Here's How Our Long-Term Tesla Model Y Held Up After 4 Years

• We've owned a Tesla Model Y Performance for four years.
• We drag-raced it, took it on road trips, and lived with it for about 40,000 miles.
• How has it held up in that time? Dig in to find out.

It was roughly four years ago that I first took delivery of Edmunds' long-term Tesla Model Y. It was right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020. I remember trying to keep my 6 feet of social distance from the Tesla rep as I signed the documents in the parking lot of the building where I lived. Since then, we've put nearly 40,000 miles on this Model Y, meaning it's had one of the longest tenures in Edmunds' long-term fleet. 

What we bought vs. what it costs now

We bought a Model Y in All-Wheel Drive Performance trim in red multi-coat paint. We also opted for the Model Y's no-cost Performance Upgrade, which added 21-inch wheels, better brakes, a lowered suspension and aluminum alloy pedals. This upgrade dropped the EPA range estimate from 315 miles to 280 miles, but it increased the top speed from 145 mph to 155 mph.

In 2020, this Model Y Performance had a starting price of $61,125 (including destination). Tesla's pricing tends to fluctuate over the years, and the Model Y's MSRP peaked at nearly $70,000 in early 2023. Today, this same car goes for thousands less, at $55,880 (with destination), and is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Tesla had run out of tax credits in early 2020, and so we had to pay full price for ours.

We also paid $5,000 extra for Full Self-Driving (FSD), which is still in beta testing and isn't a true hands-free system. That price almost seems like a bargain compared to the $12,000 it costs now. When you factor in FSD and apply the tax credit, the 2024 Model Y ends up costing $60,880. Skip the FSD, and you'll have a real performance bargain on your hands.

On the used market today, our Model Y would fetch anywhere from about $30,000 to $34,000, depending on whether we traded it in or sold it privately. This is roughly a 50% depreciation over four years.

What we liked: Impressive performance

Our Model Y Performance lived up to the name during its time with us. In Edmunds' testing, our best recorded 0-to-60-mph time was 3.7 seconds, and it ran the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds at 115 mph. Those are amazing numbers not just for an SUV but for any vehicle, really.

We then ran the Model Y through nearly a dozen drag races; it won seven and lost four. But look at some of the cars we lined it up against. This really proves the Model Y's performance chops.

• vs. Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk: win
• vs. Dodge Durango Hellcat: win
• vs. Porsche Taycan: win
• vs. Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: win
• vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E GT: win
• vs. BMW X3 M: win
• vs. Mercedes-AMG GLC 63: win
• vs. Kia EV6 GT: loss
• vs. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray: loss
• vs. Lamborghini Urus: loss
• vs. Tesla Model S Plaid: loss

"This thing is fun. Like, put a capital 'F' cuss word with an 'ing' before 'fun' and that works for me, too," writes senior manager of written content Brent Romans. "I like that I don't have to seek out some deserted road to enjoy it. The steering is quick, and the whole vehicle is impressively nimble."

What we didn't like: Overly stiff ride

Just about everyone who drove or rode in our Model Y with its 21-inch wheels noticed its harsh ride quality.

"Ride quality has never been a Tesla strength, but it's perpetuated in the Performance upgrade version of the Y by the retuned suspension and huge wheels," said VP and editor-in-chief Alistair Weaver. "Put simply, the Y never feels settled, to the point where my wife complained of being slightly nauseous while riding in the rear about town. It will be interesting to learn whether others have the same experience."

"This is the first opportunity I’ve had to spend real time in our long-term Model Y and, wow, I simply cannot stand it," added senior news editor Nick Yekikian. "There is not a single $70,000 car that rides this poorly. It jitters and creaks over everything. It even manages to find ruts in roads that look perfectly paved. Typically when you’re in a car, your eyes see a crack or a road imperfection of some kind and your brain thinks, 'That will make this kind of noise,' and very often you’re right. Not so in the Model Y. Everything it impacts makes a huge thunk that sends shimmies up your spine. You grit your teeth at the sight of anything that isn’t supremely flat and well paved. I do not know how they managed to get this so spectacularly wrong. I won’t even give it leeway for being the 'Performance' version — there are plenty of performance cars that have managed to find a more reasonable ride/handling balance. I know our car is older now and newer cars supposedly ride better, but how this was deemed OK from the start is a mystery to me."

"My experience in the Model Y wasn’t quite as I’d expected," creative services project manager Carrie Kim added to our Tesla's logbook. "To be fair, our Model Y is the Performance model, so it delivers a sportier, stiffer ride than your average EV. However, after 90-plus minutes in the car, I was feeling a little beat-up when I got home. I also wasn’t expecting such a noisy cabin. It seemed like every turn or brake caused loud creaks or rumbles. It sounded like the inside of an airport shuttle and not the smooth, futuristic ride I’d imagined."

"To add to the chorus: The Model Y's suspension is quite stiff," chimes in editor Jake Sundstrom. "This may be one of the quickest SUVs you can buy, but if you're not looking to take this to your local drag strip to embarrass a Dodge Challenger ... well, it's not the commute I'd want to have."

Persistent issues: Build quality

Poor build quality has been a longstanding issue with the Teslas we've owned, dating back to our 2013 Tesla Model S. In our Model Y, we've had a sun visor clip pop out of place, get fixed and then pop out again. We noted loose trim pieces on the interior windshield pillar and seat belt adjuster, plus a foglight that became unglued and sunk into the front bumper.

We'd often hear rattling noises from inside the cabin as the car went over bumps. One of the causes was a faulty driver's side front window regulator that needed to be replaced because it would rattle the door when the window was down.

There was also a clicking noise from the suspension that could be heard when the vehicle was making slow-speed turns. Tesla replaced the front left and right upper control arms and hubs in the suspension, plus the left and right hubs. Lastly, Tesla threw in an alignment to make sure the ride was properly tuned.

"The Model Y's cabin is so noisy; you hear creaks coming at you from every angle," wrote editorial assistant Albert Hernandez. "The sounds seem to be coming from loose panels that are either grinding on each other or bouncing off retainers. It is so annoying that you feel forced to blast your music to cancel out the noises. I have heard several Tesla owners complain about that same issue in the past and recent years. Seems like Tesla hasn't sorted that out yet."

Another build quality issue surfaced on the rear decklid. The adhesive tape on the carbon-fiber spoiler began to loosen to the point where it was nearly falling off. We took it to the Tesla dealership for repair, and they took care of it the same day.

All of these items were fixed under warranty, but the sun visor clip remains out of place and some rattles persist inside the cabin.

This 2020 Model Y has been issued 19 recalls by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration as of this writing, though not all of them applied to our specific vehicle.

Non-warranty repairs

August 2020: We ran over a nail and it embedded itself in the left front tire. This was a repairable puncture and Tesla roadside assistance took care of it the same day. Total cost: $78.

December 2021: All the drag racing took a toll on the Model Y's tires and they needed replacing. Each Pirelli tire cost roughly $500 apiece, plus installation. Total cost: $2,200.

May 2022: We noticed a musty smell coming from the air conditioner and took the Tesla to the service department. They performed an A/C flush with Kool-It foam evaporator cleaner and replaced the cabin filter. Total cost: $152.

August 2023: "The glass roof on our Model Y cracked, but I'm not sure how," said Hernandez. "My wife got in the back seat with my child and noticed a large crack going straight down the middle. I inspected the glass from outside when I parked and found a small chip on the side where the crack stemmed from. We made an appointment with Tesla's Santa Monica service center through the app. [Note that not every service center will perform glass repair/replacement, so make sure you specify your issue so you can be directed to the appropriate center.] The glass replacement was completed in about four hours." Total cost: $1,798.

November 2023: Our Model Y's windshield was pelted by a small rock while on the highway and cracked. The crack wasn't large enough to merit a windshield replacement and we were planning on selling the car soon, so we had it repaired instead. Total cost: $50.

Range and efficiency

On paper, this Model Y Performance can go an EPA-estimated 291 miles on a single charge, but we were never able to make it that far. The best we managed was 263 miles in the Edmunds EV Range Test. If you drove the Model Y conservatively, you could best the EPA combined efficiency rating of 30 kWh/100 miles (a lower number is better), but most of the time we weren't driving like this, so our 40.9 kWh/100 miles average was well above the EPA estimate.

EPA efficiency rating: 30 combined (kWh/100 miles); 29 city/32 highway
Average lifetime consumption: 40.9 kWh/100 miles
Best consumption: 25.6 kWh/100 miles
Best range: 263 miles
Average range between charges: 103.2 miles

Edmunds says

Overall, there's plenty to like about the 2020 Tesla Model Y Performance, such as a spacious cargo area, entertaining driving dynamics and, of course, its seat-pinning acceleration. But there was also plenty we didn't like, namely the stiff ride, subpar build quality and seemingly unattainable range estimates. Maybe future Model Ys will be better.