LIKES
- Punchy acceleration
- Spacious cabin
- Quick tablet-like touchscreen
- Unparalleled driver-assist tech
DISLIKES
- “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” taglines
- Frumpy profile
- Blemished build quality
- Lacks Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
BUYING TIP
The 2022 Model Y offers range and performance that EV competitors can’t match, albeit at a higher price point.
What kind of car is the 2022 Tesla Model Y? What does it compare to?
The Model Y is a compact electric SUV that seats up to seven passengers and offers over 300 miles of range, placing it ahead of competitors such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Volkswagen ID.4.
Is the 2022 Tesla Model Y a good car?
With impressive performance, crash tests, and infotainment, the Model Y presents a comprehensive package that’s only held back by subpar build quality and a “Full Self-Driving” package that is nothing of the sort. It earns a TCC Rating of 7.5 out of 10.
What's new for the 2022 Tesla Model Y?
The Model Y added variants last year, but for 2022 it does the opposite and strips away the standard range models to leave only the Long Range and Performance versions (for now).
Both models come with dual-motor all-wheel drive and 326 miles of range for the Long Range and 303 miles for the Performance. But the Performance is much quicker, sprinting from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds versus 4.8 seconds in the Long Range.
Superlative crash-test ratings complement standard safety features such as adaptive cruise control via AutoPilot, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control. The Full Self-Driving suite is offered as well, but it still feels like a misnomer given that it doesn’t allow for actual self-driving.
How much does the 2022 Model Y cost?
The deletion of the standard range models has driven up the base price significantly. Long Range versions start at $62,190 (including a $1,200 destination charge) and Performance models start at $65,190. Standard equipment includes 12-way power front seats, heated front and rear seats, four USB ports, and a glass roof.
A more affordable standard range version powered by a lithium ion phosphate (LFP) battery pack may become available sometime during the model year, but there is no word on its debut yet.
Where is the Model Y made?
The Model Y is produced in Fremont, Calif., but as the year goes on production may shift to Austin, Texas.
Styling
Translating the Model 3’s styling results in some egg-shaped awkwardness.
Is the 2022 Tesla Model Y a good-looking car?
The Model Y’s profile looks like someone click-and-dragged the Model 3’s greenhouse straight up, without changing the other proportions and that gives it an awkward shape past the hood. Inside, the Model Y apes the Model 3’s minimalist interior, earning a point here to a 6.
It’s worth noting that the Model Y’s SUV designation doesn’t mean that it adds much ground clearance. This is an SUV meant for pavement, with only 6.6 inches underneath it. The Model Y’s greenhouse is also 5.9 inches taller than the Model 3’s, and the raised roof makes for a more pleasant backseat experience.
Performance
Somehow the Model Y remains wildly quick and efficient at the same time.
The Model Y deploys its instant torque with glee, leaping off the line with the same suddenness as its sedan counterpart. It gets a 7 on our scale for its prodigious acceleration.
Is the Tesla Model Y AWD?
With the dropping of the standard range model, dual-motor all-wheel drive comes standard. Tesla doesn’t publish power figures of its own, but the Performance model has been estimated at around 480 hp.
Fast fast. The “slow” model is the Long Range that only hits 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. In the Performance it takes a scant 3.5 seconds. Those are numbers that blow away many of the other electric crossovers (not to mention gas ones).
There are several regenerative braking settings, the most aggressive of which allows one pedal driving. But in “Chill” mode, with the brake regen turned all the way down, the Model Y calms down and is much easier to drive around smoothly.
Ride quality is firm, as it is in the Model 3. You’ll feel the bumps in the road, especially in the Performance version. The low center of gravity gives the Model Y some cornering prowess and less body roll than other crossovers.
Comfort & Quality
The Model Y’s ability to fit cargo and passengers in a small footprint impresses.
While the Model Y has retained compact dimensions, its efficient use of space allows it to fit up to seven passengers (but only five adults truthfully) and offers good cargo room, along with a frunk for even more storage. However, the usual Tesla caveats about build quality take a point back, leaving the Model Y with a 6.
Passengers will appreciate the standard glass roof, which gives the cabin an airy, open feel and the Model Y’s shape allows for more headroom all around as well. The front seats feature enough bolstering to be supportive without pinching and the backseat has plenty of room for adults. The same thing cannot be said about the optional third-row in seven-seat Model Ys (only available on the Long Range): those two seats are tiny.
Cargo space for five-seat models is 30.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 72.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. For the seven seat layout, there is 12.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 26.6 cubic feet behind the second, and 67.9 cubic feet with both rows folded.
Safety
With stellar crash ratings and extensive safety features, the Model Y excels.
How safe is the Model Y?
The 2022 Model Y earns full marks in crash testing, with a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. On top of that, it comes with a long list of standard and optional safety technology. It earns a 9 out of 10 in this category.
Automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors come standard on the Model Y. Adaptive cruise control is also standard (branded “Autopilot” here), but for more driver-assistance features you’ll have to step up to the “Full Self-Driving” package. That’s also a bit of a misnomer: It can change lanes automatically and “Summon” the vehicle to you in a parking lot but many of its features feel gimmicky and a stretch for the package’s $12,000 price tag.
Features
The Tesla ecosystem, with its constant updates, feels more like a smartphone at times than a vehicle.
With a solid list of standard features and a beautiful infotainment screen, the Model Y jumps to a 7 in this category.
The interior’s centerpiece is the 15.0-inch touchscreen and besides the steering wheel and pedals, it’s the place where most of the Model Y’s interactions occur. You even have to use it to open the glove box. Standard features also include 12-way power front seats, heated front and rear seats, four USB ports, and that delightful glass roof.
The 2022 Model Y offers a 4-year/50,000-mile vehicle warranty, plus an 8-year/100,000 mile (or 150,000 mile) warranty for the battery and drive units.
The Long Range will be in the sweet spot for most with its longer range, lower price ($62,190), and brisk acceleration.
How much is a fully loaded Model Y?
Start with the Performance edition, tack on some fancy paint, the Full-Self Driving package, and tow package, and the bill comes to $78,190. That puts the Model Y up against more luxurious competition like the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi E-Tron.
Fuel Economy
The Model Y doesn’t just offer long range, it’s remarkably efficient in how it uses its energy.
Here’s where the Model Y pulls away from its electric crossover counterparts, offering an estimated range of 330 miles for the Long Range and 303 miles for the Performance. That earns it a full 10 points in this category.
Both variants feature the same battery pack that comes with 80-kwh of usable capacity. The Long Range only uses 28 kwh per 100 miles and the Performance just 30 kwh per 100 miles, and this efficiency is what gives the duo such great range estimates.
On a 240-volt Level 2 charger, the Model Y gains back about 45 miles of range per hour of charging. Tesla’s wide ranging V3 Supercharger network is much faster, pumping 162 miles of range back in 15 minutes, though Tesla no longer offers free charging with the Model Y.
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