Back in July last year, I reviewed the Tesla Model Y, and now 8 months later, I’m in the Tesla Model Y Performance. This has only recently been released to customers, so it’s a great time to get hands-on and take a look at the top spec of the Model Y, one of the fastest SUVs on the market.
While the MYP looks the same as the standard Model Y on the surface, those paying close attention (we are) will notice several subtle differences.
Firstly there’s that Dual-Motor badge on the back with the giveaway red underline, a great indicator to look for if you’re rolling up to a set of lights. Next is the carbon fibre lip on the top of the boot lid, this not only looks good but also helps to reduce drag.
Another difference is the red brake callipers, tucked away underneath the large, black 21″ Überturbine rims. These are wrapped in Pirelli PZero tyres (255/35RR21 98W) to yield even more performance than the already great Michelin Pilot Sport EVs.
This next difference is subtle but important, the MYP actually sits 15mm lower than the base model, this is designed to aid in handling and get that larger battery back even lower to the ground. This does come with a trade-off of slightly less ground clearance.
You will also notice that the front fog lights aren’t blacked out, but rather actually functional lights which is useful if you live in foggy environments, or just like more light on the road and the quad-light look for night driving.
The next difference is inside the cabin and it’s about the only one. The brake and accelerator pedals of the Performance model are aluminium alloy pedals. This is a nice touch, however, there are plenty of 3rd party options to upgrade the defaults here.
The Performance
Capable of racing from 0-100km/hr in a stunning 3.7 seconds, it’s a significant leap from the base model Y that offers a healthy, although slow in comparison 6.9 seconds.
Practically, this means you’ll launch off a stop much faster in the MYP. While most will be impressed by the performance of the MY, there’s no doubt that it lacks that punch off the line that I’ve been completely spoilt by with the M3P. Thankfully the MYP delivers a serious response when you plant your right foot. If you’re trying to overtake or quickly maneuver to change lanes, or even avoid and accident, this level of responsiveness should not be undervalued.
The Model Y Performance will be perfect for those who need the storage and space of an SUV but want the performance of a sporty sedan. Despite being larger, and heavier, this acceleration is just 0.4s slower than my M3P.
As someone who has both a Model 3 Performance, and a Model Y RWD in the garage, this car is effectively the best of both of these, in one vehicle, which should appeal to many. Transport your kids safely to school and back through the week, then mum or dad could take it for a sporty trip through the mountains on the weekend.
This performance is achieved through an electric motor in both the front and rear of the vehicle and if you’re wondering about the impact on range, Tesla says this is good for as much as 514km on a change, compared to 455km on the SR, thanks to a larger Long Range battery pack.
What’s really impressive is that your storage isn’t compromised by the growth in the powertrain.
The Range
It’s far too early to comment on the range. When I picked up the car today, it had done just 11km, this was brand new. That meant that I had to drive until around 60-65kms had been completed to unlock Autopilot. This reminded me how amazing even base Autopilot was, having to expend mental energy to stay between two white lines seems ridiculous in 2023.
When AP was calibrated if felt like I went from white-knuckle driving in the city to a relaxed, country drive once I could enable it. 95% of the rest of the drive today was on AP. Unfortunately, this review unit doesn’t have EAP or FSD. This also made me appreciate how magical automatic lane change really is and Navigate on Autopilot to avoid being slowed down by slower cars.
When I got the car, it was charged to around 80%, but what I can share is that charging at Euroa showed a potential 100% range of 468km, which compares to the 435km of the MY. I expect there’s probably a bit more range in this, once the battery calibrates, but as many EV owners know, you’ll never get the quoted 514km in reality.
The Price
Naturally, This amazing performance doesn’t come for free, with the price of the Performance, priced around $25,000 more than the RWD. While the car does look great on 21″ rims compared to the 19 or 20″, it still features all the same technology and has the same interior and safety. This means someone buying a Model Y Performance really values a great acceleration experience (and some range) and is prepared to pay up for it.
With that much price difference between the two models, it’s worth considering if you care about autonomy. While all Tesla vehicles ship with Autopilot, Tesla’s FSD software option is priced at A$10,100 (for now) and Enhanced Autopilot which includes many of the features, costs A$5,100.
This means you could do what we did, which is to consider buying the RWD Model Y, adding a white interior, a software upgrade and being well under what you’d pay for the Performance spec.
Ride comfort
One issue that Tesla received plenty of feedback on was the ride comfort of the Model Y. While many reviewers took issue with how firm the ride was, the international sales data for Model Y, tells you this wasn’t a big issue, certainly not as big as it was made out to be.
Despite that, Tesla took the feedback on board and decided to tweak the suspension to help address this. Detailed comparisons will have to wait for the full review, but my initial reaction would be that the ride comfort between the 2023 Performance and our 2022 SR, are basically the same and both perfectly acceptable for a car that performs great and corners incredibly well, with virtually no sign of body roll.
Perhaps that’s a compliment to the work Tesla has done, given the larger 21″ rims on the MYP means there’s less air inside the tyre to absorb the bumps.
Over the next few days, I’ll be living with the Model Y Performance, ahead of a full review, right here on techAU.com.au.
For more information or to buy your own Model Y, head to Tesla.com via our referral link and you’ll score some free Supercharging credits to kick off your ownership journey.
