Tesla Model Y Review: Minimalist By Design, Complex By Functionality

Tesla came to India after a lot of anticipation last year, and despite India not being the “ideal market” for Tesla, the brand has been in the limelight ever since its launch. The Tesla Model Y is the first car that the Elon Musk-led company has launched in India. And while the Tesla Model Y is one of the most affordable Teslas available on the global market, in India, it has been positioned as a premium EV that will compete with the likes of the Kia EV6, the BYD Sealion 7, and the BMW iX1.

Out of the three cars that the Tesla Model Y competes with, we have driven two – the Kia EV6 and the BYD Sealion 7, so we went to drive the Tesla Model Y with some perspective and benchmarks in mind. In this review, I will tell you my experience of the Tesla Model Y – how it drives, how the tech performs, and what I liked and disliked about Tesla’s first car in India. Let’s go.

Tesla Model Y Review - Design & Build

The design of the Tesla Model Y is very typical. It has a coupe SUV-like shape, which is somewhere between the Model Y and the Model X. This one, however, gets connected headlamps, which makes the Model Y stand out among the rest of the Tesla lineup (not that any are available in India). The stance is tall, and the car’s dimensions are nice enough to give it a pretty good road presence. The Tesla Model Y measures 4,790mm in length, 2,129mm in width, and 1,624mm tall. 

Now, while the dimensions of the Tesla Model Y are similar to those of an SUV, the car sits quite low in terms of its stance, and the front is more of a sedan-like design than an SUV. On the side, we are getting a scooping roofline with broad shoulders – exactly what gives the coupe-like shape to the Model Y. We are also getting flush door handles, which flow seamlessly along the lines of the Tesla Model Y.

From the rear, the design is simple, featuring a black strip across the tailgate with the Tesla logo. A red LED strip is positioned within this black strip, cleverly hidden until illuminated, creating the illusion of connected taillights, though it’s actually a separate element. The rear boot lid includes a subtle, body-colored spoiler for a sportier appearance, and a black cladding serves as a diffuser on the rear bumper.

In conclusion, the design embodies Tesla’s minimalist ethos, featuring understated elegance without flashy elements. While some may find it too simplistic for the price, I appreciate its restrained sophistication, which lends a premium feel compared to other vehicles on the road. These designs tend to stand the test of time, though I’m not a fan of the connected headlights with DRLs.

Tesla Model Y Review: Interiors and Comfort

This section will be quite extensive. The Tesla Model Y isn’t just a car; it’s more of a gadget on wheels. Its technology is both incredibly intuitive and, at times, inconvenient, simply due to its sheer abundance. Let’s begin with the 15.4-inch central touchscreen, which controls almost everything in the Model Y. Regarding its quality, this is hands down the sharpest, brightest, and most responsive screen I’ve encountered in a car. It functions exceptionally well, almost like having an iPad for an infotainment system.

Regarding the tech and features, let’s begin with the essentials. The Tesla Model Y includes electric, ventilated, and heated seats, a large, single-pane glass roof, and features like a heated steering wheel, ADAS, and a 360-degree camera. However, there’s also some unusual technology. For example, the number of sensors and assists in this car can be overwhelming. First, let’s explore the driving assists and the number of cameras the Model Y uses to monitor its surroundings.

Although the self-driving features are not available in India, the Tesla Model Y can read road conditions in real-time and display this information on its 15.4-inch screen. It uses nine surrounding cameras to capture data on the road, including cars, pedestrians, markings, speed limits, and lanes. This information, along with alerts for traffic violations like speeding, is then shown on the main display.

Now, if you want, you can keep the lane assist and emergency braking on, which will allow the car to keep itself in the lane and apply the brakes in case of emergency. However, turning that off is the more sensible thing to do since people brake abruptly on our roads and emergency brake failures have resulted in mishaps multiple times in the recent past. The Tesla Model Y gives you an option to turn off most of the assists, but you have to do that every time you get in the car. 

With the driving assists set aside, let’s return to the 15.4-inch main screen, as it controls almost all the Model Y’s features. Now, anything that you want to do with the car except the windows, doors, and turn signals is configured from this screen – the air conditioner, the steering and mirror adjustment, car settings like drive modes and even controls for the steering adjustment are accessed from this display. Furthermore, this also doubles up as the speed-o-meter and the instrument cluster for the driver, which isn’t the best since it requires people to shift their focus from the roads.

Now while putting all the controls in the infotainment display are good for the minimalist design that Tesla is trying to achieve with the Model Y, it is inconvenient, especially when it comes to controls like steering wheel adjustment, mirror adjustment, air conditioner, music, and the likes. Controls which shouldn’t require drivers to divert their attention from the roads. 

And yes, we also have a second screen at the rear end of the front armrest. This is for the rear passengers to control things in the car like air conditioner, multimedia, and it also allows the rear passengers to watch YouTube, Netflix, and even play games on this screen. Not to mention this screen is also as good in quality as the front screen. Sharp, bright, and responsive enough to play games on it. 

Regarding comfort, the Tesla Model Y delivers. It offers features like heated and ventilated front seats, and the interior materials feel exceptionally premium, despite its position as a more affordable Tesla model. The seats are comfortable, with soft cushioning and quality leather. The front seats provide excellent lumbar and thigh support, keeping you securely in place.

Even the rear seats are good for comfort. They are wide and offer proper thigh support, meaning that even on long trips, this will keep the rear passengers really comfortable. The rear seats don’t have any sort of ventilation or heating, but are super comfortable even if you squeeze three people in the second row. 

So in terms of features and comfort, there is more than enough in the Tesla Model Y. In fact, the tech is so much that this car deserves a separate tech review in itself to go through everything that the 15.4-inch display allows you to do with the car or inside the car. I also really like the ambient lighting on the Tesla Model Y – understated but does the job and makes the cabin appear very premium in low light.

Tesla Model Y Review: Performance

Coming to the performance of the Tesla Model Y, this is probably where I had higher expectations from the car. While there were no issues with the ride quality or how the car handles, something just didn’t feel right while driving it. First and foremost is how the car tries to take control if you don’t turn off all the lane-keeping and braking assists. While switching lanes, or even when the traffic is too close, the car’s alerts and controls are bound to break a driver’s confidence, especially in a place like India, where not everyone follows lane discipline and/ or is always too close to the car. 

Now coming to how it drives, I liked how easy it was to drive the Tesla Model Y. Just sit in the car, swipe up on the screen, and go. First and foremost, this swipe gesture to tell the car to put itself in drive is something that will take a lot of getting used to, even to the tech savvy users. Having no start/ stop button is one less layer of feedback. The car drives well, it is comfortable and takes on Indian roads pretty well. Be it a speed breaker or a pothole, the Tesla Model Y’s suspension was soft enough to not let us feel anything inside the cabin. Even the acceleration is very quick. The claimed 0 to 100 speed is 5.9 seconds, which is pretty quick, but as compared to its rivals like the Kia EV6 or the BYD Sealion 7, the Tesla Model Y didn’t feel as quick off the line.

Further, the handling. While there is no issue with the way the Tesla Model Y handles, it even has a pretty small turning radius. However, the steering felt a bit too heavy and tight. While there are three different settings for the steering wheel, it felt a bit too tight even after picking the most light setting. It does become lighter as the car picks up speed, but that is the opposite of what it should be, since quick manoeuvring is required in heavy traffic and busy streets where the car is at lower speeds. 

Tesla Model Y Review: Battery and Charging

So the Tesla Model Y comes with a 75kWh battery for the Long Range variant, which is what we drove during our review drive. This battery is good for a claimed range of 661 kilometers in total. This 75kWh battery powers a 220 kW motor, which produces 295 bhp of power and 420 Nm of torque, propelling the Tesla Model Y from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds.

Now during our brief experience with the Tesla Model Y we weren’t able to drive it enough to form an opinion about the battery and the range of the Model Y, but we did get to do a 0 to 100 kmph dash, which the Tesla Model Y completed in just under 7 seconds, meaning that the claimed numbers are pretty close to the reality.

The Tesla Model Y supports up to 250 kW fast charging provided that you use Tesla’s Superchargers, which the brand is installing across the country as part of its contribution towards out EV infrastructure. Apart from that, the home charger that Tesla is currently offering for free with the Model Y charges the car at an 11.5kW capacity. Tesla is currently giving customers its Level 2 wall charger with the Tesla Model Y. 

Review Verdict: Should You Buy the Tesla Model Y?

So, the Tesla Model Y has finally allowed me to experience something I’ve always wanted: driving a Tesla. Honestly, the driving experience does live up to the hype, but the technology is certainly insane! This is, hands down, the most fascinating tech and its implementation that I’ve experienced. While it’s not a driver car, it’s a blast for passengers. With games, YouTube, and Netflix, you have everything you need for a comfortable and entertaining journey. The way it reads road conditions and adapts to your driving style is fascinating, but the drive itself? Not very impressive.

Now, having driven competitors like the Kia EV6, BYD Sealion 7, and BMW iX1, I found the Tesla Model Y to be one of the more underwhelming vehicles in terms of driving experience. It’s not just the smooth, hands-off driving; the acceleration also feels less responsive compared to the EV6 and BYD Seal. The steering can feel a bit heavy at lower speeds, which isn’t ideal for Indian roads. However, the ride quality is excellent. The suspension is well-tuned, and the car remains quiet over bumps and potholes. Even at high speeds, it feels very stable, and the cabin isolation is good.

So yes, the Tesla Model Y has the most fascinating tech on any car and is pretty decent in terms of ride quality and comfort. However, for a price of over ₹60 lakh (ex-showroom), it feels like you’re getting a lot more with the competition. The interior isn’t as intuitive or car-like, and it doesn’t offer any driving excitement.

Smartprix Rating: ⭐7.5 out of 10

• Design and Build: ⭐8/10
• Features and Tech: ⭐8/10
• Driving Pleasure: ⭐7.5/10
• Performance: ⭐8/10
• Comfort and Space: ⭐9.5/10
• Battery and Charging:⭐ 9/10

First reviewed in January 2026