2023 (23) Tesla Model Y RWD 5dr Auto

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Think EV and you think Tesla. Launched in 2020, this Model Y hatch was the brand's offering for the mid-sized crossover segment, a car that aimed to redefine what a premium electric vehicle of this sort could deliver. It shared its powertrain and much of its design with its Model 3 saloon showroom stablemate, which meant it came with all the values you'd associate with this innovative American brand - long battery range, easy charging and an avant garde cabin. It was also very fast in volume Dual Motor AWD form. European rivals from this period shade this Tesla for quality and have more accessible interior design, but in this segment from this time, there's still nothing quite like this car. Let's check it out as a used buy.

History

Tesla. Once a start-up company sneered at by the established makers - before they realised the brand was serious and struggled to follow its lead in automotive EV technology. And, just as they caught up, along came this contender, the Model Y, the company's first really high volume global EV. It was the car that rivals always feared Tesla would build. They had plenty of time to prepare for it. Even though 75% of this mid-sized Crossover hatch design was shared with the Tesla Model 3 saloon launched in 2017, it took the marque until 2020 to get the Model Y to market in the US. And a further year more to get it into customers' hands in Europe. A delay so protracted that by the time we came to film this car in the early summer of 2022, we already knew that a substantially updated version with better battery range was just months away. As was the start of full production for European markets from Tesla's new giga factory in Berlin, one of four global plants that were eventually assigned to build this car, producing up to half a million Model Ys a year. A top Performance version arrived just after launch and in 2022, Tesla also added a more affordable rear-driven variant. Here, really for the first time, this visionary American maker had a real fight on its hands. Its earlier cars, the Roadster of 2009, the Model S of 2012 and the Model X of 2015, faced only patchy opposition. Even that Model 3 design we mentioned didn't face the kind of over-crowded market this Model Y had to win over. Yet it sold prodigiously and was the world's best selling car in 2023. Even well into its initial production run, it still managed to be the U.K.'s fifth best seller in 2024. Here, we look at the earlier 2020-2024 versions of this model which sold until a far-reaching 'Project Juniper' update in early 2024.

What You Get

You'll either think the Model Y is cool and minimalistic; or rather anodyne and featureless. There'll be no in-betweens. On first acquaintance with this Model Y, you might find it hard to avoid the initial conclusion that it's merely a five-door version of its Model 3 saloon stablemate. Elon Musk was always publicly proud of the fact that the two cars shared 75% of the same components, though actually, most of these were to do with the powertrain because the dimensions between the two cars are somewhat different. Predictably - for a car that wants to have something of a Crossover vibe - the main difference is height: this 'Y' is a considerable 181mm taller than a '3' - and only 27mm of that is from increased ride height (up to 167mm). The two cars are much closer on length, a little surprisingly given that this Model Y needed to be large enough to accommodate the third seating row that this pre-facelift design only got as an option late on in production. It's 50mm longer than a Model 3, which makes it about the same length as something like a BMW iX3. This Tesla's fish-like silhouette might not be particularly striking, but there's the draw of a standard two-piece panoramic roof and, thanks to neat details like the flush door handles, the shape is notably aerodynamic (0.23Cd). At the front end, differences between this car and its sedan counterpart are very difficult indeed to spot, though actually this 'Y' is 70mm wider. Unlike most rivals, there's no pretence at any sort of front grille; all the cooling air that's needed is inhaled by this broad intake below the numberplate, flanked by slim indicators. Obviously, things are different at the back compared to a Model 3, this being a hatch - like virtually all its mid-sized EV segment rivals. As with the Model S and the Model 3, Tesla mounted the charging flap neatly in the offside rear light cluster - and made the socket inside CCS-compatible so that a wider number of public charging stations could be used. Once inside, you find yourself seated in a cabin identical to that of the Model 3. Which means it's more minimalist than a Scandinavian loft. Well, in terms of button clutter anyway. There's nothing minimalist about the enormous 15-inch central touchscreen, on to which virtually all the comfort, infotainment and driving features you'll need have been located, including those you'd normally find in a conventional instrument cluster - here missing too. Beyond this, operating control provision was kept to the absolute minimum. Don't bother looking for a gearstick, a starter button, a handbrake switch or physical ventilation controls; even the vents themselves are pretty hidden. Tesla also thought about getting rid of steering wheel stalks (as it did with the updated Model 3), but they were reluctantly retained here, the left one for indicators and the right for gear selection. Otherwise, you're limited to a couple of unmarked scroll wheels on the steering wheel spokes. Beyond this, operating control provision was kept to the absolute minimum. Which is all well and good, but a potential premium segment European buyer of this car is ideally going to want such minimality to be accompanied by the kind of cabin quality and richness of interior design that the posh German brands offer. You don't really get that here, but compensatory technology is absolutely dripping from every menu and pinch-and-swipe action accessible through the enormously capable central screen. There's a superb Google Earth navigation system, all the usual infotainment stuff and even arcade games. The driving position sits you a little higher than the segment norm and the lack of central transmission tunnel frees up loads of space for useful extra stowage compartments. In the rear, the first thing you might notice is the completely flat floor - the usual transmission tunnel's not needed of course because there's no mechanical transmission. Even better, there's much more room than is usually provided for a centre-seated passenger to slide his or her shoes forward, beneath the jutting console with its twin vents. True, you'll rarely need the central pew to be occupied, but the space provided for it adds to the airy feel already created by the rear quarterlights and, primarily, by the huge standard panoramic glass roof. For the two outer passengers, things are a little more comfortable than they would be in the brand's alternative Model 3 saloon because the bench is mounted slightly higher, so your knees don't end up being quite so much arched towards your chin. Even so, a couple of six-footers should still find that headroom is ample. Finally, let's consider the boot. There's 854-litres of capacity on offer here, which only sounds like a lot because Tesla measures up to roof height, rather than up to window level like everyone else. Unfortunately, no parcel shelf is provided, so everything's in plain sight. Anyway, it's a good, square, usable space, which is usefully improved by the versatile floor with its twin luggage boards.

What to Look For

The Model Y is rated by most commentators as fairly average for reliability, but it has a better record than larger Teslas do. The things to look for include misaligned panels and paint imperfections, a leaky rear hatch, seat latch problems, door handle alignment issues and climate control problems. That big centre screen can sometimes freeze and exhibit glitches in the navigation system or software bugs. We have come across lots of complaints about the autonomous elements of the car - the wipers, the lights and the Lane keeping system. And we've heard of customers that have had a sudden loss of power steering assistance. It's worth checking out the www.teslamotorsclub.com owners site for more owner feedback. We've also heard of some charging difficulties - like incompatibility with some stations or slower-than-anticipated charging times. A few owners communicated malfunctions with the flush door handles which have occasionally been known to fail, making it difficult to open the doors. Possible causes of this include faulty sensors or a power outage. There have also been some concerns about the online connection which is essential for several Tesla functions, including navigation, remote app control and automatic software upgrades. These capabilities might sometimes be temporarily unavailable due to intermittent connectivity issues. You can lessen the impact of these issues by keeping your Internet connection steady and your car within range of cellular networks at all times. What else? Well some Model Y users have complained of odd noises from the suspension like creaking and clunking, so check for these on your test drive. Broken or worn ball joints are to blame. There have been some reports of paint issues, including chipping and peeling, so inspect the bodywork closely. And a number of owners reported that the driving range wasn't as good as advertised, though as usual that's down to how the vehicle is driven, the weather and the usage of the climate system. The key things you need to remember in Model Y ownership are to get your car regularly serviced, keep software up to date, be careful when driving in extreme weather conditions and regularly use a certified Tesla repair shop for any problems. Otherwise, it's just the usual things to look for: parking knocks and scrapes and any damage to the interior caused by kids. And of course insist on fully stamped-up service history.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2020 Model Y Dual Motor - Ex Vat - see evaaccessories.co.uk) Rear brake pads sit in the £67 bracket. Front brake discs sit in the £47 bracket; rear discs are in the £48 bracket. An air filter is around £17. An ABS sensor is around £32. Wipers sit in the £34-£41 bracket. A front upper control arm is around £328. A wing mirror rebuild kit is between £35 and £66.

On the Road

Currently, it's the fashion amongst EVs these days for a little combustion-like linearity in the way they accelerate. But Tesla doesn't follow fashion and this Model Y simply hurls itself away from rest, even in its most conventional 'Long Range' form. That's because your right foot is commanding 434 braked horses - and if that somehow not enough, the alternative 'Performance' model raises that figure to 483bhp. Either way, electric motors propel you from both front and rear axles, creating the car's 'Dual Motor' AWD system, producing 575Nm of torque and dispatching the 62mph sprint in just 4.8s (or 3.5s in the 'Performance' version). Tesla's also disdained the fashion for limiting top speed on EVs: this one will cruise on the autobahn at up to 135mph (or 155mph in the 'Performance' version). The Model Y doesn't have a 'Sport' drive mode - and it clearly doesn't need one, the ordinary 'Standard' setting quite enough to bring up your breakfast (and attract the constabulary's attention) if you engage too frequently in repeated right foot flexes. Better if you can to chill - quite literally, because that's the name of the second more laid-back setting that'll better preserve that all-important drive range figure. For most of this pre-facelift Model Y's life, it was officially quoted at 331 miles for the 'Long Range' version - or 319 miles for the Model Y 'Performance' variant, figures that improved in 2023 to easily out-strip much lower powered segment competitors - and easily surpass the range capacity of rivals with similarly gutsy drivetrains. You can subtract a bit from that for the needs of 'real world' driving of course. If ultimate driving range isn't essential for you, then you may also want to consider the entry-level rear-driven Model Y variant which from launch offered up to 283 miles of range. That's all good, but big range figures inevitably need a big, dense, heavy battery. This one was estimated to be 75kWh in size, a figure Tesla never confirmed but in any case the kind of bulky powerpack you might think would be about as conducive to dynamic engagement as hanging a huge anchor out the back. Surprisingly though, from launch this turned out to be one of the most engaging EVs we'd driven, primarily because of its accurate steering and the prodigious grip of the Dual Motor AWD system. The firm damping helps here too, though you pay for that with a standard of unsettled low speed ride that wouldn't have been signed off by most premium rivals. Highway refinement's a little disappointing for an electric vehicle too - and you might be surprised to find that the Model Y lacks most of the usual EV tools for controlling brake regeneration. Still, courtesy of the standard 'Autopilot' system and its eight cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and forward-facing radar, there are some uber-clever auto driving functions. And Tesla still enjoys a big advantage when it comes to charging, thanks to its vast network of 'Supercharging' stations, which work at 250kW and allow you to replenish up to 80% of battery capacity in as little as 36 minutes. When charging from home, the 7.4kW wallbox most owners are likely to have needs 11 hours and 45 minutes for a complete charge.

Overall

This Model Y had a much tougher task than the marque's earlier models had faced, but the American brand had the advantage of a head start and a pioneering mind set with its EVs and used them well to generate strong sales for this car. European rivals in the 2020-2024 period were catching this American brand quickly in terms of electrified powertrain technology and they often shaded Tesla in terms of cabin quality. But they still couldn't beat this brand's dual motor battery range. Nor could they match Tesla's public charging infrastructure. These attributes will also serve this earlier version of the Model Y well on the used market - and will go some way towards off-setting the issues with this car in terms of ride and refinement - both areas that are some way behind the class best. Balanced against that are really credible standards of handling for an EV this heavy. It's a car that in the right circumstances, you could really enjoy driving. A touch ironic that, given the amount of effort the brand is putting into fully autonomous tech. Potential customers will also like the fact that the Model Y is arguably the most avant garde medium-sized Crossover in its segment from this period. And potentially (in top 'Performance' form) one of the very fastest too. If these sound like winning attributes in an aspiration hi-tech used mid-sized EV of this kind, you'll know where to start your search.