Tesla Model Y review – Improved comfort & range, same confident tech approach

IT may sound odd, but in all the years of driving cars, I’ve never stepped inside a Tesla. It hasn’t been by design – it’s just not happened; like learning to play the guitar or visit Machu Picchu, I’ve been somewhat lacking in effort . . .

So, popping my Tesla cherry in the latest Model Y has been somewhat of an eye-opener – and very much in a good way. It feels special in a way I can only describe as ‘confident’ and that confidence largely pays off with only some mild annoyances.

After several days and roughly 600 miles behind the wheel of the Long Range Rear Wheel Drive Model Y – including a run to Ripon and plenty of zapping around Yorkshire – it’s clear that Tesla has meaningfully improved its best-selling SUV. It’s more comfortable, more refined, and better built than before. Or, as someone who never drove the former model – it’s comfortable, refined and very well built.

It’s also still unapologetically Tesla. 

Car Overview 

The car tested here starts at £44,990 and offers a claimed WLTP range of around 383 miles, with real-world driving showing very close to that on a full charge, in mixed conditions. 

It sits below the Premium Long Range and Performance variants, but still delivers strong straight-line pace, excellent efficiency, and access to Tesla’s Supercharger network — which remains one of the brand’s biggest advantages.

The Rear Wheel Drive entry model starts from £41,990 and I was left thinking that ‘aint a bad price for an EV that stands out from the crowd for all the right reasons.

Tesla has carried out extensive reengineering on this updated Model Y, focusing on ride comfort, refinement, interior quality, connectivity and efficiency, rather than radically altering the basic formula. Think evolution, not revolution. 

Design 

Externally, the changes are subtle but effective. 

There’s a new lower front end, a slim full-width lightbar at the front, and a striking 1.6-metre rear lightbar that uses indirect reflected lighting. It looks clean, modern, and unmistakably Tesla. 

The Model Y still isn’t what you’d call pretty in a traditional sense, but it has presence. It looks purposeful, slightly sci-fi, and more cohesive than earlier versions. Aerodynamics clearly drove much of the design, and that shows in the smooth surfacing and minimal fuss. 

It won’t stop traffic like a bright yellow hot hatch, but it looks contemporary and premium enough to justify its place in the mid-size electric SUV class. 

Interior 

Step inside, and Tesla’s minimalist philosophy remains front and centre. 

There is no traditional instrument cluster. No separate speedometer binnacle. No head-up display. Everything – and I mean everything – lives on the central touchscreen, including your speed. 

You do get used to it. But you never quite stop wishing for a small driver display or HUD . . .

Material quality feels very good and fit and finish are spot on with tight panel gaps, premium-feeling surfaces, and a general sense that Tesla really can screw cars together properly. 

The seats are comfortable and supportive, the driving position is easy to dial in, and the cabin feels airy thanks to the expansive glass roof. It’s a whopper.

Storage is excellent, with a large centre console, deep door bins, a huge boot, and additional underfloor and front trunk (frunk) space. It’s a genuinely practical family car. 

Rear passengers now get their own 8-inch touchscreen for climate control, media and games, which kids will love and parents will tolerate. But, if it keeps them quiet (and safe in the car) while you charge, then all the better.

One frustration: temperature controls aren’t especially intuitive, requiring screen interaction rather than simple physical dials. It’s another example of Tesla prioritising minimalism over muscle memory. But once your muscles memorize the new world-order then I suppose it would be all good.

Driving Impressions 

This is where the latest Model Y really impresses. 

Ride quality is very good. The car feels settled, composed, and properly comfortable over rough surfaces. There’s no fidgeting, no unnecessary firmness, and no floatiness either. It strikes a genuinely well-judged balance. 

Body control is strong, and there’s no sense of the car wobbling about through bends. For a tall-ish SUV, it feels planted and confidence-inspiring. 

Refinement is also much improved. Road and wind noise are well suppressed, and motorway cruising is hushed. 

Performance is typically Tesla. Even in RWD form, it feels properly quick. Acceleration is immediate and effortless, and at night, on darker roads, the surge forward feels borderline theatrical. It never gets old – even if you pretend you’re being sensible. 

Cruise control deserves praise too. It feels more intelligent than many rival systems, making smoother adjustments and avoiding the knee-jerk braking some adaptive systems suffer from as soon as someone changes lane half a mile ahead.

One oddity: when using cruise control, indicating to pull out and overtake doesn’t trigger acceleration. The car waits until you’re fully in the next lane before speeding up. It’s not dangerous, but it feels unintuitive and a little frustrating. 

Technology & Safety 

Tesla’s infotainment system is fast, slick, and visually excellent. The screen responds instantly, menus are logically laid out, and the sheer processing power puts many legacy systems to shame. 

The sound system is superb — punchy bass, clear mids, and excellent overall balance. 

However, there is still no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Tesla insists its native system is better. Sometimes it is. Sometimes you just want Waze and Spotify exactly as you left them. 

Auto wipers were the Model Y’s biggest black mark. One minute they’re fine. The next they’re going berserk on a dry screen. Then they stop completely when you actually need them. Come on; it’s just rain. Get it sorted . . . 

Door handles look slick but are slightly awkward, particularly when your hands are full. It feels like you need 2 hand movements instead of the usual 1 – but we are splitting hairs now.

Phone-as-key mostly works well, and unlocking via the Tesla app was flawless. However, simply walking up to the car with a paired phone didn’t always unlock it first time. This may have been press-car related, but it’s worth noting. 

On the safety front, the Model Y remains one of the highest-rated cars in its class, with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems as standard. 

Charging & Range 

This is still Tesla’s killer advantage. 

Supercharging really is plug-and-go easy. No cards. No multiple apps. No faffing about in the rain.

On this trip, most chargers encountered were 150kW units rather than the headline 250kW, but charging was still quick and painless. A 35-minute lunch break saw us add around 170 miles of range.

And, speaking of range – it is excellent. Seeing around 350 miles indicated on a full charge feels realistic and don’t forget this was starting from Scotland in the depths of winter.

Tesla’s trip planner integrates charging stops seamlessly, removing much of the mental load associated with EV road trips and also works with pre-conditioning the battery so it can take that charge at a quicker rate. 

Ownership & Running Costs 

Running costs should be low, particularly if you can charge at home. 

Servicing requirements are minimal, insurance groups are reasonable for the performance on offer, and Tesla’s over-the-air updates mean the car continues to evolve during ownership. 

Build quality improvements also suggest fewer niggles than earlier generations – though long-term reliability will always be the real test. 

Rivals 

Cars like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Hyundai Ioniq 5 all offer strong alternatives, often with more conventional interiors and physical controls. 

But none combine performance, efficiency, charging infrastructure and software integration quite like the Model Y. 

Verdict 

The latest Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD is comfortable, more refined, better built, and still very quick when you want it to be. The charging ecosystem remains a huge advantage, and for covering big miles with minimal stress, few EVs currently do it better. 

But Tesla’s obsession with putting everything on a touchscreen will continue to divide opinion. If you’re happy living in a digital-first world, you’ll adapt quickly. If you value physical controls, a HUD, and traditional ergonomics, you may never fully make peace with it. 

Flawed? Less than I’d imagined. 
Compelling? Absolutely.

At a Glance:

Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive 

Find Us Map: www.tesla.com/findus

Test Drive link: https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/drive?utm_medium=website&utm_source=social&utm_campaign=ukcontent