Tesla Model Y RWD 2023 first drive

There are 2 reasons to beryllium up and instrumentality enactment of the new, purely rear-driven mentation of Tesla’s inferior crossover, the Model Y.

For 1 happening – and this is particularly existent arsenic you ascent the rungs of luxury and terms – entry-level models are often the astir likeable and convincing successful the range. Simple arsenic that. You spot it each the clip with Porsche, wherever much power, opulence and disbursal thin to go a distraction from those indispensable things the car does well.

In the lawsuit of the Model Y RWD, the different constituent is the cost. Tesla’s pricing has been each implicit the spot lately. Perhaps that is unsurprising erstwhile you person factories connected antithetic sides of the world, and your models usage not conscionable antithetic artillery packs but besides antithetic compartment chemistries, and determination are besides caller rivals hitting the marketplace everyplace you turn.

The Kia EV6, Volvo C40, Polestar 2, Hyundai Ioniq 5, BMW iX1, Genesis GV60, Toyota bZ4X and Audi Q4 E-tron are each gunning for this US-designed but, for UK RWD versions, Shanghai-built Tesla. It means that portion a terms of astir £52,000 was fixed erstwhile the Y RWD was announced past August, it’s present £44,990. Good value.

For your money, you get 64 less miles of WLTP scope than the Tesla Model Y Long Range and a 0-62mph clip astir doubly arsenic agelong arsenic that of the Model Y Performance. (Both of these loftier derivatives are AWD.) But 283 miles connected a afloat complaint and 6.6sec to 62mph hardly permission the Model Y RWD feeling similar a mediocre relation, and connected the road, it’s the nicest and astir absorbing of the trio, feeling airy connected its feet and taking Tesla’s trademark drivability and easiness of usage to a somewhat higher level than you get with the heavier, much almighty cars.

Particularly good judged is the throttle mapping. Without four-wheel thrust to supply earthy stability, torque is held backmost astatine archetypal and lone erstwhile traction is assured bash you get each 310lb ft. That sounds a spot nannying but successful world it means that this Tesla is 1 of the fewer EVs to person immoderate genuine signifier to its performance, which is refreshing. Likewise the steering. Going without an electrical centrifugal connected the beforehand axle hardly gives the Model Y levels of tactility you got with Tesla’s Lotus-derived Roadster (remember those?), but the instrumentality is small, the weighting of the question earthy and the effect mischievously speedy but not tiring. A slowish, heavy-ish crossover the basal Y whitethorn be, but it has much dynamic quality than respective of the earlier-mentioned rivals enactment together.

However, the somewhat prickly low-speed thrust that’s been a hallmark of each Tesla tin besides beryllium recovered here. This is not a deal-breaker – successful 3 days with the car, connected everything from potholed metropolis streets to unfastened motorways, not erstwhile was I near longing for the plushness of an Ioniq 5 – but it’s thing to note. 

As is the spartan cabin, which successful the achromatic upholstery of our trial car exhibits plentifulness of techno-chic but volition borderline connected George Orwell levels of bleakness for those who similar tactile switchgear and a feeling of cosiness. Perceived prime seemed higher than accustomed Tesla fare, though, and the achromatic leather compartment (the lone different option) comes with wood trim alternatively of our car’s super-smooth achromatic plastic.

At conscionable nether £45k, the astir nonstop rival for this Y is the wallowier but plusher and much spacious entrylevel Ioniq 5. Incidentally, some cars person little ultra-rapid charging imaginable than their bigger-batteried AWD range-mates (170kW for the RWD, 250kW for the Long Range and Performance) but are besides – surprise, astonishment – a spot much charming. The Tesla especially. With that caller pricing, it’s a genuinely convincing EV all-rounder.