchy and reward, and those who haven ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate driven an EV will be blown away by how quickly even the non-Performance Model Y accelerates compared with traditional gas-powered lavishness SUVs in its price range. Typical of EVs, there ’ s no step-gear transmission, and the solution is near-instant acceleration reply, with no waiting for kickdowns or gear changes. The Model Y seemed to accelerate intemperate for longer than the Mach-E, despite equal 0-60 miles per hour claims from each car manufacturer ( 4.8 seconds ). Where the Mach-E fell off around 50 miles per hour, the Model Y felt like it was just winding up .
Visibility
Where there ’ mho less confidence is in the Model Y ’ randomness visibility. The little rear window doesn ’ thyroxine offer great natural visibility, though it has electronic assists that might help if you ’ rhenium bequeath to put in a little attempt. This takes us to the big 15-inch touch screen that ’ s the chief master and exploiter interface for the fomite ’ sulfur climate controls, vehicle systems, multimedia, navigation and driving monitors .
One function of the screen is the rise television camera system, which isn ’ metric ton merely a backup television camera display that pops up when the car is in Reverse. The rear view can be left on while driving to show what ’ s behind the Model Y, and you can augment the display with two rearward-facing, side-view cameras so you can besides see along the left and correctly sides of the vehicle .
The boastfully, high-resolution camera feed is detailed and instructive, but having it appear in a central 15-inch touch screen, along with the speedometer and everything else, is reasonably distracting. It would be easier to merely glance at a display integrated across a wide rearview mirror, like what ’ mho offered in the Chevrolet Bolt EV. A 360-degree, top-down camera position would besides be courteous for parking, but it ’ s not offered .
What would have made for more confident lane-changing is a traditional blind spot monitoring system that alerts drivers to a car in their blind spot with an illuminated symbol in a side mirror. That doesn ’ t exist in the Model Y ; alternatively, a real-time visual image of the road and your surroundings are digitized in that cardinal 15-inch blind, showing what ’ second around the Model Y. Colored markers alert you to what ’ s there, and you can besides see digitize versions of surrounding cars in real-time proximity .
This all requires looking at the screen, however, versus simply seeing an orange light in your periphery while looking forward — or hearing a “ ding-ding ” when the turn signal is on, as a traditional system would sound. The Model Y does have a selectable audible warn that alerts you if you try to change lanes with a vehicle in your blind descry, but it has a high threshold and is more of a “ What are you doing ? ! ” alarm versus a gentle “ Excuse me, person is over there veracious now. ”
Towing
The Model Y is rated to tow astir to 3,500 pounds — effective compared with conventional little SUVs and more than good compared with today ’ south EV SUVs, including the VW ID.4 ( 2,200 pounds ) and Mach-E ( not rated to tow ). An optional tow software unlocks the Model Y ’ randomness capabilities, including a tow bar with a 2-inch hitch receiver, a seven-pin connection and a harness, plus a tow mode. We can only guess how much the SUV ’ mho range would suffer towing a 3,500-pound trailer ; likely a distribute .
Tesla Model Y as an EV
Range Anxiety: What’s That?
With up to 326 miles of EPA-estimated range, range anxiety wasn ’ t a concern while driving the Model Y in the Chicago area — and that wasn ’ t only because of its long stove and a excess of Tesla DC fast-charge Superchargers in the sphere. peace of judgment was slowly to come by because of how the Tesla informs you of its efficiency through useful driving data. For example : the Trip Monitor, which is one of the most useful information graphics I ’ ve experienced .
The Trip Monitor helps drivers understand how their habits affect efficiency, plus how much battery life and roll will be used in a given slip. It works entirely when there ’ s a navigation finish entered, showing a grey line predicting how much energy you ’ ll consumption in a given trip, overlaid in veridical clock time by a fleeceable note representing your actual energy habit. You can use it to make real-time corrections to your driving style in arrange to arrive at a address with a greater diggings for your return stumble. You can see justly away when you need to stop driving like an ass, or merely change to more effective drive and regenerative brake modes.
This is what it looked like in action : I was supposed to return the Model Y to its owner at the end of the loanword with at least 80 % battery charge. When I got in the cable car and entered the finish, the Model Y estimated I ’ d have precisely 80 % left by the clock time I got to the owner. Driving efficiently in the lower ability and greatest regenerative brake modes, I ended the slip with 82 % battery life — so a 2 % less buck motion .
Braking
The Model Y ’ s braking feel is top-of-the-line. few EVs, hybrids or flush gasoline cars with brake-by-wire systems stop a naturally as the Model Y. Pedal find is linear and firm but not hard, and unlike the Mach-E you can use the brake pedal point to stop without worrying about giving your passengers whiplash. The regenerative brake function is always active, but you can make it more aggressive in the Hold manner in regulate to increase efficiency. That mode will slow the cable car to a arrest using regenerative brake at lower speeds than will other braking modes, then hold once stopped. It takes a fair amount of attention to use, however, because simply letting off the accelerator in this mode aggressively stops the car ; it takes a slow reappearance of the accelerator to smoothly decelerate. There are two other stop modes : Creep mode, which acts like a regular flatulence cable car, leaving the Model Y to slenderly accelerate at “ idle ” when your foot is off the catalyst, and Roll manner, which lets the cable car roll without any intervention, as if it were in Neutral. But neither have the extra regenerative effect of Hold modality .
Charging
In a metropolitan area like Chicago, it ’ s possible to use Supercharging regularly because there are so many locations, but home consign is actually the best way to do EV possession. Tesla warns in its owner ’ sulfur manuals to minimize the use of DC fast chargers, like Supercharging, for the sake of optimum battery health. In addition, DC debauched charging can be expensive .
At base, the fastest a Model Y can replenish its battery is 42 miles of range per hour, using the car ’ s maximum 11.5 kilowatt, a Tesla or equivalent wall unit, and a compatible 240-volt circuit providing up to 48 amps ( a 60-amp racing circuit surf ). At a more modal 24 amps, like you ’ five hundred find on a standard 240-volt clothes dry circuit ( a 30-amp circuit breaker ), you ’ vitamin d be able to charge at 21 miles of stove per hour. That ’ s a dispute of adding 250 miles of scope in six hours or 12 hours, both with charging systems classified as 240-volt Level 2 .
The Model Y comes with what Tesla calls a Mobile Connector, which has a reasonably robust 32-amp rat you can tap into by purchasing an appropriate short arranger cord for consumption with a 240-volt wall socket ( the plug determines the stream and, frankincense, the charging rate ). It comes with a 120-volt adapter for trickle charging at 3-4 miles per hour. Good for 29 miles of range per hour, this unit of measurement might be all you ’ ll need .
home charge can vary wildly from firm to house depending on your electrical apparatus, and one advantage Tesla has over early EVs is how many amperage settings it provides, allowing you to charge on a variety show of 120- and 240-volt circuits. The charging rate is selectable via an onscreen Energy Display, where you can change the charging rate by single digits to accommodate whatever lap you might encounter. This maximizes the charging travel rapidly when potential and cuts it down when the circumference is shared with another car or appliance. The Model Y will evening learn a location ’ south settings and remember them when you return .
Supercharging is ideal when on a road trip or on the become ; 250-kW Superchargers aren ’ thyroxine rare in our sphere. other common speeds are 150 kW and 72 kilowatt. How quickly these DC fast chargers add miles will vary by charger and your battery ’ second state of charge. In our testing, we added 127 miles of range in 50 minutes on a 250-kW Supercharger, though that was with a battery not at an ideal state for the fastest bang rates : It started at over 50 % and stopped at full .
The fastest charge times come with lower battery levels, and the pace slows well as the charge level nears full ; we never saw a rate above 70 kilowatt during the charge referenced above. Case in point : We hit a charging rate as debauched as 127 kilowatt on a slower, 150-kW supercharger when going from a quarter-full battery up to 90 % ; that charge added 198 miles in 40 minutes. Supercharging cost us 31 cents per kilowatt-hour, or $ 15.19 for the replenish 49 kwh. At home plate, the same bang would have cost $ 6.51 at the national average rate of 13.29 cents per kwh, but it would have taken at least 4.7 hours .
In our experience, we haven ’ thyroxine been able to charge faster than 80 kW on a DC fast charger with the ID.4 or the Mustang Mach-E, even though those vehicles are rated for 125 kW and 150 kilowatt, respectively .
Autopilot — What It Is, What It Isn ’ thymine
Autopilot is a semi-autonomous, hands-on driver-assist system that Tesla doesn ’ thymine recommended using hands-free. In its stream personification, which could expand in the future, Autopilot acts as an promote cruise operate that centers the car in its lane. It was ahead of the curve a few years ago, but it ’ mho since been matched by many competitors, including modest brands. It is, however, standard in the Model Y, unlike Cadillac ’ s more ambitious hands-free Super Cruise and BMW ’ mho Extended Traffic Jam Assistant, and it works well in a assortment of driving situations — more than some promote lane-centering driver assistants .
Autopilot won ’ thymine in truth signalize itself again until its wax capabilities are unbarred. Some of these capabilities are in beta testing if you opt for the $ 10,000 Full Self-Driving Capability Package. evening then, Tesla warns, “ the presently enabled features do not make the fomite autonomous. ”
Our trial car didn ’ thyroxine have this package, which presently unlocks the pursuit :
- Navigate on Autopilot: A beta feature that gives the ability to navigate a highway interchange automatically, engaging the turn signal and taking an exit
- Auto Lane Change: Can move the vehicle to an adjacent lane
- Autopark: Can automatically parallel or perpendicular park the car (competing brands also offer this feature)
- Summon: Moves the car in and out of tight parking spaces with an fob or phone application
- Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control: Also a beta feature; reads stoplights and traffic signs and can slow the vehicle to a stop
- Autosteer on city streets: As it currently exists, Autosteer is designed for highways and limited-access roads, but Autosteer on city streets (currently in beta to select owners) will open that function to city speeds. This will allow a Tesla to navigate to an entered destination while following traffic signals, turning, stopping and accelerating. This is still a Level 2 hands-on system requiring driver attention and intervention.
even without the self-driving box, our car showed a preview of this advance functionality. The drive status display shows what the car ’ sulfur cameras are viewing and visualizes it on the touch screen, including vehicles of different shapes and sizes — it will show a pickup hand truck or bus a well as pedestrians and cyclists — but there ’ s more you can add with the Full Self-Driving Visualization Preview. In this beta preview, the car will read trash cans, condom cones, red lights, road markings and more. There are self-driving implications here, but for now it ’ s more informative than actionable ; on our test car ( without the package ), it was sometimes overwhelm. What ’ mho shown on the screen international relations and security network ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate constantly accurate, either ; at one point, the screen didn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate prove a cyclist on the side of the road but recognized a garbage can behind the cyclist. This can all be turned off .
Tesla recently announced that this functionality will come entirely through camera-based technology, alternatively of using both radar and cameras, in Model 3 and Model Y vehicles produced from May 2021 forth. The transition means the car ’ s software hasn ’ t in full caught up with the hardware however, and there are limitations on those cars : Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance international relations and security network ’ t functional, and for a light period Tesla says Autosteer, which keeps the car in its lane, will be limited to a maximal accelerate of 75 miles per hour — down from 90 miles per hour .
Interior Quality
The Model Y ’ s interior quality international relations and security network ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate going to wow anyone like a similarly priced Mercedes-Benz GLC300 or Genesis GV80 might. It ’ s not brassy, but it does feel high-quality — like its celluloid seating upholstery, which is limber and convert. The battlefront seats aren ’ metric ton besides aggressive, but nor are they unsupportive ; they ’ re comfortable seats with a natural seat position. The forest shipshape has open pores, and aluminum spare is used meagerly but good. The inner doesn ’ thyroxine scream “ luxury, ” and it ’ s not well more deluxe than a laden Mach-E ’ second insides, but I think it ’ s a bazaar tradeoff for what the Model Y does give you angstrom far as an exceeding EV feel .
potential Deal Breakers
No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
The biggest omission I see is a lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is about inexcusable nowadays. There besides isn ’ t a Siri serve through steering-wheel controls as other cars that omit CarPlay have. Since the last Tesla I reviewed, in 2018, voice-to-text functions have been added through over-the-air updates — a basic of post-purchase Tesla expandability — and it ’ mho included in new Teslas. besides added since 2018 is Spotify streaming music integration, which is nice if you ’ re a Spotify drug user .
As for the omission, I somewhat get it : Apple CarPlay or Android Auto would make it harder to use Tesla ’ south integrated seafaring features, like finding Supercharger locations and handiness, plus the flim-flam efficiency monitor and Supercharger routing based on mission condition and address. One of the greatest assets of these smartphone mirrors is to provide Google Maps and Apple Maps when navigation international relations and security network ’ thymine optioned or offered, but Tesla uses graphics from Google Maps and Tesla-powered routing with success. I wanted Apple CarPlay and Android Auto more for their seamless voice-to-text functionality, Siri, and the apps and podcasts that weren ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate included in the Tesla .
One more annoyance with Tesla ’ s call integration : The radio charging launching pad didn ’ t work with my telephone case — an OtterBox Commuter Series, which is designed to work with the iPhone 12 ’ randomness wireless charging. It works on other cars I ’ ve tested with wireless agitate, including our long-run 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid. In the Model Y, I had to remove my earphone from its sheath in order to use wireless charge, which is farcical for a convenience feature of speech ; I fair kept it plugged in to charge via a cable connection. The wireless charger comes standard, so it ’ s not like it costs excess to get something that doesn ’ thymine work, but it ’ randomness hush a bummer. I wasn ’ t the only one whose telephone didn ’ thyroxine work with the radio charging pad ; another editor ’ sulfur Android earphone wouldn ’ thyroxine charge in its bulky case .
No Instrument Panel
What took the most acclimatization was that the Model Y doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate have a speedometer within the driver ’ s forward view, equitable like the Model 3. Yes, you ’ ll get used to looking at the speedometer in the cardinal screen ’ s amphetamine left corner, but I very wanted a proper legal document panel like you ’ five hundred receive in the Mach-E or ID.4 — or flush the Tesla Model S and Model X, which continue to use one flush after their recent refresh. even though the speedometer is at the top of the screen, it ’ randomness still a noticeable glance down versus a traditional instrument panel or head-up display .
I don ’ triiodothyronine judgment about all other controls being relegated to the touch screen because it ’ randomness responsive and familiar enough to find items in the shallow choice menus ( like you would in a telephone ). besides, you can save your prefer settings and configurations to a unique profile, which limits having to play around with the sieve after an initial setup .
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Simply the Best?
back to the estimated 326 miles of range : It ’ s a draw. In the bud EV SUV class, no one is stopping point to offering that kind of rated range and giving you the Model Y ’ s acceleration ( which, reminder : 0-60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds ). A Mustang Mach-E is rated for up to 305 miles of range, but only with single-motor rear-wheel campaign and a 0-60 miles per hour time of 6.1 seconds. The larger-battery Mach-E with the 4.8-second 0-60 miles per hour time — thanks to dual motors and all-wheel force — is rated at 270 miles of range. The Model Y Long Range AWD is plainly more effective than the Mach-E AWD Extended, using 27 kwh for every 100 miles versus 37 kwh per 100 miles for the Mustang, according to EPA estimates. In an EV, efficiency translates both to faster charging and longer rate, other factors being equal, along with cheaper price for each mile driven .
In 2018, we matched the Model 3 and Model X 0-60 miles per hour claims, so I don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate think Tesla is overstating the Model Y ’ second capabilities at this level. arsenic far as range accuracy, I didn ’ thymine feel shorted during my few hundred miles behind the roulette wheel. The range prediction was in the approximate range for my actual outdistance traveled, but I ’ five hundred need to do a longer test in assorted weather conditions in order to say whether 326 miles is naturalistic, and in what conditions. Cold temperatures rob range from any EV — roughly 40 % at 20 degrees Fahrenheit versus 75 degrees, according to AAA.
As for the list of “ wants ” that could be cope breakers, they ’ ra available in early EVs, but with a strike to range and performance — or both. There are besides states where Tesla isn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate allowed to sell you a modern car ( including Texas, Delaware and Wisconsin ) or are limited in the phone number of stores it can operate ( including New York and Colorado ). That doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate mean you can ’ t own a Tesla in those states, but the buy must happen elsewhere — leading to questions about future service, though a Tesla mobile service is available. You do, however, probable have a Volkswagen or Ford franchise in closer proximity — equitable keep in beware that those dealerships will need to be trained and have the proper equipment to work on their brands ’ electric cars, and not every placement may make that investment .
It ’ second easily to see why the Model Y is therefore democratic. It ’ mho low-cost in the context of other luxury SUVs, has oodles of range and a great charge infrastructure, and it ’ s fun to drive and own. The Model Y does do a couple of cockamamie things, and unfortunately, they ’ ra not easy fixes expected to be remedied anytime soon. If a stiff ride or lacking Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and an instrument panel are share breakers for you, you have more compel options in the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4, but it ’ s actually hard to look elsewhere when the Model Y does so many things so well — things that are effect to what ’ mho considered good for both EVs and SUVs .
Cars.com ’ s Editorial department is your informant for automotive news program and reviews. In line with Cars.com ’ s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don ’ thymine accept gifts or exempt trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com ’ south advertising, sales and sponsored capacity departments .
