Design and Build

Though the Model Y shares a platform with its Model 3 showroom stablemate, it's around 10% longer - 4,750mm in length. And of course, being an SUV, it's a hatch, not a saloon. Getting in and out via the pillarless doors is easier because of the taller body. And Tesla has designed the car to be able to incorporate an optional 3rd seating row too, though the occupants had better not be above school age. The 3rd row option's currently not available in the UK. As usual with Teslas, you open the car with your smartphone - there's no physical key - but if it's run out of battery, you get a credit card-sized key as well, just in case. Inside, differences over the Model 3 saloon are few, the dash and interior of that car carried over almost completely. There's a bigger panoramic glass roof - that's the only real difference. So, as usual on a Tesla, the fascia is dominated by a huge central infotainment touchscreen of upright portrait format. Build quality and material richness might not be quite what you're looking for if you're seeking a premium branded model in this sector but it's quite comparable with a volume maker rival. As usual with a Tesla, there are almost no physical buttons in the cabin - almost everything's controlled via the touchscreen, which is sharp to look at and as easy to use as ever. The back seat is comfortable for a couple of adults. And if you choose the Long Range All-Wheel Drive model, you'll be offered the option of a third seating row. With the normal five-seat versions, there's a decently-sized boot, 854-litres in size if you load up to the roof; extendable to 2,158-litres in size if you fold the rear seats. You also get a bit of extra space under the bonnet. For the seven-seat version, there's a 363-litre boot with all the chairs in place, extending to 2,040-litres with the second and third rows flat.

Market and Model

Prices start at around £47,000 for the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant. You'll be paying just under £52,000 for the dual motor Long Range All-Wheel Drive version, with a £2,500 premium necessary if you want it with a third seating row. For the top 'Performance' model, you'll need a £60,000 budget. Standard equipment includes all the usual executive niceties. And there's a forward facing radar that scans the road 160-metres ahead as you drive, providing a long-range view of distant objects. A 360-degree camera system makes parking easier too. And there are plenty of luxury features, things like a 14-speaker premium audio system, 12-way power adjustable leather front seats and a tinted panoramic glass roof with ultra violet/infra-red protection. There's a choice of 19 or 20-inch wheels. and a black or white-themed interior. Safety should be a strong point. Tesla says the Model Y is designed to be the safest vehicle in its class. The low centre of gravity, rigid body structure and large crumple zones provide strong protection. Like all new Teslas, this one comes as standard with emergency braking, collision warning, blind-spot monitoring and more. For an extra £3,400, you can add an 'Enhanced Autopilot' pack, which allows the car to navigate on Autopilot and includes Auto Lane Change and Auto Park features, the latter incorporating a 'Summon' system that allows you to stand outside your Model Y and park it with your smartphone. For £6,800 more, you can also add Full Self-Driving capability, including all the 'Enhanced Autopilot' pack features and enabling automatic driving on city streets and highways pending regulatory approval, as well as Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control: brilliant.

Cost of Ownership

Owning a Model Y will of course be very different from owning a conventionally powered compact-to-mid-sized SUV. There'll be no fuel bills of course and servicing costs will be much smaller. The annual service fee covers an annual inspection, replacement parts like brake pads and windscreen wipers, 24 hour roadside assistance, system monitoring, remote diagnostics, software updates and new features sent through the touchscreen. As for driving range, well we'll repeat the figures quoted earlier - 373 miles for the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive version, 331 miles for the Long Range All-Wheel Drive variant and 319 miles for the top 'Performance' model. The car responds best to nightly recharges, but will happily sit for a couple of weeks at an airport while you holiday without losing significant charge, though over longer stationary periods, the cells will slowly lose their charge. The Model Y is compatible with the US brand's third generation public Superchargers, which are capable of 250kW charging. Hooked up to one of these, your Model Y will be able to recover 75 miles of range in five minutes, or up to 168 miles in fifteen minutes, with a peak charging rate equivalent to 1000 miles for every hour. Tesla currently has more than 20,000 Superchargers globally across 36 countries.

Summary

There's no doubt that the Model Y is the most important Tesla yet. And it's a car you'll get used to seeing on our roads. European rivals are catching this American brand quickly in terms of electrified powertrain technology and they still often shade Tesla in terms of cabin quality. But they still can't (yet) match Tesla's public charging infrastructure. There's nothing from any other maker like Tesla's network of 'Supercharging' stations. And that'll sway many customers towards this car. These people will also like the fact that the Model Y is arguably the most avant garde compact-to-medium-sized SUV in its segment. And potentially (in top 'Performance' form) the very fastest too. If these sound like winning attributes in a car of this kind, you'll know where to start your search.