Facelift (What's New)
To say that there's a lot resting on the shoulders of this car could still be understating things a bit.
The firm's figurehead - no stranger to controversy - has now courted so much derision that showrooms and cars across the U.S.A are being actively targeted for acts of mischief. And all this is happening as reports of falling sales figures continue to dominate the headlines of business publications - that is, if they aren't already full of reports on the firm's tumbling share prices.
As the smallest SUV in the firm's lineup, this updated Model Y will be what the firm is counting on to buoy its troubled finances. Is it up to this monumental task?
Initial impressions point in the right direction. This updated Model Y is a significant aesthetic upgrade from its predecessor. Highlights here of course include the use of a new light bar at the front - intended to visually link the car to the Cybertruck - while at the rear now sits a cool new taillight that makes use of a frosted panel to scatter indirect light over the brand wordmark.
The changes are largely welcome. The Model Y still looks tall and gawky from certain angles, but at least this iteration now sports some design talking points that match the brand's tech-driven perceived image.
There are upgrades for the cabin as well. As in the Model 3, this Model Y now gets an ambient lighting system, while those seated at the rear now also have access to an 8.0-inch screen from which they will be able to not only adjust their air-conditioning settings but also watch videos or play some games. As in the Model 3, I found this rear screen mounted far too low to be comfortable to view for any extended period.
And when you're not transporting passengers, this Tesla Model Y also now comes with handy buttons (you'll find them in the boot and on the base of the rear seats, and replicated within both the front and rear touchscreens) from which you'll be able to electrically fold down or erect the rear seats, so stowing away that bicycle shouldn't become too sweaty an affair.
And there's plenty of treats for the driver as well.
Sink into the most important seat of this electric SUV and the first thing you'll note is that this iteration of the Model Y has retained its signal indicator stalk (this was abandoned in favour of the clumsy buttons on the steering wheel in the last Model 3 we drove).
Also new here is the addition of ventilated seats for those in the front row, while a new front facing camera has also been added so drivers get additional assistance when performing parking manoeuvres.
None of these changes detract from the fact that the Model Y is still a treat to drive.
You sit tall within the car, so outward visibility is excellent. The new front facing camera, Tesla Singapore informs us, allows the car to automatically turn off your signal lights once the car detects that you've made it into a new lane, an admittedly smart touch.
Another thing that strikes when behind the wheel of this new Model Y is the fact that it has received a tweaked suspension designed to raise overall ride comfort. The change has made this Model Y more pliant than what I remember of its predecessor, sure, but the ride is also now unduly busy, so overall comfort over poorer roads is compromised.
It's a good thing then that this iteration of the SUV has at least made significant improvements when it comes to overall noise suppression. I found the old car to be so poor at suppressing road noise that it would become a point of irritation with every drive but this iteration moves with the same sort of serenity that you'd expect from an all-electric product.
I found the steering in this iteration of the Model Y to be practically devoid of feedback, which is strange considering the one in the updated Model 3 is now a more communicative thing. What many looking at this Model Y will be more displeased to hear, I think, is the fact that it weighs up dramatically whenever you give it a quick twirl, even when it is set to the lowest of the three available weight settings.
So, should you get one for yourself? At $202,976 for this Cat A COE-friendly 110kW (148bhp) variant equipped with a 62.5kWh battery, this Model Y will face some stiff competition from the likes of the $222,999 XPENG G6 or the $220,999 Deepal S07, both of which not only offer more power, but also come with a larger capacity battery.
But I think, most customers here will be lining this up against the $206,888 'Premium' variant of the Sealion 7 (catch our review of the 'Performance' variant of the Sealion 7 here), which packs a whopping total output of 230kW (308bhp) alongside an 82.5kWh battery (all prices as of 2 May 2025, inclusive of COE).
There was a time when one could make the argument that this Model Y has greater brand appeal than this host of Chinese options, but that's all in the past. To say that local sales figures show there's a growing interest in BYD's lineup is putting things lightly, and it's not as if these Chinese rivals won't be able to impress with their own large infotainment screens, or their fast charging capabilities.
And at this point who knows what the man in charge of Tesla might decide to tweet next?
Shopping for your next electric SUV? These options also fall within the same approximate price range:
The Volkswagen ID.4 is pleasant to drive and offers plenty of space
Or maybe you'd be persuaded by the charming exterior of this Jaecoo J6 instead?
