2025 Tesla Model Y

Whatever the boss of the company might be up to, the Tesla Model Y remains one of the longest-range electric SUVs on the market, particularly in its class. The competition is continually getting better, however, and our readers have indicated that the Model Y continues to face build quality issues. So it makes sense that Tesla would feel the need to enhance the Model Y for 2025 to keep it at the front of the pack.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of electric SUVs, including the Tesla Model Y.

Cybertruck-inspired headlights and taillights are the most noticeable updates to the 2025 Model Y, along with redesigned styling front and rear. The cabin also receives upgraded materials. Ventilated front seats are now available, as are rear-seat displays. And there’s more sound deadening.

The 2025 Tesla Model Y is priced competitively with electric SUVs of similar size and capability. The Ford Mustang Mach-E and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are the most directly applicable, although the Tesla has substantially more range in its base version than either of those rivals.

Before buying a new Model Y electric SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying.

The 2025 Tesla Model Y Long Range offers a choice of rear-wheel drive (RWD) or dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD). The rear-wheel-drive model is a touch slower to accelerate at 5.4 seconds to 60 mph compared to the all-wheel-drive version’s 4.8 seconds, but it gains 26 miles more range. The previous Performance model isn’t yet offered on the manufacturer’s website, but we expect it will become available later in the model year, offering similar performance to last year’s 3.5-second zero-to-60-mph time.

Whether rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, there’s instant-on electric torque at just about any speed — one of the characteristics that make EVs so fun to drive. The Model Y makes good use of the thrust, with confident steering and braking, although some of our consumer reviews have noted a choppy ride quality and noisy cabins.

Regarding self-driving features, the Model Y offers the standard Autopilot as well as Full Self-Driving (Supervised). Standard Autopilot is much like the standard active safety systems from other automakers. Full Self-Driving (Supervised) makes extended bouts of hands-free driving possible, like GM’s Super Cruise, Ford’s BlueCruise, or Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist.

Range and Charging

The 2025 Tesla Model Y is available as Long Range All-Wheel Drive, Long Range All-Wheel Drive, and Performance All-Wheel Drive models. The best range comes with the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, which is capable of 337 miles per the EPA. The Long Range All-Wheel Drive achieves 311 miles of range, and the Performance All-Wheel Drive is rated at 277 miles.

Those figures all compare well with the competition. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, for example, is rated for 320 miles in rear-drive/extended-battery form, and the Ioniq 5 rear-wheel drive scores 318 miles of range.

Naturally, the Model Y makes great use of Tesla’s Supercharger network, and it can charge to 80% in less than 20 minutes. The Mustang Mach-E matches the 20-minute charge to 80%, while the Ioniq 5 manages the same feat in 18 minutes on a 350-kW fast charger.

Tesla’s interiors have always been known for their simple (some might say overly simple) designs and layouts. The 2025 Model Y doesn’t change that aesthetic, but does update it with new materials. Tesla has also taken pains to improve quietness for 2025, with an updated wheel and tire package design to reduce noise.

The 2025 Model Y also adds the option of rear-seat displays and ventilated front seats. The power-recline second-row seats fold flat to leave 76 cubic feet of storage space — considerably more than most of its competitors. To compare, the Mustang Mach-E offers 59.7 cubic feet, while the Ioniq 5 has 59.3 cubic feet.

Seating for five is currently the only arrangement in the 2025 Model Y. The formerly optional third row brought that tally up to seven. Third-row legroom was short (just 26.5 inches), but the second row’s 41.6 inches matches the 2025 Honda CR-V, so perhaps it makes sense to drop the third-row offering.

With thin, Cybertruck-inspired lighting at each end and exterior design tweaks aimed at improving range and efficiency, the 2025 Model Y looks simultaneously familiar and fresh. The egg-like profile is a factor in passenger space warring with aerodynamics, helping to keep the Model Y at the front of its class in terms of range and efficiency. Gone are the previous 21-inch wheel options, replaced with a 19-inch wheel and tire package for enhanced quietness and comfort. Some may prefer the look of the larger wheels on previous models, but it’s those models that were most likely to get complaints from owners.

Lots of range
Tesla claims a maximum of 357 miles of range on its website, but the EPA says that’s closer to 337 miles. Either way, that’s a lot of range for the money, and we like that.

Big screen
Tesla’s 15-inch screen isn’t as massive as the dash-spanning units in some other SUVs, but it’s still plenty big to see and access information.

Sentry Mode
Even when parked and turned off, the Model Y still has the ability to use its cameras to capture any incidents that may happen to or near the vehicle. An optional Live Camera feature even lets you check in on your car remotely, flash the lights, honk the horn, or speak through the car’s audio system.

Hands-free driving
The standard Autopilot system offers the active safety assists we’ve come to expect in modern vehicles, while the optional Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system offers hands-free cruising in a range of environments, including city streets.

Acceleration
Although the even-quicker Performance model isn’t yet on the table for 2025, the dual-motor Long Range All-Wheel Drive model generates impressive thrust, and even the RWD model is quick enough to be fun.

Quieter ride
The comfort- and quietness-focused upgrades to the 2025 Model Y address one of its previous weak points: cabin noise. A smaller wheel and tire package, together with other upgrades, also help reduce noise entering the cabin.

All 2025 Tesla Model Ys come with an 81-kWh battery pack, the same size as last year, despite increases in range across the board. Those gains come from improved efficiency of the exterior design and the wheel/tire package. The Model Y was already one of the most efficient electric SUVs, and it stays at the head of the class with these improvements.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Tesla’s basic new-car warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This is common in the luxury car sector. The battery in the Model Y is covered for eight years or 120,000 miles. Based on what we read and hear from owners, experiences with the reliability and maintenance costs of Tesla models have been mixed, varying depending on location. If you live somewhere without enough service centers to handle all the Teslas in the area, you could encounter some headaches when your Model Y needs service.

Safety

The Tesla Model Y has previously been named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and the 2025 model was awarded the maximum five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).