Tesla Model Y Pros and Cons: What To Know When Weighing Your Decision
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The Tesla Model Y is a fully electric, mid-size SUV from the ever-popular Tesla name. It’s been around since 2020 and offers another variation on the models released by the name brand. If you’re interested in making this futuristic vehicle yours, it’s critical to consider the most significant Tesla Model Y pros and cons.
No car is perfect, and that statement even applies to the exciting design of the Tesla Model Y. Electric cars are still in their newest stages of development, so it’s helpful to consider the flaws before making a final decision. Keep reading to learn more about what we love and are not a fan of in the Tesla Model Y.
What We Love: Tesla Model Y Pros
From a roomy interior to a solid driving range, there are many ways in which the Model Y stands out. Let’s go over the best of the Tesla Model Y pros and cons.
Roomy Interior
One of the best parts about the Tesla Model Y is that it’s far more roomy than other iterations of the electric vehicle. Unfortunately, one of the worst aspects of the Tesla is its limited room for passengers in the rear and front - the Tesla Model Y makes a little more room for passengers to stretch out and make themselves comfortable.
According to tesla.com, you get 41 inches of headroom up front and 39.4 in the back. Legroom comes in at 41.8 inches in the front and 40.5 inches in the back, while the shoulder room lands at 56.4 inches in the front and 54 inches in the back. These numbers are a vast improvement on other releases from the Tesla name.
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Excellent Driving Range
The Tesla Model Y has an excellent driving range, which is good news for those who want an electric vehicle to commute longer distances and have a charger ready to equip the car at home. According to caranddriver.com, the long-range Tesla Model Y has a range of 127 MPGe in the city and 117 MPGe on the highway - astounding numbers compared to gas cars.
If you don’t want to invest in the long-range version of the vehicle, you can go with the performance Tesla Model Y. This one doesn’t have quite the same range as the long-range, but it’s still solid - you’ll get around 115 MPGe in the city and 106 MPGe on the highway.
The standard range for the vehicle hits around 260 miles. The long-range version can tip just over 300 miles in the right driving conditions.
Top-Notch Acceleration
Finally, we love the acceleration available in the Tesla Model Y. You can kick it into gear very quickly, making it easy to merge with traffic and a joy to drive for those who want something fast under their fingertips.
The Tesla Model Y can go from 0-60 mph in an astounding 4.4 seconds, which is light years faster than many competitors. That’s the long-range model - if you pick the performance version, it only takes 3.3 seconds to hit this speed. It’s incredible to see what this electric car body can do.
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What We Dislike: Tesla Model Y Cons
Unfortunately, troublesome areas like an overly digital interior and clumsy handling add significant flaws to the Tesla Model Y. Let’s cover some of the less appealing aspects of the Tesla Model Y pros and cons.
Overly Digital Interior
Unfortunately, one aspect of investing in a Tesla is that you are subject to Tesla’s reliance on all things screens. Rather than having physical buttons to press inside the car, there is one large infotainment screen at the center. Everything is on here, from the seat warmers to your music.
The infotainment screen is futuristic, but it can lead to frustrating experiences when trying to select items. It can feel impossible to locate some things, and it might seem like much more work to complete a simple task than it would if you were to have physical knobs and switches in the car’s interface.
Build Quality Disappointment
Another drawback that seems to stretch across all cars produced by Tesla is the poor quality of the materials inside the car. Instead of high-quality products inside, you’ll notice plenty of plastic, creating sleek shapes and designs for passengers. It lowers the experience significantly for those inside.
The Tesla Model Y does have a leg up in the tech and speed areas, but it’s outpaced by competitors who take the time to ensure their car looks just as good on the inside as it does on the outside. Those who love their car’s appearance will be disappointed by the build quality of the Tesla Model Y.
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Clumsy Handling
Finally, we found the Tesla Model Y to have overall clumsy handling. Since the vehicle is much larger than other Tesla iterations like the Model 3, it has a higher center of gravity. This fact will impact the sharpness of the handling, which is a characteristic many enjoy in the more scraped Model 3.
The driving satisfaction of the Model Y simply isn’t the same as in the Model 3. You’ll feel every imperfection on the road and won’t feel as in control of the power in the Model Y as in other selections.
Final Thoughts
There are many Tesla Model Y pros and cons to consider before buying. On one hand, the car has a roomy interior, excellent driving range, and top-notch acceleration. On the other hand, it comes with an overly digital interior, build quality disappointment, and some of the clumsiest handling in its category.
Ultimately, there are things to love and things to hate about the Tesla Model Y - as with any vehicle. Some will find the cons problematic to overcome, while others will take no issue and prefer the pros. It’s up to you to decide which works best for your life and if there’s room for the Tesla Model Y in your driveway.
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