2025
Tesla New Model Y

Even with a “completely redesigned exterior,” as Tesla says, the EV is instantly recognizable as a Model Y—and at speed, it can easily be confused with the previous-generation models.

The Model Y retains the short hood in front of the egglike design of the cabin. In many ways, it looks like a Model 3 sedan that had its roof inflated. The most noticeable changes come at the front and rear of the SUV. The hood—which covers the front trunk—is flatter and drops down to a narrow, Cybertruck-like light bar that runs the width of the Y’s nose. That bar connects to super-slim headlights that sit at the leading edge of the front fenders.

Below that is bodywork where the license plate would mount. Whereas the last Model Y had concave, oval-like bodywork in the space, the new version has a flat, rectangular panel. Restyled vents sit at the leading edge of the front wheel arches, while the low air vent at the bottom center of the nose looks similar to the last model.

From the side, the new Y is almost indistinguishable from the 2024 model, even at a longer glance. The side-marker light at the rear of the front fender is larger, with a styling detail that extends into the front doors. The SUV retains the flush door handles that aid the Model Y’s aerodynamics but require an awkward hand pivot to pull them out.

When compared with the 2024 Model Y, the panel changes are more evident, with deeply sculpted fenders, a number of sharp creases, and a large scallop that bridges the front and rear doors.

The biggest change at the tail is the large, single light bar that spans nearly the entire width of the SUV. It uses LED lights that face inward, with their light reflecting off of the bodywork to create a glow. A pronounced lip spoiler sits above the light and is integrated into the bodywork. This aerodynamic aid is larger than the standard one found on the previous Model Y.

Like the Model 3 we tested, the Model Y’s interior is very much a minimalist design, which can seem bare-bones upon first inspection. But the materials appear to be high-quality, including swaths of soft suede trim on all four doors and the dash, as well as contrasting stitching on the door armrests, center armrest, and the front part of the center console. The biggest difference between the interiors of the 3 and Y is the SUV’s additional headroom and its hatchback cargo area. The rear seats can be power-folded down to form a large, flat load floor that greatly expands the cargo area.

Front visibility is expansive because the lack of a driver’s instrument panel gives a straight view out over the hood. Visibility appears to remain good to the front and sides, although the sloping rear roof and thick roof pillars are likely to compromise visibility, just as in the older Model Y.

With the freshened interior comes the same unfortunate controls that the company rolled out on the Model 3, Model S, and Cybertruck. Besides the steering wheel, there are almost no other physical controls. Nearly every function is handled either through touch-sensitive surfaces on the steering wheel or the 15.4-inch center touchscreen. The driver selects Drive or Park by sliding or tapping a finger along the left side of the touchscreen, moving an icon to make their choice. We found Tesla’s move frustrating in the Model 3.

However, in the Y the turn signals are operated by a stalk on the left side of the steering column instead of through buttons on the steering wheel, as in the Model 3.

Rear-seat passengers get an 8-inch touchscreen that allows them to adjust the climate and some entertainment aspects. But in the Model 3, we found the screen was positioned too low and far away to use comfortably.

The center console has two standard wireless charging trays. The rear seat comes equipped with two USB Type-C ports.

Both the discontinued Launch Series and the Long Range version that is currently available use two electric motors, giving the SUV all-wheel drive. According to Tesla, this model’s EPA-estimated driving range is 327 miles on a full charge.

As of May, Tesla just added a rear-wheel drive version, with an estmated 357-mile driving range.

The Y also gets an updated suspension. Whether it’s identical to what we experienced in our tested Model 3 remains to be seen. But in our tests, the sedan had a more compliant ride than its predecessor, which was too harsh. The last Model Y we tested had a similarly harsh ride quality, and we expect improvements with the new SUV.

The Model 3 comes standard with lane departure warning (LDW), lane keeping assistance (LKA), Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (Tesla’s name for adaptive cruise control, or ACC), and Autosteer (the automaker’s name for lane centering assistance, or LCA). It also has Autopilot, which is Tesla’s active driving assistance (ADA) system, which allows for the simultaneous use of ACC and LCA.

The system Tesla calls Full Self-Driving (Supervised) (FSD) is optional on the Long Range version. Built on top of the Autopilot hands-free driving system, FSD is designed to control steering and speed, enabling the vehicle to navigate complex situations like highway interchanges, turns, and intersections along the entire route. In our tests of the Model 3, we found the system could cause the vehicle to unexpectedly change lanes on its own or make turns abruptly, disrupting traffic flow.