The Tesla Model Y Long Range five-door SUV is essentially a crossover version of the Model Y and looks set to become a familiar sight on UK roads from early next year, and like all Teslas cars, feels like a different world when you climb aboard
It’s been a few years since I’ve been driving a Tesla. This was the Model 3, and where I live you can’t move for them.
Unless the world turns upside down on its axis, I suspect the new Tesla we’re testing here will also become a familiar sight.
It’s the Model Y and is basically a crossover version of the Model 3. It’s 50mm longer but 181mm longer, with 27mm over the ground.
Unsurprisingly, you notice that there is extra headroom in the car. The Model Y that arrives on our shores early next year will have five seats but other markets will also get a seven-seat version. It has not been decided whether the UK will get that.
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What you get is plenty of luggage space of 854 liters in the rear and 117 liters in the front, where you can store charging cables.
Like all Teslas cars, the Model Y feels like a different world when you climb aboard.
I used a mini key card to unlock the car but the owners will use the Tesla app on their smartphone (keep the card for valet parking for example).
The interior is almost identical to the Model 3 which means a 15-inch horizontal touchscreen and hardly any keys or buttons.
There is a hazard warning light switch in the upper console, window switches on the doors and two roller ball controls on the steering wheel – and that’s it.
I’m a huge fan of Elon Musk’s new approach to the auto industry. But – and you’ve heard me say this a lot – infotainment systems can be very distracting and so can the Y models.
The suggestion is that you use voice control to adjust settings or activate systems, but while Tesla likes to claim it’s a software company that makes cars, voice recognition isn’t perfect.
My command to ‘turn off the wipers’ was interpreted as ‘turn off the Wife’. My daughter was bent on a double laugh.
While we’re talking about the topic of humor, if you go to the games section on the screen, it’s possible to configure the cursor warning signal as a fart instead of the traditional clicking.
You can also play driving games (when the car is parked) that use the car steering wheel and brake pedal to control the onscreen car. Elon never fails to entertain.
UK customers can choose between the Y Perfomance and Long Range models. Both are four-wheel drive with electric motors on each axle.
We’re testing the long-range version which costs £54,990 and has a range of 315 miles.
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picture:
news)
This is actually slightly lower on the Model 3 even though it has the same batteries and electric motor. This is likely due to the fact that the Y is heavier and has more frontal space.
With 434 horsepower total and the ability to sprint 62 mph from rest in five seconds, I see no point in spending £64,990 on the Performance version, even if it’s 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds.
By delving into the screen, you can configure the vehicle’s dynamic settings such as steering response or acceleration which can be set to normal or cool.
The Model Y came on 19-inch wheels as standard but we were offered with optional 20-inch wheels. Looks good but I suspect the ride would be better on smaller rims. At least the suspension, like the entire drivetrain, is quiet.
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The satellite navigation system is great and so is the way it integrates with Tesla’s Supercharger network.
The Model Y is an excellent car but the charging network you can connect to is second to none. Which is why you see a lot of Teslas cars.
the facts
Tesla Model Y Long Range 5-Door SUV
price: £54,990
engine: 2 electric motors with 434 hp
0-62 mph: 5.0 seconds
It includes: 315 miles
competitors
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
The performance version of the ID.4 has a range of 291 miles.
£48,525
Ford Mustang Mach-E ER
Good for driving and an excellent range.
£57,030
Audi Q4 e-tron
Well made but uninspiring compared to a Tesla.
£52,775
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