2024 Tesla Model Y RWD review (2024)

In five years, the Tesla Model Y has gone from a prototype unveiled in the US and 18 months from customer deliveries – to the world’s best-selling new car outright, according to preliminary figures.

It accounted for one-in-three electric cars sold in Australia last year, nearly two-thirds of Tesla sales, and was the country’s sixth-best selling vehicle overall, less than 1000 deliveries away from third place and the title of the top-selling SUV.

Is its popularity warranted? Let’s find out.

There are three variants in the Tesla Model Y range – the Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) for $65,400, Long Range All-Wheel Drive (AWD) for $78,400, and Performance AWD for $92,020.

All prices listed exclude on-road costs such as registration, stamp duty and third-party insurance, as well as Tesla’s mandatory $400 order and $1400 delivery fees, but include Luxury Car Tax for the Performance variant.

For this review we’re driving the RWD, which accounts for 80 per cent of sales.

This test vehicle is optioned with Red Multi-Coat paint for $2400, and 20-inch Induction wheels for $2400 – bringing its RRP to $70,200 plus on-road costs, or $75,857 drive-away in NSW, according to the Tesla website.

Rivals include the Toyota BZ4X FWD ($66,000), and entry-level Hyundai Ioniq 5 58kWh RWD ($65,000), as well as the more expensive Kia EV6 Air RWD ($72,590) and Ford Mustang Mach-E Select RWD ($72,990) – all before on-road costs. The cheapest Volkswagen ID.4 is estimated to cost $77,000 plus on-roads when it arrives mid-year.

Standard equipment includes 19-inch wheels (upgraded to 20s on our test car), LED headlights and tail-lights, a 15-inch touchscreen with FM/DAB radio, satellite navigation, Bluetooth and voice control, synthetic leather-look upholstery, heated 12-way power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, power tailgate, tinted glass roof, dual wireless phone chargers, and a 13-speaker sound system.

Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, and blind-spot cameras – but there are no blind-spot monitor lights, nor rear cross-traffic alert.

Tesla continues to omit Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, AM radio, a tyre repair kit, and a dedicated instrument display from its vehicles.

The Model Y has the minimalist interior design we’ve come to expect from Tesla, with a large 15-inch screen in the middle of the dashboard.

We will discuss this screen in more depth in the next section, but it is frustrating that basic controls – such as the speed display, adjusting the air-conditioning fan speed, moving the mirrors, or even opening the glovebox – are forced through this screen.

The driver has a good view of the road thanks to a high seating position, large windscreen, and a low and short bonnet. The side windows are also large, but backward visibility is poor due to the high-set rear window.

The panoramic glass roof brings in plenty of light, but it can heat up the cabin quickly. A sunshade is a $180 accessory on the Tesla website.

The heated front seats offer eight-way power adjustment with lumbar, but they are not the most comfortable – with some pain points that caused us irritation on a long drive – nor are particularly supportive in tight corners. The synthetic leather-look upholstery is soft, but it can get sweaty on hot days.

A similar material is used on the small steering wheel, which is heated, and fitted with two dials used to control functions from volume and song/radio skipping, to voice control, and frustratingly the adjustment of the steering column when activated through a menu in the touchscreen – fiddlier and harder to use than a simple lever.

Behind the steering wheel are two stalks, the left stalk controlling the indicators and some basic light/wiper functions – though most of these are buried in the touchscreen – and the right stalk used for changing gears or activating adaptive cruise control.

Perceived build quality in our test vehicle – which is 18 months old, with more than 8000km on the odometer – is good.

There is a learning curve to the door release buttons, and passengers may initially find themselves using the mechanical emergency releases placed next to the window switches.

The driver and front passenger are well accommodated for storage, with two large lidded areas in the centre console, spacious fabric-lined door pockets, and two cupholders, though the glovebox (accessed through the touchscreen) could be bigger.

Amenities include two USB-C ports, one 12-volt socket, dual wireless phone chargers, keyless entry and start, and dual-zone climate control.

Space in the rear is excellent given the Model Y’s sloping roof line, with plenty of leg room, head room and toe room for my 186cm (6ft 1in) tall frame sitting behind my driving position.

The seat base is not very long, so under-thigh support is limited, but the floor is flat, the cabin is wide to seat three abreast, and for the middle passenger, the area under the air vents has been scooped out to allow them to slide their feet forward.

Rear amenities include heated outboard seats, two USB-C ports, two map pockets, bottle holders in the doors, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, two ISOFIX anchors, and three top-tether anchor points.

The boot is huge, with a claimed 854-litre capacity spread across the roomy main cargo area, an under-floor area big enough for a carry-on suitcase, and large compartments on each side for smaller items – plus another 117L under the bonnet.

The tailgate is power-operated – though there’s no kick sensor – and there is a 12-volt socket and illumination. The load area expands to a claimed 2041L with the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats down.

As standard there is no tyre repair kit (it costs $125 extra) – let alone a spare wheel – nor a parcel shelf (a $650 extra), or a home charging cable ($550). These omissions feel stingy in a $70,000 car.

The 15-inch touchscreen is the focal point of the Model Y, and it is like using a computer or tablet – with lightning-quick responses, contemporary graphics, and Wi-Fi over-the-air software updates that add new features.

However, nearly every vehicle function runs through the screen. Basic tasks such as adjusting the steering wheel column, opening the glovebox, changing the headlight or wiper settings, increasing the air-conditioning fan speed, or even moving the air vents are at least two taps away.

Admittedly, many of these features are set-and-forget items – steering wheel, seat and mirror positions are tied to the driver’s profile. There is initially a learning curve to the system, due to its myriad menus, but it doesn’t take too long to get used to.

Tesla fans will argue you can control many functions – including the fiddly air-conditioning menu – with your voice, but this is far from a perfect solution, and disrupts any ongoing conversation in the car. We’d much rather Tesla introduce some traditional dials and switches for key functions.

Popular apps such as Spotify, Zoom and Apple Music are built into the system, and the embedded satellite navigation is easy to use, powered by Google Maps with locations of Tesla Superchargers and, thanks to a recent software update, third-party chargers.

However, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. While fans of the brand may argue these are not needed given the base system is fast and well-featured, there is no reason why they can’t be offered as an option – given they are standard on a $21,000 Kia Picanto.

The lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also leaves drivers who use apps such as Waze navigation in the cold.

Other features in the system include FM and DAB+ digital radio – but no AM radio, which remains essential for distributing emergency alerts in rural areas without FM or phone coverage.

There is no dedicated instrument or head-up display, so the speed is shown in the top-right corner of the main screen. It is a distracting decision, given how strictly enforced speed limits are in Australia.

The front, side and rear cameras are high quality, and the front and rear parking sensors are accurate, with the distances to nearby objects shown on the screen. There is no top-down 360-degree camera, unlike many rivals.

The 13-speaker audio system lacks premium branding, but Tesla poached engineers from brands such as Bang and Olufsen to develop it, so sound quality is excellent, even for hardcore audiophiles.

The Tesla Model Y is covered by a five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), based on testing conducted in Europe by sister organisation Euro NCAP in 2022.

It earned the highest adult occupant protection score of any vehicle tested under ANCAP’s just-superseded 2020–22 protocols – at 97 per cent – while its 98 per cent safety assist technology score is an all-time ANCAP record.

It also recorded 89 per cent for child occupant protection, and 82 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians/cyclists).

The five-star rating will expire after 31 December 2028 unless the Model Y is retested under the criteria in place at the time it is submitted.

The Tesla Model Y ticks most of the boxes for advanced safety features, with one key exception: rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), the system that warns of cars driving past usually not visible to the driver when reversing out of a perpendicular parking space.

The car seemed to go some way to recreating a rear cross-traffic system – mainly using the parking sensors to detect passing vehicles when the Model Y is reversing – and the Tesla is fitted with low-speed rear autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for car parks, but neither is a true replacement for RCTA.

There are also no blind-spot monitoring lights, though Tesla fits cameras that provide the driver with a view of their blind spot when the indicators are activated – and illuminate with a red glow on the touchscreen when a car is in said blind spot.

There are seven airbags – including one between the front seats to prevent occupants’ heads clashing in a severe side impact – plus tyre pressure monitoring, and high-resolution front, side and rear cameras.

The safety systems generally worked well in our testing, with the exception of a false activation of the AEB system while the car was moving on a suburban street, when there was no imminent collision.

Our test vehicle was fitted with the regular Autopilot system – with adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist – not the $5100 Enhanced Autopilot pack with automatic lane changes and overtakes, and hands-free parking, or the $10,100 so-called ‘Full Self-Driving’ package that is available to order in Australia but cannot be used in its entirety yet.

The Autopilot driver aids worked well, though the lane-centring system can be hard to trust on narrow suburban roads with parked cars, so it is better used on wider highways.

The Tesla Model Y is covered by a four-year/80,000km vehicle warranty, and an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty for the RWD (eight years/192,000km for the Long Range and Performance), with Tesla guaranteeing it will retain at least 70 per cent of its original capacity in that period.

While the battery warranty is par for the class, the warranty is short in both time and distance. All of its rivals – and most other top-selling new cars in Australia – have at least five years of coverage, with no distance limit for private buyers not using the vehicle for ride-sharing or other commercial uses.

Tesla does not quote traditional service intervals based on time or distance, rather maintenance is “condition-based”, so it is only required when the vehicle detects a fault that needs to be fixed.

Many tasks can also be completed by ‘mobile service’ technicians who come to your home or office, rather than needing to visit a service centre.

Tesla does list some “recommended” service items on its website:

• Every 10,000km, or if tread depth difference is 1.5mm or greater: Rotate the tyres
• Every year or 20,000km, for vehicles in cold-weather regions: Cleaning and lubricating
• Every two years: Replace cabin filter (a new filter costs $26)
• Every three years: Replace the HEPA filter
• Every four years: Replace the air-conditioning desiccant bag
• Every four years: Check brake fluid health, and replace if needed

For context, five years/15,000km of scheduled servicing costs $780 for a Mustang Mach-E Select, $900 for a Toyota BZ4X, $1089 for a Kia EV6 and $1730 for a Hyundai Ioniq 5.

A year of comprehensive insurance coverage from a leading insurer costs $2166, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

For context, using the same insurance quote calculator and parameters returns estimates of $1849 for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 58kWh, $2135 for a Kia EV6 Air, $2136 for a Toyota BZ4X FWD, and $2609 for a Ford Mustang Mach-E Select.

Tesla claims energy consumption of 15.7kWh/100km for the Model Y RWD, according to European WLTP lab testing.

It is frugal for this type of car; a Kia EV6 Air quotes 16.5kWh/100km, a Hyundai Ioniq 5 58kWh claims 16.7kWh/100km, a Toyota BZ4X FWD is said to consume 16.9kWh/100km, and a Ford Mustang Mach-E Select lists 17.8kWh/100km.

Over a week of testing – including highway driving, and kilometres on country roads exploring the Model Y’s performance and handling – we returned 15.6kWh/100km.

We weren’t trying to drive the car gently – and in the right conditions, with a softer right foot, you can expect to do a lot better. On flowing, 60km/h to 80km/h suburban roads it isn’t hard to get the trip computer into the 13kWh/100km range, which is excellent for the size of this car.

On a 110km/h highway test loop used for an upcoming comparison test, we returned 15.8kWh/100km, which converts to 364km of estimated driving range.

You’ll notice that energy consumption is almost identical to the claim, but the driving range is way off Tesla’s quoted 455km. For some reason the lab test cycles used in Europe for the energy use and driving range are not identical, so there is a discrepancy.

Tesla also doesn’t quote the car’s exact battery capacity. For this review we have used a figure of 57.5kWh usable that we’ve seen reported, but other sources claim 60kWh or 62.3kWh (which may be gross capacity, including upper and lower ‘buffers’ that owners can’t access).

That battery is a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit, so unlike a conventional nickel-manganese-cobalt battery in other electric cars – charging which beyond 80 per cent frequently can speed up battery degradation – LFP batteries can be regularly charged to 100 per cent without damaging the battery cells.

DC fast charging at up to 170kW is claimed. Tesla doesn’t quote a 10 to 80 per cent fast charge time, but we observed 26 minutes and 50 seconds on test – at a peak of 171kW, in a remarkably linear fashion as the car takes on energy.

AC charging at up to 11kW is available, for an estimated zero to 100 per cent recharge in just over five hours.

Performance in the cheapest Tesla Model Y is not hot-hatch-like, but it’s brisk, with sharp accelerator-pedal tuning that pushes you back into the seat off the mark, and plenty of power in reserve for highway overtakes.

Drive has previously matched Tesla’s claimed 0–100km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds, which is about a second quicker than a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and competitive with Hyundai, Kia, Ford and Toyota electric rivals.

A small steering wheel, quick but precise steering, and minimal body roll make for sharp handling, and the traction-control system suppresses any wheel slip before it disturbs the car’s composure.

At low speeds, the steering may be on the heavy side for some drivers’ tastes, even in the lightest of its three models, but its fast ratio – just two turns from lock to lock – makes for easy parking. However, at 12.1 metres, the turning circle is large for the class.

While it aids handling, the suspension can be firm over potholed city streets. At high speeds the body is composed and settled, but around town occupants feel more of speed bumps, expansion joints, and ripples in the road than they ought to.

It is worth noting the test vehicle Tesla Australia supplied to Drive was built in September 2022, so it missed out on the so-called ‘comfort suspension’ upgrade introduced in vehicles built from early 2023, claimed to have softened the dampers for improved comfort over bumps. We have not tested a Model Y with these changes so we cannot say if it has worked.

That said, while there is still much room for improvement in the Model Y we did test, we did not find it too stiff to live with, and it wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for us.

Switched on by default is a ‘one-pedal’ drive mode, where the regenerative braking of the electric motor will bring the car to a stop on its own once the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal, while recuperating energy that’s fed back into the battery.

Tesla used to allow you to turn this system off, but the option in the settings menu has now been greyed out. While some drivers may not like this feature, compared to other cars it is very well calibrated, and in an emergency braking situation, the transition from regenerative to the ‘friction’ disc brakes is seamless.

Insulation from the outside world could be improved – there is a fair amount of tyre roar, as well as some suspension noise, and wind rustle from the mirrors.

The LED headlights are bright, but the automatic high-beam tech is unreliable, flashing the high-beam lights on a well-lit road, and turning them off when they’re needed. It didn’t rain on test, but we’ve previously found the rain-sensing wipers in Teslas to be equally hit-and-miss.

The Model Y can tow up to 1600kg braked, or 750kg unbraked, when fitted with Tesla’s official $1970 tow package (available via the Tesla website) that includes a towball rated to a 72kg down weight.

We have not tow-tested the Tesla Model Y, but its performance without a load attached suggests it would not feel strained pulling a small trailer.

The quoted 2448kg gross vehicle weight (GVM) and 1909kg tare mass leaves a payload of 539kg for vehicle fluids (windscreen wipers and brakes), passengers, cargo, and any accessories fitted to the car. That is sufficient for filling the Model Y’s five seats and large boot.

If you’re looking for an electric family SUV in this $65,000 to $80,000 price bracket, the Tesla Model Y should be the first car you test drive.

It’s great value for money – by electric-car standards – with a long equipment list, a spacious cabin, sharp handling, responsive technology, brisk performance, and a frugal electric drivetrain with quick charging and a respectable driving range.

However, there is still room for improvement. The warranty is shorter than rivals, we are yet to validate the newer ‘comfort suspension’ tune is softer than the firm ride in this model, and there remain some notable omissions – Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a dedicated speed display, rear cross-traffic alert, AM radio, a tyre repair kit, or a spare wheel.

But if those shortcomings aren’t issues for you – and you can learn to live with the Tesla’s quirks – the Model Y is an excellent family electric car that deserves its sales success.

While the Long Range and Performance bring meaningful increases in driving range and performance, the entry-level RWD is our pick of the range so it will be more than enough for most buyers – and its LFP battery means you can use the full battery capacity regularly without accelerating its wear.

At the time of writing in mid-March 2024, the Tesla website says new orders are estimated to be delivered by the end of April – a wait time of less than six weeks – and there are plenty of vehicles listed in stock for immediate delivery in a range of configurations.

Before signing on the dotted line, we recommend taking a test drive through Tesla – click here to find your nearest showroom. It is also worth test-driving the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 as they are appealing rivals.

To stay updated with everything that's happened to this car since our review, you'll find all the latest news here.

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