Tesla Model Y (2025) Review

Introduction

Ever since the Tesla Model Y was first launched in the UK back in 2022, it has been something of a benchmark for electric SUVs.

But the market doesn’t stand still.

Where the Model Y once occupied something of a niche, it now sits in a space that’s awash with competitors, not least cut-price rivals from Chinese manufacturers.

The Model Y has had to get its elbows out to jostle with new foes like the BYD Sealion 7, Xpeng G6, and Polestar 4, while continuing to trade blows with the accomplished Audi Q4 e-tron and Kia EV6.

Tesla, realising the game had changed, launched a completely refreshed Model Y - codenamed ‘Juniper’ - in 2025. It comes complete with sharper styling, new suspension, and an upgraded cabin with better noise suppression.

Overall, it’s a winning recipe that ensures the Model Y inches ahead of the trailing pack.

Tesla Model Y: At a Glance

It’s amazing how quickly a once-modern design can look dated.

That’s the immediate impression you get when you compare the pre-2025 Tesla Model Y with the latest facelifted variant.

The old Model Y had something of a cute and cuddly quality, with rounded edges that gave the SUV the air of a high-tech bubble.

The new Model Y, on the other hand, means business.

It’s slightly longer than the original, at 4,790mm, though the width and height remains the same - which is good news for passenger comfort in the back, as it’s still excellent.

The Model Y’s front face is now sharper and more angular, with a full-width LED lightbar at the front that’s inspired by the Tesla Cybertruck and the firm’s Cybercabs. It gives the Model Y a real sense of purpose, particularly when that illuminated lightbar is viewed in the dark.

Things are equally eye-catching at the back, where the resculpted rear also features a lightbar that shines from a horizontal panel.

Overall, the Model Y is tauter, more sophisticated, and less bulbous. Credit to Tesla for moving the needle.

Tesla Model Y Key Features

We’re testing the Tesla Model Y in its most affordable form (at the time of writing); the Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y, which begins at £44,990 to buy outright.

A caveat is needed here, however.

Across the Pond in America, Tesla has launched a cut-price ‘Standard’ version of the Model Y, which gets rid of some of the key features (including the lightbars) to appeal to customers with shallower pockets.

This bargain Model Y hasn’t yet been confirmed for the UK (though it might yet materialise in the summer of 2026).

As it is, the cheapest Rear-Wheel Drive could still be all the Model Y you’d ever need, as it’s absolutely loaded with equipment as standard.

You get a range of up to 311 miles between charges, it’ll accelerate from 0-60mph in a brisk 5.6 seconds, and comes with 175 kW rapid charging skills (expect a recharge from 10-80% to take around 25 minutes).

The cheapest Tesla Model Y also enjoys all the bells and whistles that arrived with the latest update, including an 8-inch touchscreen for passengers in the back and the uprated multilink suspension featuring frequency dependent damping.

If that’s the starting point, the Tesla Model Y Performance is the pinnacle, and should almost be treated as a separate car entirely. Here 0-60mph goes by in just 3.3 seconds and you also get larger alloys, uprated suspension and sports seats.

Tesla Model Y Range & Batteries

We’re behind the wheel of the Tesla Model Y Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive - currently the most affordable variant available and certainly the cheapest to lease.

Tesla doesn’t routinely publish its battery size figures, but a unit that’s roughly 60 kWh translates to a range of up to 311 miles between charges.

That figure exceeds the entry-level options for the Audi Q4 e-tron, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E but falls short of the cheapest Renault Scenic E-Tech.

Moving up the Model Y’s ladder, there are two distinct Long Range cars that come with either Rear-Wheel Drive or All-Wheel Drive. Here a larger battery (around 75 kWh) unlocks a range of up to 387 miles for the RWD Long Range or 364 miles for the sure-footed AWD Long Range.

If you’re leasing the Tesla Model Y Performance (also AWD), range might be lower down your list of priorities, but you’re still able to travel up to 360 miles on a single charge (and you’ll no doubt get there in a hurry…).

Find out more about EV range in our guide explaining electric car range.

Tesla Model Y Performance & Drive

You’d be hard-pushed to fault the ride quality and performance of the updated Tesla Model Y and the new suspension set up improves things dramatically.

The new underpinnings bring advanced multilink suspension with frequency dependent damping, and it’s a system that finds a good balance between ride comfort and handling.

The suspension is both firm and well sprung at the same time, giving you the confidence to push through corners, while it never becomes overly unsettled on undulating roads.

Sure, you’ll feel potholes and the Model Y might not absorb some of the larger road craters, but it’s plush enough, and the trade-off between rigidity and body-roll is a strong one. As a straight line cruiser, the Model Y is pretty much impeccable.

We tested the Model Y in the base Standard Range Rear-Wheel Drive form and even this entry-level car is rapid. The first 60mph is covered off in just 5.6 seconds and it feels every bit as quick as that sounds. It’s also much more sprightly off the mark than the equivalent Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, which takes around 8 seconds to reach 62mph.

The Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y (with a bigger battery) is slightly quicker than the Standard Range Model Y, but not by much, covering 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds. Meanwhile the addition of All-Wheel Drive shrinks the 0-60mph time to 4.6 seconds.

Of course, for outright speed, lease customers will look to the Tesla Model Y Performance, which almost needs its own separate review. Here the 0-60mph is a supercar-rivalling 3.3 seconds and the Performance derivative gets its own multilink suspension with electronic continuously variable damping and various drive modes.

As tested, the Standard Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y gets two drive modes - standard and ‘Chill’, which dials-down the oomph ever so slightly to eke out more range. There are also just two levels of brake regen. They’re accessed via the touchscreen where paddles behind the steering wheel might have been more handy.

Tesla’s ‘Basic Autopilot' tech comes as standard, and can automatically keep you in your lane while taking care of the acceleration and braking for you (while you keep your hands on the steering wheel).

The car we reviewed also came with Tesla’s Autosteer function (in Beta testing mode and displayed via the touchscreen). It’s set up for highway driving only, not rural or urban cruising, so be aware of the software’s current limitations.

Tesla Model Y Charging

Whenever you lease a Tesla, you automatically gain access to the firm’s network of Superchargers. If you’re new to Tesla, this is a pretty big deal.

These are Tesla’s own public recharging hubs.

Tesla drivers get preferential rates and not all Supercharger sites can be accessed by drivers of other cars. The idea is that you plug in and go, and get billed automatically, taking the faff out of energy replenishes.

The Superchargers are also rapid, supporting speeds of up to 250 kW, which means you’ll be sorted by the time it takes you to visit the loo and grab a coffee.

In terms of charging speeds for the Tesla Model Y, our Standard Range Rear-Wheel car charges at 175 kW, while the Long Range variants up the speed to 250 kW.

In either scenario, you’ll be looking at a 10-80% charge in around 25-30 mins, which is strong for the class. Hook it up to a 7 kW home wall box and you’ll get a full replenish in around 9-10 hours.

Interested in going electric? Be sure to check out our guide to picking your ideal electric car charger.

Tesla Model Y Interior & Technology

If you’ve not driven a Tesla before, getting behind the wheel of one requires something of a mindset change compared to what you might be used to.

As is well known, the interior is minimalist - and then some - with most things controlled via the touchscreen. Thankfully steering wheel controls offer quick access to some key functions.

There’s no screen of any description directly in front of you or behind the steering wheel, which makes for both an uncluttered driving experience but also a slightly odd one.

Thankfully, the speedo sits in the top right hand side of the screen so there’s minimal eye movement needed to check your pace.

Where the Tesla Model 3 was offered with indicator buttons on the steering wheel, the Model Y retains the traditional stalk set up, which spares you from tangling your arms in knots when trying to leave a roundabout.

The cabin itself is plush and comfortable, even if there’s a lack of physical buttons.

Everywhere you put your hand it’s tactile and inviting. Reach around to grab the seatbelt and your arm brushes soft leather or rich fabrics, and it’s an experience that puts a smile on your face.

All versions of the Model Y now come with 360-degree acoustic glass while sound-dampening materials reduce road, impact, and wind noise by up to 22%, according to Tesla, so you get a quiet ride.

The glass roof (again, standard fit) now reflects seven times more solar energy, which keeps the cabin cool even when the sun is beating down. A heat pump also comes as standard.

You’ll now find redesigned front seats (heated and ventilated), aluminium accents, and extra storage space compared with the previous Model Y.

There’s a large 15.4-inch screen in the front and the 8-inch display for rear passengers (a big talking point of the most recent Model Y facelift) comes as standard.

You also get heated seats in the rear, eight exterior cameras, a cabin air filtration system, and a hands-free tailgate.

The Long Range models don’t add much in the way of kit above the entry level, but the AWD Model Y does feature an uprated audio system with 15 Speakers and a subwoofer.

The range-topping Model Y Performance adds larger 21-inch alloys, a slightly bigger 16-inch touchscreen, sports seats, and the fancier suspension set up.

All in all, there’s very little to quibble with. The Model Y is extremely easy to live with.

Tesla Model Y Practicality & Boot Space

The Tesla Model Y gets a boot that weighs in at 854 litres. That measurement is taken from the boot floor up to the roof, whereas other manufacturers typically record luggage capacity from the boot floor to the parcel shelf.

That said, the boot is still massive and very large for the class. You should have zero worries when it comes to load-lugging capabilities.

The rear seats fold flat - powered electrically - to create van-like levels of space, unlocking more than 2,000 litres of cargo area.

There’s also ample legroom in the rear, aided by the flat floor you get with most EVs.

Any bad points? The view out of the rear is, for want of a better phrase, pretty pants, and you’ll need to get used to trusting the cameras (which thankfully give you multiple viewpoints so you never reverse into a bollard).

There’s a cavernous bin in the middle of the cabin that could happily accommodate your family’s drinks bottles, and the interior itself is roomy and inviting.

Another big tick for the Model Y.

While the Tesla Model Y was briefly offered with the option of seven seats, that’s no longer available and there are no immediate plan to bring it back.

Tesla Model Y Safety

The latest version of the Tesla Model Y hasn’t yet been tested (at the time of writing) by the people in white coats at Euro NCAP, but the old model scored the full five stars and we’d fully expect the facelifted SUV to do the same.

The existing Euro NCAP assessment for the Model Y saw it scoring an impressive 97% for adult occupant safety, and 87% for child occupant safety.

Passive safety features including side-impact-protection, low roll-over potential, rigid body structure and large crumple zones. A low-slung battery also aids the Model Y’s centre of gravity.

Active safety features, like Forward Collision Warning, Active Emergency Braking and Lane Departure avoidance, all come standard, along with the basic Autopilot.

Tesla Model Y Options

There are four main variants of the Tesla Model Y; Standard Range Rear-wheel Drive, Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range All-Wheel Drive, and Performance.

Besides those distinct models, there are other options to play with.

Stealth Grey - the colour you see in these pics - is the no cost paint option. For alternatives like Pearl White, Deep Blue and Diamond Black, budget for an extra £20-odd quid a month on your lease, while ‘Quicksilver’ and ‘Ultra Red’ attract a steeper premium.

Ticking the ‘tow package’ lets you haul trailers and caravans, and the towing capacity of the Tesla Model Y is 1,600kg.

You might choose to add the ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ package to your lease, which lets you perform automatic lane changes on the motorway by tapping the turn signal and also features Autopark and Summon.

The black and white vegan leather interior (as opposed to the pure black vegan leather upholstery) also adds around £20 per month to your lease fee.

Tesla Model Y Rivals

It’s a good job that the Tesla Model Y is so accomplished, because it’s not short of rivals.

Some are more obvious than others. If you crave a traditional cabin with more in the way of physical buttons, the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback or the Hyundai Ioniq 5 might appeal.

The Kia EV6 is also well worth a look, coming with a tech-rich interior that’s also not short of grabbable toggles and knobs.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E, while due a facelift, is also well worth considering. Ford’s optional BlueCruise tech is a semi-automated driving system that actually lets you take your hands off the steering wheel, and was the first of its kind in Europe upon launch in 2023.

The Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.4 are family-sized SUVs that typically prove cheaper to lease than the Tesla Model Y.

And then there are the cars you might not have considered - yet.

The Xpeng G6is a left-field alternative but one that’s been attracting positive reviews. The BYD Sealion 7 is properly rapid, has a premium interior, and gets a range of up to 312 miles between charges.

And then you’ve got other Chinese newcomers like the Changan Deepal S07 and the Geely EX5, which undercut the Tesla Model Y on price by some distance but fall short when it comes to range, tech, and charging (as well as the prestige value of the badge on the front).

Another outside choice might be the CUPRA Tavascan, which looks much more aggressive than the Tesla Model Y and also gets a decent range of up to 353 miles between charges.

Tesla Model Y: Verdict

The Tesla Model Y has long been a yardstick by which all other electric SUVs are measured. And the latest update to this popular EV ensures that continues to be the case.

The Model Y has never looked better, with its muscular stance and more assertive design, capped by those dominating, full-width lightbars.

It’s a car that successfully walks a line between comfort and performance in terms of its handling, with a new suspension set up ensuring that it never gets bent out of shape in the twisties.

And with so much equipment fitted as standard it’s almost impossible not to recommend it.

If a lack of physical buttons is a deal-breaker, you’ll need to look elsewhere - most likely towards rivals from Audi, Volkswagen and Hyundai.

If you can get into the Tesla mindset, however, both you and your passengers will be richly rewarded.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Tesla Model Y. 

**Correct as of 13/11/2025. Based on 12 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12 monthly payments, or £6,097.20 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.