2025 Tesla Model Y

How’s the tech? There are significant pros and cons when it comes to the Model Y's technology features. The big center screen is easy to see and has crisp-looking graphics. The navigation system, which is Google-based, is also clear and easy to read. But the system can be slow to update in spotty service areas, leaving you temporarily mapless. The sound quality from the 14-speaker audio system is immersive.

The biggest downside is the lack of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration. In the Model Y, you use Bluetooth to connect your phone and then sign in to use the various onboard apps such as Spotify. It's fine but we find it easier to use feature-packed capability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is what most rival EVs have. On the upside, you'll have access to an internet browser that allows you to do stuff like watch Netflix or scroll through YouTube videos — while parked, of course, and provided you're up-to-date on your Tesla data plan. One of the greatest innovations from Tesla is constant over-the-air updates that can add features and system optimizations.

The Model Y's advanced driver aids perform great in stop-and-go traffic, but they have proved slightly annoying at highway speeds or along roads with parked cars. The Full Self-Driving (Supervised) option allows for hands-free, navigation-based driving on many roads. It's a pretty amazing feature but we've experienced too many disconcerning choices in traffic with it to fully trust that it will make the best decisions.

How are the range and efficiency? [Editor's note: The following relates to the 2021 Model Y Long Range, which is what we most recently tested. EPA range and efficiency estimates have changed slightly since then, but our general takeaways still apply.] The EPA estimates the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive has a maximum range of 326 miles and uses 27 kWh of electricity for every 100 miles of driving. Both are very impressive for an electric SUV.

In Edmunds' real-world testing of the 2021 Model Y Long Range, we observed a total range of 317 miles at a consumption rate of 26.2 kWh/100 miles running in the max-range battery mode, which charges the battery to full capacity. This mode is not recommended for daily use and should be reserved for longer trips. While the Model Y didn't quite match its range estimate in our test, its 300-plus-mile range is more than sufficient for most people as long as you're driving conservatively.

One big advantage to the Model Y is full access to Tesla's Supercharger network. It provides trustworthy and reasonably priced recharging that comes in handy when you need a bunch of range quickly (such as on road trips).