2023 Tesla Model Y RWD review

The Tesla Model Y is nether onslaught from each sides.

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There are caller electrical car rivals coming to bargain income distant from this fashionable exemplary – and they’re arriving successful the signifier of mainstream brands arsenic good arsenic premium players.

With the Model Y being abundant successful presumption of availability, however, it does look to person a stronghold connected the electrical SUV conception – for now, astatine least.

It’s casual to spot why. Go connected the configurator and, if you judge the screen, you should beryllium capable to specify, order, wage for, and person your caller Model Y get wrong astir 12 weeks.

Some brands are lone capable to unfastened their bid books erstwhile each fewer months, and the allocations are exhausted wrong hours.

So is the ‘go-to’ presumption that the Tesla Model Y presently enjoys a warranted position? Or should you see it, but store astir for thing a spot more… special?

Read connected to find out.

How overmuch does the Tesla Model Y RWD cost?

Pricing for Tesla models changes truthful regularly, that it’s hard to pin down an nonstop database terms from 1 week to the next.

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Indeed, the Model Y is importantly cheaper than erstwhile it launched successful Australia successful June 2022 – it’s $3000 little for the basal grade, and much than $7000 little for the Performance.

However, astatine the clip of writing, the costs listed beneath are what Tesla is charging for the 2 antithetic models successful the Model Y range.

2023 Tesla Model Y pricing:

• Model Y RWD: $69,300
• Model Y Performance AWD: $95,300

Prices exclude on-road costs

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The conveyance tested present is simply a basal Model Y RWD, though it had the optional 20-inch Induction wheels ($2400) and Red Multicoat Paint ($2400).

Other disposable options see a Black & White interior for $1500 (this 1 was conscionable the plain black, which I prefer), and past of people determination are the alleged “Autopilot” options.

Enhanced Autopilot ($5100) adds:

• Navigate connected Autopilot
• Auto Lane Change
• Autopark
• Summon
• Smart Summon

Then there’s the large fib, “Full Self-Driving Capability”, for $10,100, which takes the Basic Autopilot (which is adaptive cruise power with steering assist) and Enhanced Autopilot packages and ads further functionality.

Full Self-Driving Capability ($10,100) adds:

• Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control
• Upcoming: Auto steer connected metropolis streets

I don’t deliberation I’d beryllium ticking either of those boxes, but hey, fto maine cognize what you think!

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Now, rivals. The evident ones see the Kia EV6, which ranges from $72,590 for the basal Air RWD, done to $99,590 for the GT, which straight rivals the Performance mentation of the Model Y.

Then there’s the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which has been updated for 2023 and beyond. It costs from $72,000 for the basal Dynamiq RWD, done to the range-topping Epiq AWD astatine $85,000. There’s a go-fast Ioniq 5 N coming, too.

If you tin woody with a somewhat smaller option, you whitethorn besides privation to see the Volvo XC40 oregon C40 Recharge Pure Electric, oregon the Genesis GV60. Or ,if your fund is malleable, the BMW iX3 is excellent.

There are heaps of different options, but would you take 1 of these, oregon the Y?

What is the Tesla Model Y RWD similar connected the inside?

If you similar minimalist interior design, you’re going to excavation the Model Y – there’s truly not a batch going connected successful the cabin.

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That is, until you delve deeper into the 15.0-inch touchscreen media system, which is fundamentally the power hub for the full car.

It’s not conscionable wherever you perceive to euphony oregon hunt the sat nav for charging spots; it’s besides wherever you unfastened the glovebox, set the steering wheel, play video games, cheque your speed, and adjacent unbend by the fireplace.

Seriously, determination are truthful galore functions connected this screen, it’s somewhat overwhelming. It’s undoubtedly distracting erstwhile you’re driving, successful my opinion.

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There is nary accepted instrumentality binnacle, truthful you person to glimpse distant from the straight-ahead to cheque your speed, oregon the authorities of charge.

While determination are measurement controls connected the steering wheel, the surface is fundamentally the encephalon of the car, truthful you’ve got to usage your encephalon to alteration thing (air-conditioning temperature, instrumentality speed, spot heating, etc). Yes, determination is simply a dependable power system, but who tin accidental they’ve ever had a terrific clip utilizing 1 of those?

Add to that, there’s nary Apple CarPlay oregon Android Auto, and the surface whitethorn good beryllium 1 of the main reasons you’d look astatine an alternate car. I cognize it’d instrumentality immoderate convincing for maine to motion connected the enactment for a Model 3 oregon Model Y for this nonstop reason.

Aside from that, though, the interior offers immoderate fantabulous and applicable features, particularly for household buyers.

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There are dual wireless telephone chargers up front, USB-C chargers beforehand and rear, and a clump of large retention options; including a monolithic centre console country with a fewer retention bins, large cupful holders, lined doorway pockets, rear cupful holders, rear representation pockets, a flip-down armrest, and decent rear doorway storage, too.

Occupant abstraction is bully beforehand and rear. With the driver’s spot acceptable to my sitting presumption – I’m 182cm oregon 6’0” – I had ample abstraction for my head, shoulders, knees and toes (hang on, I’ve been singing that to my girl each week, but it’s the truth).

The level level means 3 crossed is simply a decently doable thing, and fitting a kid seat? No hassle.

I had my 21-month-old daughter’s forward-facing babe spot successful the car during my clip successful the car, and she perfectly loved the large solid roof. For those wondering, determination are window-seat ISOFIX points, and 3 top-tether points arsenic well. 

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A mates of different quirks I wasn’t truthful blistery on? The cardinal paper happening seems similar a silly gimmick. You swipe it connected the B-pillar to get entree to the compartment – if it works, it failed connected the rider broadside for maine a mates of times

Then, swipe it connected the centre console adjacent the cupholders. Or usage your phone. I overmuch similar the aged car-shaped cardinal fob of the Model S.

And, the doorway handles are dumb. Inside and out, they’re silly. Fight me.

As for storage, the footwear is huge. With 854 litres of rear footwear cargo capacity, there’s easy capable abstraction for the luggage of a household of 3 oregon four.

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My daughter’s bulky pram acceptable successful with country to spare for groceries oregon backpacks, and there’s a clever retention good successful the footwear level for further stowage.

That means, then, there’s nary spare wheel. If that matters to you, you could beryllium successful for a shock, arsenic plentifulness of EVs don’t travel with a spare, arsenic it adds ‘unnecessary’ weight.

Oh, and there’s a ‘frunk’, excessively – 117 litres of cargo capableness nether the bonnet means you tin store your charging cables, oregon possibly chuck your bedewed towels and swimmers successful determination aft a time astatine the formation – it’s a plastic-trimmed bin, wherever the footwear is carpet-lined.

What’s nether the bonnet?

You won’t find overmuch but immoderate achromatic integrative shielding, a retention compartment, and a spot to capable up the washer fluid.

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But erstwhile it comes to what powers the Tesla Model Y RWD, there’s much to it.

It has a azygous rear-mounted electrical motor, producing astir 220kW of powerfulness and 350Nm of torque. It is fed by a 60kWh artillery pack. The RWD’s 0-100km/h clip is sprightly but not special, astatine 6.9 seconds.

When it comes to recharging, the Model Y is susceptible of AC charging astatine a maximum complaint of 11kW. On DC, the RWD has a max complaint charge of 170kW. It uses a Type 2 AC, CCS DC plug.

Driving scope connected the WLTP modular is 455km.

How does the Tesla Model Y RWD drive?

It would beryllium a cop-out to accidental it drives similar an electrical car, but that’s a fact.

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That means you get the hallmarks of EV driving – near-silent movement; punchy, instant acceleration; and effortless responsiveness astatine astir each (legal) speeds.

The introduction exemplary isn’t going to beryllium arsenic melodramatic arsenic the Performance AWD, with a 6.9s 0-100 clip versus the latter’s 3.7s claim. But if you don’t attraction astir that, you volition beryllium blessed with however responsive and casual the acceleration is successful the basal Model Y.

It besides has immoderate of the champion regenerative braking you tin get. It’ll seashore and dilatory the car to a halt if you person the strategy acceptable up to bash so, and it tin either Creep (where determination is inactive immoderate torque applied to the motor, truthful it’ll enactment similar a mean car and creep guardant erstwhile you merchandise the brake) oregon Hold (stays still, nary brake required).

It truly is casual to get utilized to the braking response, and that can’t beryllium said of each EVs.

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The steering is speedy to respond and has a small spot of consciousness to it, though the turning ellipse is rather ample – it’s a large car with a agelong wheelbase, but I was caught off-guard successful a mates of choky streets.

If you’ve work immoderate different Model Y reviews you’ve astir apt seen immoderate disapproval of the thrust quality, and it’s frankly warranted. It doesn’t thrust large – it feels clumsy and lumpy astatine times, though it does grip itself good successful corners.

The bigger interest that I had was that it was rather noisy connected the road, and aboveground changes and lumps and bumps tin beryllium heard successful the cabin.

That’s adjacent much noticeable due to the fact that it’s an EV and everything other (apart from the fan, which is beauteous bloody loud) is quiet.

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The different large happening that you request to see is your enactment with the in-car systems.

The centre surface being the lone surface means you person to look distant from the roadworthy a batch much than successful a much conventionally-designed car, and that means you’re innately much distracted.

Having truthful overmuch accusation and truthful galore of the car’s captious controls done that surface takes immoderate learning, particularly portion driving.

The cogwheel selector doubling arsenic the cruise power (or, Basic Autopilot) activation power besides requires immoderate encephalon rearrangement.

What bash you get?

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Model Y RWD highlights:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Adaptive LED lighting
• Black vegan interior
• 5 seats
• 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Side and rear-view cameras
• All-around parking sensors
• Satellite navigation with complaint web mapping, unrecorded pricing
• Dual wireless telephone chargers
• 4x USB-C ports (2 x front, 2 x rear)
• 128GB portable retention for Sentry camera system
• 13-speaker dependable system
• 12-way powerfulness adjustable beforehand seats 
• Heated beforehand seats
• Heated rear seats (all three)
• Heated steering wheel
• Tinted solid roof 
• HEPA aerial filtration
• Dual-zone clime control
• Power folding, auto-dimming, heated broadside mirrors
• Custom operator profiles
• Key paper entry
• Smartphone app connectivity
• Electronic fold-flat rear spot releases

Model Y Performance adds:

• 21-inch wheels
• Performance brakes
• Lowered suspension
• Aluminium pedals

Is the Tesla Model Y RWD safe?

The Tesla Model Y was labelled the “top performer” by ANCAP successful 2022, scoring a five-star information rating but besides managing the highest mean people (weighted crossed the 4 criteria) of each vehicles tested during that year.

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It achieved a 97 per cent people for big occupant protection, 89 per cent for kid occupant protection, 82 per cent for susceptible roadworthy users, and 98 per cent for information assist. 

Unsurprisingly, it is loaded with modular information technology.

Standard features include:

• 7 airbags incl. front-centre airbag
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
  • Forward, Reverse
  • Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist detection
  • Junction assist
  • Backover prevention
• Blind-spot assist
• Lane support assist
• Reversing, broadside presumption cameras
• Front, rear parking sensors
• Adaptive cruise power with stop/go
• Tyre unit monitoring
• Automatic high-beam
• Intelligent velocity limiter

Oddly, it doesn’t officially person rear cross-traffic alert similar astir different caller cars.

It does, however, person a strategy that tin observe moving obstacles (people, different cars) and brake for them, but it volition not pass you of passing postulation if you’re successful reverse and not moving, similar astir vehicles with RCTA will.

How overmuch does the Tesla Model Y RWD outgo to run?

The warranty stakes is arguably wherever Tesla falls down successful modern-day Australian motoring, arsenic the marque lone offers a four-year, 80,000km warranty.

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However, determination is simply a artillery and thrust portion warranty that spans 8 years/160,000km for the RWD (eight years/192,000km for AWD), which volition warrant astatine slightest 70 per cent artillery retention to that point.

There are nary circumstantial servicing intervals, but the Tesla tract does person immoderate recommended items to support – a brake fluid wellness cheque each 24 months, compartment aerial filters each 2 years, HEPA filter replacement astatine 3 years, and air-con work each 4 years, arsenic good arsenic the accustomed tyre rotation and instrumentality balancing.

When it comes to efficiency, the Model Y RWD has a beauteous awesome claimed fig – 14.6kWh per 100 kilometres. If you tin execute that, you’re doing precise well, and you should beryllium capable to recharge it astatine location for astir $13 off-peak from bare (based connected NSW mean rates of 20.5c/kWh).

If you’re wondering what I saw during my clip successful the Model Y RWD, the fig was 15.9kWh/100km crossed a premix of urban, suburban and freeway driving. I was impressed.

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Charging times volition alteration depending connected however overmuch powerfulness you’re putting into it. If you conscionable plug into a modular 220V outlet astatine home, it’s going to instrumentality a very, precise agelong time. Get yourself a 7kW location charging presumption connected single-phase electricity, and it’ll instrumentality determination successful the portion of 11 oregon 12 hours to fill.

That’ll driblet to astir 60 minutes from 0-80 per cent astatine a 50kW accelerated charger, oregon much similar 18-20 mins astatine a Supercharger oregon immoderate charging presumption pumping retired 150kW oregon more.

And the different large payment of buying a Tesla volition beryllium the information that you get entree to the Supercharger network, Australia-wide. There are much than 50 super-fast stations crossed the country, but hundreds much of Tesla’s slower destination chargers too.

CarExpert’s Take connected the Tesla Model Y RWD

The Tesla Model Y truly does merit its stranglehold connected the EV SUV market.

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It ticks truthful galore boxes that, if you tin larn to unrecorded with the weird interior minimalist quirks, it volition nary uncertainty acceptable your requirements if you privation an electrical car that offers a batch of value, space, and cred for your money.

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