Used Tesla Model Y review and buying guide

Since its introduction in 2022, the Tesla Model Y has been a hit. Replaced earlier this year by a newer, less-awkward looking model, Tesla’s success story remains a great option for used EV buyers.

Believe it or not, but the Tesla Model Y has been on sale less than four years in the United Kingdom. During its debut year, it was the country’s best-selling all-electric car. This was no stroke of beginner’s luck, as for the next two years, Tesla’s answer to the likes of the Kia EV6 and the Peugeot e-3008 once again topped Britain’s EV sales charts.

As recently as August 2025, the first-gen ‘TMY’ was yet again the UK’s best-selling EV, despite a facelifted version (codenamed ‘Juniper’ for the Teslarati out there) going on sale in June this year.

While the updated car looks less like a Model 3 that’s discovered the joys of the roadside burger van, the pre-facelift car remains an excellent used choice thanks to its ease of use, practicality, strong performance, and that all-important access to Tesla’s excellent Supercharger network.

Tesla Model Y UK model history

The Tesla Model Y made its global debut in 2020 but hit UK shores in 2022, making it somewhat of a latecomer to the party.

Initially, UK buyers had a choice of Long Range and Performance models returning respective ranges of 331 and 319 miles. For 2023, a shorter-range entry-level model capable of 283 miles from a single charge joined the fold. That same year, the Long Range’s range was improved to 373 miles.

When the Tesla Model Y Performance arrived, much was made of its 483bhp as this 1.9-tonne SUV could do the 0-62mph run in a neck-snapping 3.5 seconds. On paper, this made it faster in a straight line than the 522bhp, V8-powered BMW M5 of the day.

Despite the ludicrous performance, the Model Y is not the most comfortable car in its class and jiggles around on poor road surfaces. That said, the incredibly quick steering rack borrowed from the Tesla Model 3 (with which it shares 75% of its parts) and stiff dampers make for decent handling, even if it is a family hauler at heart.

The Performance model is underpinned by a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout shared with the Long Range AWD models. The rest of the range is RWD only.

Used Tesla Model Y equipment

Given how closely related it is to the Model 3, it’s no surprise that the Model Y’s interior is largely the same as its smaller sibling’s.

As with the Model 3, all of the Model Y’s functions – from drive modes to the dual-zone climate control – are managed through a 15.4-inch touchscreen mounted in the centre of the dashboard. While this may sound alarming to some, Tesla is the only brand whose ‘all-in’ approach with the infotainment system appears to work seamlessly.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android is available on any Tesla. You can obtain it via a third party, but as always, it’s something we would advise against.

The infotainment system plays host to the rather excellent sat-nav system, plus integrated apps for Spotify and a series of games, which you can play using the car’s wheel when charging. Further charging time distractions include Netflix integration and a whoopie cushion.

Whether you go for RWD, Long Range, or Performance trim, the Tesla Model Y is well-equipped. Across the range, all Model Ys come with front and rear parking sensors, and there are multiple cameras around the car to detect pedestrians and nearby vehicles.

LED headlights are also standard along with adaptive cruise control, front and rear heated seats, electric tailgate, and keyless entry via the Tesla smartphone app.

All pre-facelift Model Ys get the old-style Tesla steering wheel, with Tesla Coil badging instead of the new ‘T E S L A’ wording. What’s more, the wood trim on the previous-gen cars can make things look a little dated.

When it comes to practicality, there’s plenty of it in the Tesla Model Y. In the back, there’s plenty of space for passengers over six feet thanks to 920mm of headroom. As well as the SUV’s high roof line and flat floor, this sense of airiness can also be attributed to how much natural light the Model Y’s ultra-minimalist cabin lets in.

With the rear seats up, Tesla claims the Tesla Model Y has 854 litres of boot capacity. It’s worth noting that’s measured to the roof, not the more usual seat back level, and also includes the huge underfloor area. Fold the seats down, and total volume grows to  2,041 litres. There’s also a 117-litre frunk.

Tesla Model Y price range and running costs

Tesla is notoriously cagey about its battery sizes, but after some digging, we found that most Model Y RWD, Long Range, and Performance models come with a 75kWh battery. Some unconfirmed reports suggest that some early RWD models came with a 60kWh unit.

Charging at home remains the cheapest charge option. With an off-peak home charging tariff, a 0-100% charge can cost as little as £4.20 with the 60kWh battery, and £5.25 for the larger of the two.

EV Powered has compiled a list of the UK’s cheapest off-peak charging tariffs. Click here to read it and find the best option for you.

In our research, we once again took to AutoTrader to check out the state of the used Tesla Model Y market. As always, we would recommend buying from a – preferably official – dealer as opposed to a private vendor.

At present, there are a total of 690 used Tesla Model Ys available via dealerships on AutoTrader. The most expensive pre-facelift Model Y we found was a Tesla Certified 2025 Long Range RWD priced at £43,800 with 7,556 miles on the clock.

The cheapest non-certified dealer car was a 2022 Long Range AWD, albeit one having covered 96,405 miles and priced at £18,473.

The Tesla Model Y comes with a basic warranty covering parts manufactured or provided by Tesla for 50,000 miles or four years. Seatbelts and airbag systems are covered for five years/60,000 miles.

As per European requirements, Model Y Long Range and Performance models have their batteries and drive units covered by the manufacturer for eight years, or 120,000 miles.

For a deep-dive intoTesla’s warranty system, read this.

A major draw of the Tesla Model Y is its compatibility with Tesla’s unparalleled public Supercharger network. To charge the vehicle, all that’s required is to plug the car in at the charge point and the session commences while you go and do something else.

For peace of mind, the rate of charge can be managed via the Tesla mobile app.

As well as offering charging speeds of up to 250kW, Superchargers can offer charging prices as low as 0.29p/kWh during off-peak hours in selected locations.

Used Tesla Model Y insurance and tax

Historically, Teslas are not cheap to insure and the Model Y is no different. Even the cheapest model to cover – the entry-level RWD – sits in insurance group 46. With UK insurance groups only going up to 50, that gives some indication of how expensive Model Y insurance is likely to be.

On April 1 2025, EVs became taxable under new government legislation, meaning they are no longer road tax exempt. As such, all-electric cars registered from April 1, 2017 onwards will now cost £195 per year in road tax.

Used Tesla Model Y reliability and faults to look for

Throughout its life, the Tesla Model Y has shown itself to be a dependable family hauler, with WhatCar? giving it a 99.3% reliability score.

That doesn’t mean it’s been an entirely problem-free run over the last three-and-a-bit years, though. Issues with the charging port can cause slow, intermittent, or even all-out charging failure, while connecting mobile devices to the touchscreen via Bluetooth can be glitchy.

Tesla’s paint is notoriously susceptible to stone chips, swirl marks, and scratches. Unfortunately, the Model Y is no exception here. Poor quality rubber seals and panel gaps on early cars can lead to water leaks in the boot, while a loose fitting can cause regulators to wobble and rattle.

Given it’s held down with double-sided sticky tape, the carbonfibre rear spoiler on Tesla Model Y Performance models can come loose.

When it comes to earlier cars, it’s worth noting that they were built at Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory. Later pre-facelift cars built at the US carmaker’s Berlin plant come with a much better fit and finish inside and out.

Like the Model 3, opinions are split on Tesla’s dealer service. Some have been praised for their ease of scheduling and their technicians’ knowledge and quality of work. Others, though, were criticised for a lack of communication and delayed service appointments.

Official recalls

Since its arrival on UK shores, the Tesla Model Y has undergone a total of five recalls. The first was due to a front suspension link possibly being insufficiently torqued. The most recent was due to a rear view camera failure.

An in-depth list of all pre-facelift Tesla Model Y recalls can be found here.

The ‘one to have’

As much as the Performance model is a tempting proposition, be honest with yourself – unless you’re a degree or two away from Max Verstappen, you simply don’t need almost 600bhp, let alone 600bhp in a family SUV weighing just shy of two tonnes.

All things considered then, we’d opt for a 2023 model year Long Range rear-wheel drive. It has 373 miles worth of range – the most of any pre-facelift Model Y – and given it was built in the Berlin Gigafactory, it will be better put together than earlier Shanghai cars. With 304bhp on tap, it’s all the Tesla Model Y you’ll ever need.