• More space than a Model 3
• Good head- and legroom
• Seriously good safety scores

How much space is there?

Despite having a relatively small footprint on the road, the Model Y is a generous five-seater, with room for all the family. Like the Tesla Model 3, it’s roomy for the front two rows with supportive seats and a commanding driving position, while the ‘vegan leather’ upholstery feels robust and should be easy to maintain, though we would personally avoid the white upholstery option.

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A panoramic glass roof and a raised seating position add to the feeling of spaciousness, which is further emphasised by the deep and wide windscreen and minimalist dashboard. There’s good if not outstanding room for tall adults in the back, although the flat floor and ample footwells help comfort. If you want more space, a Skoda Enyaq offers more for less cash. Forward visibility is excellent, although thick pillars make judging angled junctions difficult.

Boot space and storage

Tesla quotes a boot capacity of 854 litres, which is vast, but it’s worth noting that the figure quoted is capacity to the roof. We say roof, but really it’s to the glass of the steeply raked tailgate. Older models lacked a parcel shelf but new models have one, although it is very cheaply made and isn’t connected to the tailgate, which means it doesn’t lift up when the boot opens, and ends up getting in the way.

There’s an electrically powered tailgate, which can be opened via a button on the boot lid or a smartphone app, while the 40:20:40 split rear seats fold completely flat with the push of a button set into one side of the boot, which frees up 2,041 litres of space. There’s a level load floor that isn’t too high to get items in and out, while under-floor storage is decent – certainly a lot better than we’ve found in an Audi Q4 E-Tron. And there’s additional space under the bonnet that’s ideal for holding charging cables.

Cabin storage is pretty good, with a large armrest cubby and decent door bins, although opening the glovebox is fiddly, because we had to do it via a sub-menu in the touchscreen, rather than with a physical button or lever. Tesla also provides two wireless phone charging docks up front, and there are four USB-C charging sockets, two of which are in the back.

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Is it easy to park?

Tesla is a tech company as much as it is a car maker, so the Model Y is loaded with kit that’s designed to make life easier. There are parking sensors all round, and cameras front, rear and to the sides. The array of sensors on board mean self-parking is possible, while Tesla also offers its Summon function, which allowed us to drive and steer the car remotely – when we tested it, it worked, although we’d advise against using it in anything other than an empty parking area.

The quick steering rack allowed us to turn from lock to lock with ease, while the large windows and relatively high driving position gave us a clear view out. Combine this with the wide camera angles that appear on the 15.4-inch landscape touchscreen (where you can prioritise which view you want to look at), and not many other cars could provide us with as clear an idea of the car’s position when parking.

Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP rating
• Advanced driver assistance optional
• Comprehensive suite of safety tech standard

The Model Y received the full five stars from Euro NCAP, with particularly high scores for adult protection in the event of a crash and safety assist features help prevent one in the first place. Safety equipment includes six airbags, Isofix child seat attachments in the back seats, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, speed limit and traffic sign assist and lane assist.

One point of contention with all Teslas, Model Y included, is the Autopilot semi-autonomous system. While the name suggests that the car can drive itself, the reality is far from this, and it’s more of an adaptive cruise control system – albeit a very clever one. There are different stages of the system on offer, with some features unlockable via over-the-air updates if you pay extra for them. At the top of the scale, the system can steer, maintain speed and change lanes with the minimum of driver input, although the system only really works at its best on motorways.

Euro NCAP highlighted the limitations of the Autopilot system in its new Assisted Driving Gradings in 2020. While it was the Model 3 that was tested, the findings can be applied to the Model Y, too. Euro NCAP reported that the assistance systems needed to do more to improve driver engagement, both in terms of informing owners of the limitations of the system, but also by ensuring the driver is paying attention to driving.