At its circa-$70,000 entry point, Tesla’s Model Y mid-size SUV is one of the best-value, most efficient and versatile EVs on sale in Australia
- How much does the Tesla Model Y RWD cost?
- What equipment comes with the Tesla Model Y RWD?
- How safe is the Tesla Model Y RWD?
- What technology does the Tesla Model Y RWD feature?
- What powers the Tesla Model Y RWD?
- How far can the Tesla Model Y RWD go on a charge?
- What is the Tesla Model Y RWD like to drive?
- What is the Tesla Model Y RWD like inside?
- Should I buy a Tesla Model Y RWD?
The Tesla Model Y is the most popular electric SUV in Australia – and the world – for good reason. It’s packing a serious amount of upgradable technology, comes well equipped, is highly versatile, has a massive boot and is fun to drive. It could be likened to a multimedia computer on wheels with semi-autonomous driving functions, and it’s no surprise that Tesla is currently the world’s most valuable car-maker. But EV rivals are slowly catching up, so is the Model Y still the one to beat? We’re testing the entry-level, circa-$70,000 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive to find out.
How much does the Tesla Model Y RWD cost?
New car prices are constantly in flux and, for the most part, they are rising. But at the time of writing, 2023 Tesla Model Y pricing was holding relatively firm compared to what it cost when the battery-electric mid-size SUV was launched last year.
It’s hard to keep up, seeing Tesla pricing changes at regular intervals. The entry-level Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive tested here started at $68,900 plus on-road costs at launch in June 2022, only to rise $3400 to $72,300 plus ORCs after just a week on sale.
Fast-forward to January 2023 and the same model was back down to its $68,900 launch price, but, yes, within a couple of weeks had pushed back up again – this time by $400 – to $69,300 plus ORCs. That’s where we are today, but tomorrow…?
According to the Tesla website, private buyers will pay about $75,000 drive-away for the Model Y RWD, without options and depending on where you live.
There are some state-based EV incentives that can lower the price, although unlike the more affordable Model 3 (from $64,300) the higher positioning of the Model Y means rebates don’t apply in many cases.
Of course, that hasn’t stopped the Tesla Model Y doing a roaring trade in Australia. It’s in huge demand, and while sales figures vary according to shipping schedules and delivery times, the Model Y currently stands behind the Model 3 as the number-two EV on the market.
According to the brand’s website, delivery times are between two and four months for both the Model Y RWD and the top-shelf dual-motor AWD Model Y Performance (from $95,300) – far quicker than other popular mainstream mid-size SUVs today, such as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid which is taking up to two years to be delivered…
What equipment comes with the Tesla Model Y RWD?
Appearing like a Tesla Model 3 whose roofline has been pulled northward by Photoshop, the 2023 Tesla Model Y is taller, longer and wider than its sedan sibling but also gets more equipment.
The interior of the Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive looks and feels almost identical to the equivalent Model 3, with its power-operated, synthetic-leather-covered steering wheel and seats, a large 15-inch central touch-screen and a massive glass roof.
However, the Model Y gains bigger 19-inch alloy wheels and an absolutely rip-snorting 13-speaker stereo complete with two amplifiers and a subwoofer.
Another major upgrade over the Model 3 is the fitment of a HEPA filter as part of the climate control system, which adds a Bioweapon Defence Mode to rid the cabin of pollution, bacteria, pollen and other microscopic particles.
Power-operated, auto-dimming and heated wing mirrors, plus heated seats for every passenger and a heated steering wheel are part of the package, as are twin wireless phone chargers, four USB-C ports and one USB-A port, carpeted floor mats and 60/40-split folding rear seats with quick-release buttons in the boot.
The Autopilot system is fitted standard too, leaving the Enhanced Autopilot package ($5100) to add things like summon vehicle/smart summon, auto parking and auto lane changing.
Full self-driving (FSD) that was linked with a massive recall of 362,000 Tesla vehicles in the US is listed as a $10,100 option, but isn’t legal in Australia yet.
Our test car comes with Deep Blue metallic paint ($1500) and bigger 20-inch ‘Induction’ dark alloy wheels ($2400) that add a little more street presence. You can also choose white synthetic leather seat upholstery for an extra $1500 outlay.
Post-purchase coverage includes a weak-sauce four-year/80,000km warranty where most rivals offer five years and unlimited kilometres, and some brands have seven and even 10-year warranty protection.
The battery warranty is closer to the industry average at eight years/192,00km, and Tesla guarantees the battery won’t degrade more than 30 per cent after that warranty period.
Service intervals occur every two years and although pricing is fuzzy at best, most owners can expect to pay around $1000, give or take, for the first five years which is very competitive. This is because electric motors and the single-speed transmission rarely require servicing, with only brake fluid, the air-con and HEPA filters and tyres requiring attention.
How safe is the Tesla Model Y RWD?
The 2023 Tesla Model Y has a strong body structure, seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and very good lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control systems.
The Model Y was given a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022, despite missing out on a few keys features like real-time traffic sign recognition, a head-up display and a dedicated driver’s display.
But the autonomous driving functions are sound during freeway driving, keeping the SUV in its lane via autonomous steering and adjusting the speed compared to other vehicles.
It’s not as good on suburban streets with parked cars sometimes causing it to freak out and jam on the brakes.
LED headlights deliver impressive illumination at night.
What technology does the Tesla Model Y RWD feature?
Like all cars from the brand, the 2023 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive is like a rolling super-computer, offering a much greater range of information technology than most rivals through its single 15-inch touch-screen.
The mapping system and satellite navigation is very good, and when it’s parked (and potentially charging its battery) you can play a range of cool video games – some cerebral, others not.
Plus, there’s inbuilt TV streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube, a web browser and a load of funny/insulting in-car doodads that other car brands would never, ever attempt, such as the seat-specific whoopee cushion (farts are always funny).
That said, the user interface could be simpler and will be daunting for first-time users, and the omission of an individual speedometer – even as an option – which leaves just a tiny little counter in the top-right corner of the central display takes time to get used to.
Some common car functions can only be operated after drilling down through several menus (opening the glove box, adjusting the steering wheel, the mirrors, climate controls, even air vent direction), so while the overall set-up is pretty good the execution isn’t perfect.
The Model Y RWD also misses out on 360-degree parking cameras, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, but it does get a bunch of things very few other cars come with.
For example, there’s an ultra-wide wireless phone charger with slots for two devices, an in-built dash-cam system that can record driving footage and a sentry mode that continuously monitors the car when left unattended.
Lump in a level of smartphone integration and remote operation that is second to none, allowing owners to use their phone as a key, or monitor the car via GPS, not to mention meaningful over-the-air (OTA) wireless updates, and you’re looking at a dream car for technophiles.
What powers the Tesla Model Y RWD?
A single electric motor (194kW/340Nm) mounted near the rear axle drives the base-grade 2023 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive through a single-speed reduction gear.
The powertrain can shift the circa-1900kg SUV’s mass from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.9 seconds.
We could only manage 7.1 seconds on test, and while such pace is not to be sniffed at compared to many combustion-engined cars, it’s a bit of a laggard in the EV world. In fact, it’s the slowest Tesla ever sold in Australia.
But for all that it still motivates with vigour, thanks to its instant throttle response and impressive at-speed acceleration.
Indeed, at 80km/h on arterial or country roads, the Model Y RWD accelerates with real zest.
How far can the Tesla Model Y RWD go on a charge?
The 2023 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive’s 62kWh battery pack has lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and can deliver a claimed 455km range (WLTP) from a full 100 per cent battery charge.
Across our test, the best we managed was just under 400km, based on a variety of urban and higher-speed driving.
Tesla’s official energy consumption figures of 14.6kWh/100km are very good compared to most of its competitors, showing that Tesla is very much at the forefront of EV powertrain and battery efficiency.
However, we note that our test car was showing 18.8kWh/100km with almost 3800km on the clock, for an average range of 297km per charge across that distance.
Charging times vary, taking around 24 hours to go from zero to 100 per cent using a regular household power point (2.3kW). You’ll also need to pay $550 for the charge cable now.
Charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent takes around six hours using a wallbox (11kW) charger and around 30 minutes using a Tesla Supercharger (250kW). But unlike the Model Y Performance version that has a bigger battery, the RWD’s maximum charging bandwidth is around 170kW.
Tesla recommends charging the car every night to keep it topped up but stopping at 90 per cent, with 100 per cent charge to be used for longer trips in order to maintain long-term battery health.
Break it all down in terms of cost and you’re looking at about $20 per charge at home if you don’t mind waiting and, if you’re in a hurry, around $35 at a Tesla Supercharger, based on 51c/kWh.
Both figures are considerably cheaper than filling up an equivalent 50-litre tank of petrol.
What is the Tesla Model Y RWD like to drive?
The driving personality of the 2023 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive is best described as assertive and generally speaking I really enjoyed driving it.
My favourite aspect is the steering, which is very direct, super-quick and has a bit of weight to it, which makes it feel rather sporty but also requires minimal input to get the nose turning.
This makes it an effortless vehicle to drive in the city and ’burbs with lots of 90-degree intersection turns and so forth.
Unlike most mainstream cars the driver doesn’t have to push down on the brake pedal to change from drive to reverse and vice versa, which was a nice change (and saved plenty of time manoeuvring in tight spaces).
The Model Y’s large upright windows at the front and side make for an excellent 270 degrees of vision, but the rear windscreen is so pinched and narrow it’s hard to see much out the back.
The Tesla struggles to match its mainstream SUV rivals – electric or not – in the ride comfort department as well.
Body control is impressive through corners and it feels sporty thanks to its low centre of gravity, grippy Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres and firm suspension.
But on roads with time-worn blemishes, potholes, rain damage and so on, it can be unforgiving and harsh.
It’s certainly not a deal breaker but when you’ve got such a refined vehicle in most other respects, helped by its silent motor and double-glazed windows, the suspension crashing and banging over patchwork roads can be unpleasant.
If Tesla used adaptive dampers or simply softened the suspension springs and dampers somewhat, it would a more comfortable cruiser. Instead, I found myself avoiding road damage or tensing and bracing myself every time a pothole was unavoidable.
The optional 20-inch alloy wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport (255/40R20) tyres probably exacerbate the problem, which isn’t as bad in the Model 3 with 18-inch wheels.
Despite the firm suspension and the lack of a dedicated driver’s display and several other minor quibbles, I quite liked my time behind the wheel.
Tesla does things differently, no doubt, but the Model Y is a fun car to drive, novel in many ways, and getting in and moving is a seamless process.
What is the Tesla Model Y RWD like inside?
The 2023 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive adopts an extremely minimal interior design philosophy yet still manages to feel special, in a luxury car kind of way.
The synthetic leather seats are very supportive and comfortable, power-operated and quite elevated, which gives you a great view of the road. There still loads of headroom, thanks to the Y’s tall-body design.
The back seat is also good, with reasonable legroom and headroom and enough width to (almost) comfortably seat three adults across the bench.
There are manually adjustable air vents, twin USB-C ports, reading lights and twin ISOFIX child seat anchorages.
Storage solutions are excellent, including two huge storage cubbies up front, large door pockets, two wireless phone charge pads and one of the biggest cargo areas in the mid-size SUV segment.
Indeed, the power-operated tailgate reveals a huge boot, with enough room to swallow pretty much anything you care to throw at it.
When you account for all the extra hidden tubs and cubbies, the Model Y offers 854 litres of cargo space and it comes with 60/40-split folding rear seats that can be activated via push-buttons in the boot.
It’s annoying that there’s no spare tyre but this seems to be the way of things for EVs, and the Model Y’s overall interior packaging and versatility is outstanding.
Should I buy a Tesla Model Y RWD?
If you’re looking at joining the EV brigade, the 2023 Tesla Model Y is a good place to start if only because it’s one of the best-value upmarket electric SUVs on the market today.
Beyond that, the Tesla Model Y also proffers one of the most versatile cargo areas in its class, has an impressive cruising range, reasonably competitive battery recharge times and very strong equipment and technology levels.
There are a few quibbles here and there, and the suspension requires finetuning, but overall the Model Y is very easy to recommend.
2023 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive at a glance:
Price: $69,300 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 194kW/340Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 62kWh lithium-iron phosphate
Range: 455km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 14.6kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)
Keyword: Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive 2023 Review