Tesla Model Y India First Drive Review: Going Beyond The Hype

Tesla isn't your usual car company as it does not quote battery pack sizes or power figures while not even putting its logo in the front of its car. However, that's just the start as everything that Tesla does is different from a traditional carmaker. This stems from the fact that Elon Musk set out to give legacy brands a hard time and is part reason why Tesla is talked about so much. Rarely does a car launch get so much media attention and on our two hour drive, Mumbaikars stopped and stared with a few even following us or running after the car! However, is the Tesla mania justified? Here is our Model Y first drive which tells you more.

Model Y Exterior Review

This is the all new Model Y which is the best selling Tesla and also the best selling car many times over! The Model Y SUV also looks much bigger than you think with a near 4.8m footprint while the design is futuristic but also without too many lines. The design is typically SUV coupe-ish due to aero efficiency while the front-end has gotten the most attention due to the full length light bar.

There is no Tesla logo at all and the side has again a neat design with cameras all round tucked in along with flush door handles. The rear though is the best angle with the reflective tail-lamp showing the Tesla logo. Ground clearance is 167mm and while the Model Y has a crossover like stance, the paint finish/quality seems top-notch. The colours like the white as seen here is a Rs 95,000 option.

Model Y interior And Features Review

You don't have the usual key as here the Model Y has a card which you have to tap on the car reader on the driver door. Then the car unlocks and you get in with no starter button as well. Inside, it's like a minimalistic space ship from 2050. The lack of buttons comes as a shock at first but once you spend some time with the car, you sort of get used to working the main nerve centre which is the 15.4-inch touchscreen. This touchscreen controls nearly everything on the car and we really mean it including selecting Park or Reverse or Drive or even headlamp controls! The indicator stalk is conventional, else you only get a few controls on the steering wheel. Tesla has increased the quality levels with this Model Y and that's needed since the Model Y is a Rs 60 lakh luxury car.

The fit/finish is indeed top-notch with soft touch materials all around but not the usual colours you see on other luxury cars. Plus, the sense of space is huge with the glass roof which extends all the way. Speaking of which, there is no cover for the roof and that could be an issue in summers. Storage spaces are excellent and the centre console has a huge amount of storage as well considering there is nothing else there.

Back to the main screen and the menus are neatly stacked and the touch display/response is the slickest yet but that's needed when there are no physical controls! Tesla has crammed a lot of features here while things like the cameras can stay on for all the time plus you can play games/watch movies when the car is charging while there is also a mode which shows your car as if it's on Mars!

Space is huge in terms of headroom and legroom is quite good as well while thigh support is better than some other EVs. Three passengers can comfortably sit at the back with a flat floor while there is also a separate touchscreen at the back to access climate control and watch movies etc. Boot space is huge and the seats at the back are also reclinable with 2,130+ litres of storage available! Feature list for India included powered/heated/cooled seats, full glass roof, 8 cameras, Sentry mode which immediately sends you images if someone is tampering with the car, heated steering wheel and windshield and more.

Model Y Drive Review

India gets the RWD Model Y with two options including standard with a 500km range and LR with 622km range. Tesla does not give power figures but even the standard is fast with a 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds while the LR is 5.6 seconds. Get in and immediately the driving position is configurable in many ways via the screen while the slim pillars further elevate the visibility. However, quickly selecting Reverse via the screen could be an issue. That said, first impressions in the typical Mumbai traffic chaos is of a calm and silent cabin while the all around cameras give you a clear view. The inside cabin filters out the cabin noise while cell reception is better too.

The steering feels light but firm with a clear sporty vibe while the same can be said for the ride quality which is a bit firm but is composed. The Model Y is lighter than other EVs due to clever engineering in fewer parts and the battery pack being the chassis itself. Hence, the handling is ight and does not feel heavy while the performance is explosive too with a mere press of the accelerator giving you a potential speed challan. For the city, the Chill mode works better in case you don't want too much power but for me, the acceleration was addictive. Range for the standard version would be around 420km or more while the official figure is 500km. There are some ADAS features and the car shows an exact rendering of the traffic on the road while the FSD full self driving tech isn't available on India spec cars due to the legislation while its a 6 lakh option which would unlock it once it does.

Model Y Verdict

The short but eye opening drive showed how the Model Y is different and compared to rivals, how it stands out. The design and the clever tech for one is the clear differentiator but the space/performance/brand value and the supercharger network (opening in Delhi and Mumbai first) further gives it an edge. However, more than that, the new Model Y also has the required fit/finish to match other luxury cars and we can see it being fairly popular in the entry luxury space. Sure, while some more physical buttons would have been nice and keener pricing, the Model Y as of now is a solid contender if you are eyeing a new car within the Rs 50-75 lakh category.

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