• Pre-facelift car proved to be efficient
• Access to Tesla’s Supercharger network
• New car claims to be more economical

What are the running costs?

If you charge the Model Y up at home, it shouldn’t cost too much to keep on the road. We also found the pre-facelift Long Range RWD car to be very economical in our efficiency tests. It averaged 4.0-miles per kWh on a gentle run, meaning Tesla’s official range predictions should be achievable in the right conditions.

Plus, it should be easier to achieve those range figures with this new car because Tesla says its more aerodynamically efficient than the old Model Y. We’ll need to conduct a proper range test before I can definitively call it – but, considering the updated Model Y shares its battery and motor tech with the old car, I reckon it’ll be at least as good.

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That’s a huge selling point because Tesla’s rivals have only recently managed to catch up to its range figures. For example, the updated Kia EV6 has a best-case scenario range of 361 miles, while the slightly smaller Renault Scenic can travel a claimed 379 miles. So, the Model Y makes a decent enough choice for long-distance commuters (if you can live with the irritating ride).

It’s also worth mentioning that, if you need the maximum amount of range possible from your Tesla, you’ll be better served by the recently updated Model 3. You sacrifice a bit of space, but its new Long Range Rear Wheel Drive version can travel more than 400 miles on a charge. It’s also a bit cheaper to buy than the Model Y like-for-like.

Range and charging

I reckon a huge part of Tesla’s success can be attributed to its Supercharger network. It’s easily the best public EV charging network on the market which, at the time of writing spanned 1,800 locations across the UK and Ireland. That’s solid density.

They also offer solid charging speeds. Tesla’s latest charge points kick out a massive 250kW of power, which the firm says is enough to shove 150 miles of range into the Model Y’s battery in just 15 minutes. Tesla’s also keen to point out that its rates are quite affordable at 50p per kWh. My colleagues have paid 60–70p per kWh from other providers.

Plus, Tesla’s sat-nav system knows when you need to stop and charge. On your way into the services, it’ll automatically pre-condition the battery to cut charge times down to their absolute minimum. We’ve also found Tesla’s Superchargers to be very reliable. So, if you spend a lot of time on the motorway, that might be enough to sway your decision.

From an 11kW home wallbox, charging the Model Y takes five-and-a-half hours.

Servicing and warranty

Tesla offers a four-year warranty, which is 12 months longer than you’ll get from the likes of Skoda and Volkswagen. However, the distance limit is set to 50,000 miles. Most rivals with three-year warranty cover will have a 60,000-mile maximum limit.

Servicing costs should be lower than for a combustion-engined car, though, as there are fewer moving parts in the Model Y’s powertrain. The infotainment system will also advise you when your car needs maintenance, and you can schedule service centre visits using Tesla’s smartphone app.

Reliability

• Tesla has a poor reliability record
• Customer service is equally problematic
• Build quality has improved – but it’s not perfect

For every satisfied Tesla customer, there seems to one who can’t hurl enough abuse at the company. Plenty of owners have reported build quality issues that wouldn’t be seen from manufacturers such as Audi or BMW.

I’ve witnessed them first hand, too. Just before the Model Y was facelifted, we had a blue one pass through the office for testing. I noticed that none of the panels fit properly – and the gap between the two doors on the passenger side was large enough to scan the QR on the weights and pressures sticker inside the B-pillar. That’s just shonky.

However, Tesla has made significant strides compared to its earlier cars. The latest Model Y is largely screwed together well and, apart from the worrying steering knock on our test car, everything worked as it should. I didn’t spend an awful lot of time with the car, though, so I’m interested to see if any issues rear their head long-term. If you’ve got a Model Y, tell me about your experience by sending in an owner review.