Another step forward for Model Y as Tesla boosts range and tech

Customers can choose from three versions, but a personal favourite is the Long Range rear wheel drive option, tested here.

In this guise, the Model Y ticks a lot of the right boxes, rather emphatically.

The Model Y catches the sunshine The range has been increased to 387 miles according to official tests, compared to a still-decent 311 miles for the basic model. Energy consumption stands at 22.89 kWh per 100 miles on the smart-looking 20-inch Helix 2.0 wheels.

During a couple of lengthy motorway stints, that extra range was much-appreciated. Charging is swift and, with 250kWh charging speeds, you can reach up to 150 miles in just 15 minutes.

The fact the power is put down on the road through the rear wheels enhances driver engagement, with the fast-accelerating Model Y feeling very responsive and nimble when tackling tight corners on the B-roads.

The vehicle boasts sleep looks Prior to its mid-life facelift earlier this year, ride comfort wasn’t necessarily a plus point for the Model Y – but adjustments to the suspension mean the vehicle now feels more compliant on undulating or bumpy roads.

Tesla recently hit the headlines by demonstrating its cars’ fully self-driving capabilities in tests on UK public roads.

It released two videos showing a Model 3 negotiating central London and Swindon’s Magic Roundabout while the person in the driver’s seat is not holding the steering wheel.

Interestingly, the Model 3 used for the videos contains the same hardware as vehicles delivered to customers today, but has software currently available only to its engineers. The company is awaiting regulatory approval to use its unsupervised full self-driving capabilities in the UK.

The interior is an uncluttered, relaxed and well laid-out space On my test car, Enhanced Autopilot opened up a suite of features to upgrade the driving experience from Basic Autopilot – and those features are worth outlining in detail.

It provided access to active safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot collision warning, and lane departure avoidance.

Meanwhile, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control matches the speed of the vehicle to that of the surrounding traffic.

Autosteer assists in steering within a clearly marked lane and uses traffic-aware cruise control, while Auto Lane Change assists in moving to an adjacent lane on the motorway when Autosteer is engaged.

The Supercharger network is a major plus point for Tesla Navigate on Autopilot guides your vehicle from a motorway’s on-ramp to off-ramp by suggesting lane changes, prior to navigating interchanges, and taking the correct exit.

Autopark helps automatically parallel or perpendicular park your vehicle, with a single touch.

Meanwhile, Dumb Summon moves your vehicle in and out of a tight space using the mobile app or key.

Actually Smart Summon means the vehicle will navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, manoeuvring around objects as necessary to come find you in a parking lot.

Away from the safety tech, the current Model Y retains many of the features that made it so popular in recent years, notably a relaxing, uncluttered and spacious cabin, superb in car connectivity and a suite of entertainment features that are hard to beat.

The Lowdown

Tesla Model Y
VERSION: Long range, rear wheel drive
ACCELERATION: 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds
TOP SPEED: 125mph
RANGE: 387 miles on WLTP scale
PRICE: From £52,990