• More space than a Model 3
• Ample shoulder and legroom
• Questionable infotainment

How much space is there?

Despite occupying barely any more space on the road than a Tesla Model 3, the Model Y feels far roomier inside. It’s a generous family car, with enough space in the back to carry two adults comfortably. The sloping roof means headroom is a more of a premium, but it shouldn’t trouble anyone who doesn’t have a career in the NBA.

Plus, because it has a completely flat floor, when you do need to squeeze three passengers onto the rear bench, they won’t be bickering over foot room. Still, if you’re still struggling for room, the Skoda Enyaq offers more space for less cash.

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At least the Model Y’s panoramic sunroof and minimalist cabin add to its feeling of spaciousness. However, what you gain in airiness, you lose in ease-of-use and safety.

Boot space and storage

Tesla hasn’t yet given us a full spec sheet for the updated Model Y. Apparently the folk who built the car have no idea how much power it produces, how quickly it charges or how much stuff you can cram into its boot. In fairness, though, the entire Tesla PR team is probably working around the clock to extinguish Musk’s latest tabloid inferno.

I’ll go off the old car’s specs for now, then, because I’m 99% sure they won’t have changed for the facelift. Tesla quotes a maximum boot capacity of 854 litres, which sounds vast when you compare it to the Skoda Enyaq’s 585 litres. It’s worth noting, though, that’s with the boot packed to the height of the glass in the tailgate rather than the parcel shelf.

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Fold all the Tesla’s seats flat and you’ll have 2,138 litres of space to play with, which is getting on for the amount of space available in the back of some small vans. The load floor’s also flat, which makes it easy to slide heavy items into place.

That new centre console is good, too. It’s more useful than the old Model Y’s, as it has deeper storage bins and better cupholders than can be hidden beneath a sliding lid when they’re not being used. There are also two wireless smartphone chargers underneath the infotainment screen. I’m disappointed to report that you still open the glovebox using a sub-menu on the touchscreen. It’s idiotic.

Is it easy to park?

Reasonably, once you’re used to its Yank tank dimensions. Plus, because Tesla is a technology company as well as a car manufacturer, the Model Y is littered with cameras and parking sensors. So, you’ve no excuse for reversing it into a bollard.

Alternatively, you can have the car park itself using Tesla’s self-driving settings. If you can’t be bothered to walk the last 10 yards to the car, you can even have it come to you using ‘Summon’ mode. When we tested it, it worked alright – although we’d advise against using it in anything other than an empty car park.

Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP safety score
• Advanced driver assistance optional
• Massive screen is very distracting

The Model Y received a full five-star safety score from Euro NCAP, with particularly high marks in the adult protection category. It’s also loaded with tonnes of safety equipment designed to stop you having an accident in the first place. These include autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection and lane assist.

Not all is well, though. Tesla’s Autopilot system is a particular point of contention. While the name suggests the car can drive itself, the reality is far from this. It’s more of a fancy adaptive cruise control system that can steer, maintain speed and change lanes with minimal driver input – although the technology is undeniably at its best on motorways.

Euro NCAP highlighted the limitations of Tesla’s Autopilot system in its new Assisted Driving Gradings in 2020. The safety group benchmarked the Model 3 (which is technologically identical to the Model Y), reporting that the assistance systems need to do more to improve driver engagement, by both informing owners of the limitations and ensuring the driver is paying attention to the road.

I’d also like to mention the safety limitations of the touchscreen. Because it’s used to control every function on the car – and every function is buried within at least two sub-menus – it’s rather distracting.

Even menial tasks, such as tweaking the steering column or adjusting the door mirrors, require you to tear your eyes away from the road and focus all your energy on the screen to navigate to the correct chapter in the library of menus at your fingertips. It’s a ludicrous decision for a species that’s largely outlawed the use of mobile phones while driving.

Watch the Tesla Model 3 Euro NCAP crash test video