Tesla Model Y test drive 2026

Make and model: Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD
Description: Mid-sized Electric SUV
Price range: £48,990

Tesla says: “For anyone and every drive. The athletically tuned exterior features sharp lines and lean surfaces, a sloped roofline and new aerodynamic alloy wheels for unparalleled efficiency. You can travel farther and get there faster while using less energy.”
We say: Looks better than the old one. It drives smoothly, but its gimmicky features can get in the way. 

Introduction

The Tesla Model Y proved to be a sales hit as soon as it hit UK streets back in 2020. While its looks may have divided opinion, as did its lack of buttons and odd infotainment system, the Model Y drove well enough to receive top marks from many publications. 

Tesla refreshed the Model Y in 2025, giving it a sleeker front end with a full-width lightbar and a new cabin. It’s still mostly the same underneath, but the look is definitely sharper and more creased, rather than the original’s softer style.

What is it?

Think of the Model Y as a Tesla Model 3 on stilts. The American brand began in the UK with the Model S before releasing the larger Model X, which has the funky gull-wing rear doors. The Model 3 then came along, followed by the Model Y. 

The Model Y sits in the midsize SUV market alongside the Kia EV5, Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Polestar 2. 

Buyers can choose from four trim levels: the entry-level Standard, a Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Premium, a Long Range All-Wheel Drive Premium, and a hot Performance All-Wheel Drive. 

Who is this car aimed at?

The Tesla Model Y is a minimalist’s dream. It’s also popular among families who require a spacious electric SUV with advanced tech, lower running costs and firm performance. 

Who won’t like it?

Both the Model 3 and Y have excelled in the UK, but reservations still exist. If you’re used to a car with a traditional interior layout, with buttons, the Tesla can be overwhelming at first. Like everything, it takes a bit of getting used to. 

Tesla is also at the forefront of electric cars, meaning it takes the brunt of those who aren’t ready for them. It’s also not for those who don’t want attention from the politically charged: we all know who the CEO is. 

First impressions

It’s a good-looking thing. The first Model Y looked like a bloated Model 3, but the refresh has undoubtedly made it more appealing. 

Keys? What are those? I was instead given what looked like a credit card that had to be held against the A-pillar to lock and unlock the doors. The card worked well enough, but it sometimes refused to unlock the car, especially when I had a handful of shopping bags or when it was raining.

Still, the car is designed to work with the Tesla app for your smartphone. After installing the app on my Samsung S25 Ultra, I could then unlock the doors, open the charge flap, precondition the car, and activate ‘dog mode’. 

However, the Tesla was also meant to unlock whenever I got near it with my phone, but this only worked a few times before stopping completely. This meant I often had to get my phone out of my pocket, unlock the car using the unlock button on the app and then open the door, a nightmare if your hands are full. 

Inside, the Tesla delivers all the usual cool touchscreen quirks, my favourite being ‘Tron’ mode, which turns the ambient lighting red, plays a nifty propulsion sound similar to the Tron motorbike, and adds various elements to the touchscreen.

We like: Nice new design. Cool touchscreen features.
We don’t like: Locking/unlocking can be a faff. 

What do you get for your money?

A lot. Credit where credit is due, the Model Y is brimming with technology out of the wrapper, although it lacks the usual Tesla entry-level treatment. 

For example, the Standard’s sound system has seven speakers instead of nine, rear passengers don’t get a touchscreen, and the steering wheel needs to be adjusted manually. There’s no front lightbar, nor is there a panoramic roof, and the leather seats have been swapped for cloth ones.

Opt for the Long Range RWD, like the one tested here, and you get a larger battery, offering a circa 387-mile range, and a more powerful 311bhp electric motor. You also get access to Tesla’s mighty 250kW Supercharger network, which will add 150 miles of range in just 15 minutes. 

We like: Affordable in entry-level spec. Long Range RWD doesn’t cost much more.
We don’t like: Standard spec is still technologically advanced, but feels too stripped back/

What’s the Tesla Model Y like inside?

Like most Teslas, there’s really nothing to the Model Y’s interior, which can be both good and bad. The good thing is that it looks clean and fresh; light fills the cabin through the Y’s large windows, and everything feels pleasant to touch.

The downside is the severe lack of control. While spacious, the cabin is an ergonomic nightmare. Everything, including forward and reverse selection, is controlled via the touchscreen. Yes, Tesla has put a wiper button on the steering wheel, and there’s an indicator stalk, but that’s as far as it goes. 

Adjusting the door mirrors, tweaking the steering column and even adjusting the climate control is all done via the touchscreen. It’s an absolute hazard. 

Adding insult to injury is the touchscreen’s software, which isn’t exactly foolproof and constantly falls on its face like one of those Chinese robots. For example, its built-in Spotify system, which isn’t Spotify, kept losing signal, meaning songs would stop halfway through. 

However, as mentioned earlier, the cabin is spacious. There’s lots more storage space, and I’m pleased there’s an actual indicator stalk. 

We like: Spacious and airy. Materials have a quality feel.
We don’t like: Touchscreen is downright infuriating.

What’s the Tesla Model Y like to drive?

It’s a hit and miss. To start with, there’s no traditional gear selector. Instead, there’s a little car icon on the touchscreen that you drag upwards to go forward, and downwards for reverse. There are arrows to help in case you get confused. To park, you press the ‘P’ in the middle of the up and down arrows — an absolute fail. 

When putting the car into park, I often found myself in reverse and vice versa, as you need to be careful to press the ‘P’ button. Click ever so slightly north of the ‘P’, and you’ll engage drive.

I mainly drove in ‘Chill’ mode. This mode relaxed the car’s throttle response, making town driving a breeze. It also handled bumps and ruts well for an EV, though it was disturbed by the odd drain cover. 

As for performance, I’m unsure why you would opt for the all-wheel-drive Performance vomit comet; the rear-wheel-drive Long Range car has more than enough oomph and grips well through the corners in Sport mode. It’s not the most engaging car to drive, but it’ll press on if needed. 

After 100 miles, the Model Y returned 3.3mi/kWh; at 200 miles, 3.2mi/kWh; and on a 10-mile drive, 3.8mi/kWh. Therefore, the Tesla did pretty well during my efficiency testing. Moreover, charging from 20% to full via my 7kW home wallbox took just 7.5 hours.

We like: Decent handling and performance. Soaks up bumps well for an EV and returns good mi/kWh figures
We don’t like: Awful drive selector. No parking brake button. 

Verdict

I’m between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the Tesla Model Y. I want to like it, I really do, but I feel it’s just too overcomplicated. Likewise, flicking through menus to turn on heated seats or to adjust the door mirrors is silly; you can’t be on your mobile phone when driving, but you can fiddle with a touchscreen. 

Complication aside, it drives fairly well and offers a wide range of interesting features, making this far from a boring car. There are also excellent monthly payment deals that set the Model Y apart from the competition.

Similar cars

Audi Q8 e-tron | Audi Q4 e-tron | BMW iX3 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Jaguar I-Pace | Kia EV6 | Mercedes-Benz EQC | Polestar 2 | Skoda Enyaq | Tesla Model 3 | Volkswagen ID.4

Key specifications

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