Where the Tesla excels is cabin space; rear head and legroom are superb and there’s masses of boot space.
Running costs
EVs tend to sit in high insurance groups, and that’s the case here. Even the RWD is in group 46, while the Long Range RWD and AWD are in groups 37-45 and 42-48 respectively. The Performance is in groups 47-50.
All Model Ys cost more than £40,000 when new, so they’re liable for the expensive car tax supplement. That means a £620 road tax bill up until the car’s sixth birthday.
‘Fuel’ should be cheap if you can charge at home, and maintenance is also good value. There’s no servicing schedule as such; a £25 brake fluid test is advised every four years, while the pollen filter can be replaced on a DIY basis for around £7. The HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter should be replaced every three years for about £250.
Tyres normally last 15,000-20,000 miles, depending on driving style
Recalls
The Model Y has been recalled seven times, the first (December 2021) was before the initial batch of cars were delivered in the UK. This was because some suspension parts hadn’t been tightened correctly on the production line.
Recall two, in April 2022, was because of eCall glitches; recall three, in December 2024, was down to tyre-pressure-monitoring problems. Both were fixed with software updates, as were the next three recalls. They were because of problems with the rear-view camera and steering (both March 2025), and the electric window motors (September 2025).
The most recent Model Y recall came in October 2025, because of faulty reversing lights as a result of problems with the wiring harness or rear-lamp housing.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
The Model 3 has consistently done well in our surveys; the Model Y made its Driver Power debut this year, in 15th place.
It managed top-three places for the safety systems, infotainment and cabin space, while owners also like the acceleration, cabin and boot space, plus servicing costs; all had top 10 rankings, as did drivetrain smoothness.
However, owners don’t like the interior or exterior quality, the ride quality or the lack of buttons to control key functions.
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