Note: This feature was first published on 19 March 2025.
Say hi to the new Tesla Model Y. Photo: HWZ
The Tesla Model Y is one of the world’s best-selling cars. Having done over 200km in one in 2022, it’s easy to see why. If you are ready to go electric, few cars meld practicality, performance, and safety as well as it does. But the Model Y is getting old and competition is getting stiffer. To ensure it stays competitive for the next couple of years, Tesla has decided to give it a mid-life update.
As far as mid-life refreshes go, this is a significant one. The new Model Y – codenamed “Juniper” – gets considerable exterior changes and a decent percentage of a new cabin, all to increase efficiency and passenger comfort.
The first thing you’ll notice is the all-new front fascia. The front headlights have been replaced by a trendy lightbar inspired by the Cybertruck. Little tweaks to the same and vents at the side help improve aerodynamics. Also, it now has a front camera, so parallel parking should be easier. There are changes to the rear too. It’s more slab-sided and there’s a more prominent boot lip. As is de rigueur these days, the rear tail lights have also been replaced by a lightbar.
The redesigned front fascia looks sleeker. Photo: HWZ
The exterior changes are mostly successful. Beauty is subjective and one could argue that the new Model Y still looks somewhat generic. However, most people I spoke to felt it’s an improvement over its predecessor. That said, I do worry that the extensive use of lightbars will age the car poorly. Only time will tell.
Inside, the Model Y has been updated so that its interior closely matches that of the Model 3. It’s minimalistic (some would say sparse) but effective. There’s loads of room and storage space. Tesla continues to withhold a proper gear shifter from its customers so you’ll have to rely on the touchscreen to change gears. Happily, Tesla has had a change of mind and brought back the column stalk for the indicators, so at least switching lanes is more intuitive. Passengers in the rear will also be happy to find that there’s a rear screen for climate control and that the seats have been tweaked slightly for better comfort.
Rear legroom is good and there's now a display for rear passengers to adjust the climate control. Photo: HWZ
Improving comfort was a huge priority for the updated Model Y and to that end, it has revised suspension and double-glazed windows to reduce road and wind noise. I think these changes have mostly worked. It’s been a long time since I drove the last Model Y, so I can’t make any valid comparisons, but the new car feels like a capable cruiser. I sought out some poorly paved roads and was surprised at how well it soaked up undulations and how well-controlled the chassis was. I also have no complaints about the way it rode on a short highway jaunt from the airport to the city.
Another contributing factor to the new Model Y’s improved ride comfort is the ability to adjust the strength of its regenerative braking. You can tone it down so that it behaves more like a traditional ICE car and will coast whenever you take your foot off the throttle. As someone who felt the default regenerative braking of Tesla cars is too strong, this is a godsend. That said, decreasing the rate of regeneration should have a negative impact on its range and I will definitely be investigating this further when I get the Model Y in for a proper full review.
The boot remains cavernous and practical. Photo: HWZ
Speaking of range, the rear-wheel drive model which I tested has a claimed WLTP range of 466km. Its performance also felt adequate. Tesla claims it can get from a standstill to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and that feels entirely believable. Users who want more range and performance can opt for the long range all-wheel drive model that has a claimed WLTP range of 551km. Thanks to an additional electric motor, this version can get from 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds.
Overall, my first impressions of the Model Y are largely positive. It looks and rides better, and now comes with an indicator stalk and the ability to adjust the regenerative braking. It largely addresses the issues I’ve had with its predecessor. I can’t wait to get it in for a proper test drive to evaluate other aspects like its range and handling. Stay tuned for my full review of the new Tesla Model Y.
Availability and pricing
Prices start at S$76,590, but that's without COE. Photo: HWZ
The new Tesla Model Y is available now with prices starting at S$76,590 for the rear-wheel drive version and S$86,590 for the long range all-wheel drive version. These prices don't include COE. With COE, expect starting prices to be in the region of S$220,000.
You can order the new Model Y on Tesla's website here.
Note: Prices are correct at the time of publishing.
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