About the Tesla Model Y
Luke C purchased this Tesla Model Y new with additional options for $72,000 (including all on-road costs). Luke C would buy this car again because: “The Model Y his the absolute sweet spot for me. It has fantastic utility being and SUV and having loads of storage, is priced well compared with the competition, and its main drawcard obviously being that it’s electric.
This means you can be confident of low running costs, with none of the significant repair bills that inevitably occur when owning an ICE car more than a few years old. The car is also easy to drive, technologically advanced with some interesting quirks (and drawbacks) and over-the-air updates are able to bring many great features to the car, which enhances the ownership experience. “
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
Having only owned the car for a few months, my Model Y has not experienced any issues, unsurprisingly.
However, having regard to experiences from other owners of Model 3s, and also being an ex-Tesla employee (pre-Model 3 days, whilst I was in uni) the majority of issues people tend to experience are more than likely cosmetic things such as door handles, rubber seals, etc.
It is quite rare although not unheard of for Tesla vehicles to have major issues with batteries, or drive motors (at least not ones with reasonable mileage), which is something that cannot be said for many ICE cars (trust me I know, my previous car was a Jaguar).
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
Owning a Tesla is always a unique experience, from meeting other owners at charging stops, to downloading an over-the-air update which allows you to turn your car into a sleigh on the onboard display.
Since owning the car, I’ve received two updates, with minor fixes, improvements and new features such as green traffic light chime. Compared to an ICE car, the lack of fuel stops and maintenance is noticeable, and a key point of difference in persuading Australian buyers to turn electric.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
The purchase experience with Tesla was the most straightforward I have ever experienced. No dealers, haggling, being upsold with insurance products, etc.
I managed to get my order in within 20 minutes of orders opening in Australia, and the entire process took less than two minutes from selecting my colour, wheels and variant to making payment of the deposit.
From there, I could then track my delivery date via the Tesla app, which would update initially from a three month window to a one month window, then gradually less until the delivery date was confirmed. The pickup was also very fast and straightforward, being led to your car, provided with the keycards and left to your own.
Although some older or less tech-savvy buyers may find this daunting, I enjoyed this simplified process, and it saved me significant time which would otherwise have been wasted visiting multiple dealerships, haggling and waiting for the salesperson to “speak with their manager”.
As is currently the case, an increasing number of carmakers (predominately those new to market) are adopting such a strategy which is more than likely the future of car sales vs the traditional dealership.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
The Model Y is not cheap, and I would have preferred it to be several thousand less (the initial price leaks indicated that it may have been priced from $65k).
However when compared to an equivalent luxury EV SUV, most were above $100k.
The fact Tesla raised the price a week after orders opened meant in hindsight I am very happy with the price I paid for the car, especially since it is fully electric, and many hybrids or PHEVs cost around the same money.
Features wise, the Tesla is well equipped however is missing some key features I wish they would adopt, as almost every other car in the marketplace is equipped with them.
My key gripes are the lack of a 360-camera, blind-spot detection in the mirrors and a heads up display. All three are incredibly useful features and the lack thereof is somewhat at odds with Tesla’s positioning as a tech company that makes cars.
The lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also odd, although the native system is so good for the most part you don’t really miss it too much.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
The performance of the Model Y RWD is not mind-blowing, at around 6.0-7.0 seconds to 100km/h. However, the instant torque on acceleration means that I have been able to effortlessly beat almost any car at the lights.
I therefore struggle to understand why someone would pay $30k more to bring that figure down to 3.0 seconds by buying a Performance, not least due to the nausea-inducing acceleration which is completely unnecessary and likely to lose you your licence.
The RWD is more than sufficient for my needs and likely for most people too. Given it is an EV, economy is measured quite differently. My car has a range of around 430km on a full charge, which is more than enough for me, and I simply top up the car in the garage every time it gets to below 70 per cent.
I have also managed to take the car on a few trips out of Sydney, and found that the charging network to be adequate and simple to use. However, I have some concerns about the charging network given the huge influx in new Teslas each month, and the relative lack of new charging infrastructure which will need to be addressed.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
The tech in the Model Y is one of is most impressive aspects. The large screen controlling all of the car’s features is easy to use, intuitive with great graphics.
The Autopilot feature is great on long trips, as it reduces driver fatigue as I do not have to constantly guide the car along the road, but rather rest my hand on the wheel with the car doing much of the job.
The live visualisations on the drivers side of the screen are cool to look at, but largely unnecessary. I also didn’t opt for the Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self Driving packages, as I considered the price Tesla was charging to be exorbitant, and the features are mostly cool things to have but not essential (like summon, and auto lane change).
I really enjoy the Sentry mode feature, as one of my biggest fears is returning to my car only to find someone had backed into it without leaving a note. This feature also acts as a dashcam, and provides some peace of mind from hit and runs, without the additional cost or inconvenience of installing a third party dashcam.
Other features such as camp mode and dog mode have also been extremely useful, for example when at a drive-in cinema, and I believe all EV makers should add these features to their cars.
Finally, the Tesla app and the lack of a car key is one of my favourite features, as my previous Jag had a huge bulky key which I was always scared of losing, or dropping somewhere where there are no such issues with the Model Y, as the phone acts as the key.
The app also provides useful features such as pre-cooling the car, opening the front and rear boots, and tracking the location. Although many carmakers now have similar apps, I have not seen one which is as comprehensive or issue free as the Tesla app.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
The ride comfort is quite firm, and going over rough roads (of which there are several in Sydney) really shakes the car about. However on smooth roads it’s quiet and composed.
It’s not too much issue for us, but for those who may have young children or babies in the back seat it may be worth testing before you commit to purchasing. The handling of the car is decent, and although nowhere near the levels of sports cars or sporty SUVs, seems to handle well enough for the majority of owners.
The steering feel can be adjusted and is relatively easy to guide the car around tight spaces, while it seems to stiffen up when cornering or at high speeds.
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
Overall I am extremely happy with the Tesla Model Y. Although I knew what I was getting into, owning one has reinforced my view that these are brilliant cars with fantastic technology and little to no running costs.
With the increase in Tesla cars on the road, I sometimes wish they offered more options (such as body kits, wheels and interior colours and trims) to differentiate your car with the vast majority but hey at least mine isn’t white. When compared to my previous car, a 2014 Jaguar XF, the XF is a stunning looking car, and luxurious inside.
Being a car enthusiast, I had concerns about moving to a relatively bland looking vehicle (I was considering a Jaguar F-Pace) however the fuel costs and maintenance alone on the Jag was enough to convince me to look elsewhere, although I do sometimes wish that I was driving something slightly more unique.