We admit: it’s certainly not like we had no idea this car was coming. There has been buzz about a new Model Y for months and yes, we have told you a lot about that too. Forgive us: we are talking here about the most popular car in the Netherlands, the most popular EV worldwide and therefore about a car that is simply very important. While the updated Model 3 was presented in Europe, the updated Model Y is appearing for the first time in China and a number of other Asian countries. Simply in the configurator, as we are used to from Tesla. According to Tesla itself, the first Chinese Model Y buyers can receive their updated model in March, but in Europe we will undoubtedly have to be a little more patient. The major ‘update’ is being rolled out factory after factory and just as they had to be patient in the US for the new Model 3, we may now have to wait in line a little longer for this model.ExteriorAnd what exactly is that model? To start with, a Model Y with a thoroughly renewed exterior, as yesterday’s images also made clear. Interestingly, Tesla seems to be making more budget available for expensive design tricks and creating distinctions, after the Model Y shared lighting units with the Model 3 for years. Not anymore: the Y is also completely different compared to the updated Model 3. There is a continuous strip for the daytime running lights, under which the headlight units are placed. The nose therefore looks a bit sleeker and more linear than we are used to from this originally convex design. The lighting at the rear is also interesting, although we also find a fashionable light strip here. That strip is all the way on the tailgate and actually runs from left to right without interruption. It has another special feature: a large part of the light comes to us indirectly, via a reflection in the tailgate. The lid is also completely empty and tight, because the license plate gets a place in the bumper. That is also different from the Model 3, and more like the Cybertruck. There are new wheels and new paint colors, although this too may differ per market. We would like to mention the light ‘glacier blue’ separately, because in our opinion it looks great on the Model Y. The color replaces the darker blue that Tesla previously offered in China. Do we no longer recognize the ‘old’ Model Y in this design? That is: from the side, almost everything remains the same, including the rear screens and the way in which the charging port is concealed in a corner of the rear light. The updated Tesla Model Y is exactly the same height and width as the car before the facelift, but with a length of 4.797 meters, it is 4.6 centimeters longer. That is quite significant for a facelift, but the extra centimeters are of course all in the new front and rear and therefore do not provide more space.InteriorThe interior is tackled in a similar way to the Model 3, although we see here and there are also differences. For example, the door panels of the Model Y appear to have been designed with more attention to detail. As with the lower car, we find a continuous strip of mood lighting and a new design for the still minimalist dashboard and center console. Turn signal control lever Clearly visible on the right-hand drive version: a control lever on the steering column! Although it seems as if the steering column is the Model 3 has no levers – and an earlier version of this article also claimed so – a lever appears in images of the right-hand drive version. This is located on the left of the steering wheel and is probably for the direction indicators, for which buttons on the steering wheel (such as 3, S and X) are missing on closer inspection. So it seems that Tesla has heard the complaints about this, good for the ease of operation. Thanks to reader Maurice, who prompted us to take a closer look at this. The ‘old’ interior above, the new below, both in optional white. Tesla Model Y The seats are also new and the rear seat now not only folds electrically down, but can also be raised again electrically if desired. Just like in Tesla’s other models, rear passengers benefit from an additional touchscreen between the front seats, on which all kinds of comfort-related functions can be controlled. You can also play games or watch a video here. Technical innovations The Model Y is also being addressed on a technical level. As we are used to from the brand, Tesla does not provide specifications, but, as before with the Model 3, it does promise that the car has become more efficient and comfortable. This efficiency is mainly due to the better streamlined design, comfort due to adjustments to the chassis and an extra stiff and sturdy body. You will also notice this with the Model 3 when closing a door, which is good for the quality experience. The rear-wheel drive Standard Range version weighs fractionally more than before at 1,921 instead of 1,909 kg, but that really doesn’t deserve a name. With a 0-100 time of 5.9 instead of 6.9 seconds, the slowest of all Teslas is definitely no longer slow, and it will undoubtedly get a lot of extra power. The range of this entry-level car is estimated at 593 kilometers with the basic wheels, but that is according to the Chinese CLTC cycle. According to CNEVPost.com we are talking about 39 kilometers more than before, so a small step forward. In the Netherlands, this version now reaches a distance of 455 kilometers according to the WLTP method, so perhaps the 480 km limit will soon be broken here for the entry-level car. The charging capacity of the SR variant is, as before, 170 kW. The only other version that the Chinese are currently being presented with is the Long Range AWD. It weighs 1,992 kg and goes from 0 to 100 in 4.3 instead of the current 5 seconds. The CLTC driving range with the 19-inch base wheels is 719 kilometers, compared to 688 previously. Once again a small gain, which, if the Model 3 is anything to go by, is mainly due to aerodynamic advantages and different tires. Quite impressive, by the way, because the Model Y is already the most efficient EV you can buy in its segment. When? And then the most important question remains: when can we expect this updated Model Y in the Netherlands? The honest answer is that we simply don’t know, and we won’t hear from Tesla either. Model Ys delivered in the Netherlands are in principle built in Germany, so the updated Model Y will be there when they start producing it there. That may be the case, but it may also take some time: in the US they only received the updated Model 3 in January 2024, while in Europe the car has been driving around since September. That also gives the citizen courage: it will not last more than a few months. Moreover, you can count on a quick launch, with the car being available to order from day one and then delivered a few months later.
Source: www.autoweek.nl
