Tesla Model Y is the best EV yet — detailed video review

Is Tesla Model Y the best electric vehicle ever built? A popular Tesla YouTuber Andy Slye posts a detailed video review of the vehicle, he owns an early built Tesla Model 3 RWD for more than 2 years now for which he recently shared the cost of ownership for this period.

One thing I liked about this review is that it uses the latest YouTube functionality to break-down the video into several parts that the user can select to directly jump to the desired feature/option, pretty useful. Andy broke the review into the following sections:

• 0:00 Tesla Model Y Review
• 0:10 Model Y Overview
• 1:33 Config & Pricing
• 2:49 Model Y Delivery
• 3:18 Design Overview
• 4:31 Tesla App
• 5:44 Model Y Interior
• 7:14 Size & Storage
• 8:33 Power Liftgate Hatchback
• 10:55 Height & Seats
• 12:42 Performance
• 14:43 Battery & Efficiency
• 16:02 Charging & Supercharging
• 18:52 Driving Experience
• 21:59 Software & Touchscreen
• 25:23 Tesla Autopilot
• 28:11 Safety
• 29:19 Fit & Finish
• 30:16 Conclusion

The other great thing about Andy’s videos is that he uses great cameras, both conventional and drone shots are excellent for up to 4K resolution.

Although the video review was great, with Tesla there are always some interesting updates and information to share, so I had to put the following points together to supplement the video review above.

Pricing Changes

Since this review was released on July 9th and a few days later Tesla made changes to the Model Y pricing and Elon Musk gave a few more hints towards future plans, the new price for the Model Y Long Range RWD is now $49,990.

Model 3 vs. Model Y Cargo Space

Comparing the actual cargo space with 2nd-row seats down in this review was really helpful as we can see that the Tesla website is a bit confusing when it comes to the cargo volume of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, the listed cargo capacity of the Model 3 is 15 cu ft. while for the Y it is 66 cu ft. — actually, with the 2nd-row seats down, the Model 3 cargo space is 43 cu ft. which is just 23 cu ft. less than the Model Y capacity.

Another Tesla fan brought a measuring tape with him and took every possible measurement of the Tesla Model Y from the inside and out, pretty helpful numbers for someone interested in buying the car.

Tesla Mobile App

The Tesla App is not just used for locking and unlocking the car, it can be used to perform many functions including calling it to yourself from the parking lot known as ‘Smart Summon’ — other functions include remote climate control, opening the front trunk (frunk), opening/closing the rear trunk, honk, flash, set speed limit, turn the Sentry Mode on or off or even enable Keyless Driving if you want someone to drive the car to you.

Battery status and car’s exact GPS location information can also be accessed through the Tesla Mobile App, just amazing.

Technology & Engineering

Model Y electric SUV is Tesla’s most advanced production vehicle to date as it incorporates the latest engineering and technological advancements achieved by the Silicon Valley-based automaker’s R&D team, a small example of this is the introduction of the heat pump and the octovalve discovered in the vehicle’s teardown by Sandy Munro who is a guru in this field.

The heat pump will allow the Tesla Model Y to be more efficient in the winter months and get the car batteries and the interior climate get all heated up quicker than the Tesla Model 3 which still lacks this gadget.

Driving Experience

Tesla Model Y driving experience has already received acclaim from the likes of Edmunds (track test) and the legendary Jay Leno, the smooth noise-free drive of this compact electric SUV coupled with the instant torque doesn’t get old every time a driver floors the accelerator, many Model Y owners have attested to this feeling.

Safety

Although the Tesla Model Y is not yet tested by the NHTSA for safety ratings it is not unsafe to assume that it will score the highest stars like the Tesla Model 3 since it is built on the same platform.

Low center of gravity, rigid body structure, and large crumple zones in addition to the Autopilot hardware (8+1 cameras, 12 ultrasonics, 1 radar) and software suite makes it one of the safest cars in the world.

Verdict

Tesla Model Y is currently the only electric hatchback with a 316 miles (~508 km) range and is also equipped with the latest tech and safety gadgets like the Autopilot, Center Touchscreen with maps and navigation right out of the box, unique in-car entertainment with video games, Spotify, YouTube, and a growing list of apps and features that you don’t need to pay an extra dime for, thanks to Tesla’s free over-the-air software updates.

Since Model Y is the best Tesla produced yet, it’s by far the best electric car ever produced as well, had it not been the intervention of the COVID-19 situation, the sales of this Tesla masterpiece would’ve gone wild, still the production and delivery numbers are showing progress and giving way for the company to possibly join the S&P 500 index.

Reviewer Andy added the following thoughts in his video description:

The Model Y is Tesla’s latest vehicle to its all-electric lineup, and many people think it will quickly become the most successful best-selling Tesla ever.

After becoming a Tesla owner myself in 2018 I’ve helped thousands of people make the decision of whether to buy a Tesla or not and in this video, I’ll share my full in-depth review of a Tesla Model Y that I rented for a week so you can find out if it actually lives up to the hype.

Tesla says the Model Y is a fully electric mid-size sport utility vehicle, but it can also be considered a compact crossover because it’s based on the same platform of Tesla’s cheaper Model 3 sedan and shares about 75% of the same parts, with the biggest differences being Model Y’s bigger cargo space and a powered liftgate hatchback instead of a manual trunk.

This particular Model Y is a midnight silver Long Range AWD with 20” Induction wheels, 5-seat black interior, and basic Autopilot. The total cost after the sales tax was right at around $60,000. So as you can see from its price tag, the Model Y is considered a luxury vehicle.

But is it worth that much money? Tesla Model Y has an attractive design and provides the best things about the Model 3 with even more space at an elevated view while being much more affordable than Tesla’s only other SUV – the Model X. The Model Y is pretty much the only option for people who want a fully electric hatchback vehicle with at least 300 miles of range, along with a high level of performance and quickness.

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