Range overview: electric; single-speed automatic; rear- or four-wheel drive; five-door SUV
Reliability: about average for the class
Cost to repair: more expensive than average
Most common: Tesla Model Y Long Range
Best for economy and long-distance driving: Tesla Model Y Long Range
Best for urban driving: Tesla Model Y Standard Range
The Model Y was only Tesla’s fourth-ever production car, and it followed hot on the heels of the Model 3 saloon, with the two cars sharing a common platform, batteries and motors. The Model Y was launched in the US in 2020 but didn’t really start to reach Irish customers until quite late in 2021.
Initially, the Model Y was sold only in Long Range form, but later it was joined by Performance and Standard Range models, the latter getting a smaller battery.
In the US, the Model Y has previously been available with a seven-seat option, but that was a late arrival to Ireland, only becoming available with a 2025 update which changed the Model Y considerably. Here, we’re concentrating on the earlier versions.
The Model Y started big, and then just kept getting bigger to the point where it became, for some time, the best-selling car in the world. The Model Y has been knocked off that perch since, but it still sells in big numbers, both in Ireland and around the world.
On our first drive of the Model Y, back in October 2021, Complete Car concluded: “The Tesla Model Y takes many of the appealing features of the Model 3 and combines them with the added practicality of a larger and more spacious SUV format. Its large battery and efficient drivetrain give it plenty of driving range and other than an overly firm ride at times it delivers a hefty on-road performance.”
Engine and range options for the Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)
The Tesla Model Y arrived in Long Range form, with a 79kWh (useable capacity) battery giving it a range of 507km and, thanks to two motors giving it four-wheel drive, it developed a robust 441hp and accelerated from 0-100km/h in just five seconds.
That first Long Range model was shortly joined by a Performance version, which used the same battery but sacrificed a bit of range for a blistering 3.7-second 0-100km/h sprint. Around the same time, a Standard Range model, with a single rear-wheel-drive motor, was introduced using a 60kWh battery for a range of around 393km.
Since when, Tesla has more or less constantly updated the car. The biggest update arrived in 2025, when the car was significantly facelifted, but here we’re concentrating on the earlier variant, with the more prominent headlights — the ‘lizard look’ if you like.
Tesla doesn’t do model trims in the way that other makers do. You could choose from the three basic versions — Standard Range, Long Range and Performance, which were later joined by a Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive model that could eke out a few more kilometres of range — and then simply add options.
A big 15-inch display, which does double duty as both infotainment and instrument screen, has been standard since the start, while in 2023 there arrived the option of a screen for rear-seat passengers.
Other options include different colours (plain white has always been the default standard colour), bigger alloy wheels (up to 20-inch rims) and of course the so-called ‘Full Self Driving’ option (which isn’t actually full self-driving at all but is just adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping steering).
Part of the fun of the Model Y comes from the extras built into its touchscreen, including games to pass the time while charging and even the option to replace the navigation map with a view of the surface of Mars.
Or even to just turn on the ‘Whoopee Cushion’ effect so that when a passenger takes their seat, the stereo emits a cacophony of fart noises. Little things please little minds and all that…
A heat pump, which makes the air conditioning and heating much more efficient, has always been standard — which put Tesla ahead of some rivals at the time — while Performance versions got tweaked suspension and steering to cope with the extra power, along with a body kit that included a neat carbon-fibre rear spoiler.
One important thing to note is that Tesla dramatically reduced the price of the Model Y after its initial introduction, which makes later cars much better value.
How much is it to tax the Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
Refer to our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature for the up-to-date cost to tax the Tesla Model Y.
How reliable is the Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
In general, the Model Y has proved to be a reliable car, especially in terms of its batteries (a key factor for long-term expense from an ownership perspective) and its electric motors (ditto).
Less good has been its reputation for cabin quality. The Model Y was one of the first mainstream cars to do away with physical buttons in the cabin almost entirely — later versions actually even got rid of the mechanical drive selector — and really there are only physical switches for the electric windows (in their frameless doors) and the two multifunction click-wheels on the steering wheel.
Early Model Ys were notorious for cabin rattles and squeaks, not helped by a very firm ride quality that didn’t gel well with Irish road surfaces.
Broadly, not much actually breaks — aside from the occasional time the touchscreen just turns off — but even a relatively new Tesla Model Y will rattle like a bag of empty beer cans over bumps, which isn’t very enticing.
Bear in mind that while electric cars generally need less mechanical servicing than a petrol or diesel model, major items such as battery cell faults or electric motor issues can be very expensive to fix.
Tesla’s warranty is at least good, extending to four years and 100,000km. The battery is covered for eight years and up to 200,000km.
How much range has a Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
Range varies depending on the model, with the smaller-battery 60kWh version registering an official range of 394km, while the Long Range version would go for 507km.
Later upgrades to the battery, the motors and the electronic control systems would liberate considerably more range, so that the last of the pre-facelift Model Ys were pushing past the 600km range barrier in Long Range form, and up to 500km for the Standard version.
Performance versions knock a bit off that range of course (around 40km or so) but make up for it with genuinely manic speed.
Charging is a big draw for potential Tesla owners and all Long Range Model Ys, and the Performance model, are compatible with 250kW fast charging at Tesla Superchargers, although the shorter-range Standard cars can only cope with 170kW.
When should I service my Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
Tesla doesn’t have a fixed service interval for the Model Y, but it does recommend a brake service every 20,000km which for some owners will be once a year.
Can I fit child seats and a buggy in the Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
Yes, you can. There are two ISOFIX anchor points in the outer rear seats, and while the centre rear seat doesn’t have ISOFIX points, there is a top-tether anchor behind the seat.
There’s no ISOFIX in the front passenger seat, but you can deactivate the front passenger airbag so you can place a child safety seat there using the seatbelt.
The boot, measured to the roof, which is the Tesla standard, holds a massive 854 litres of luggage, which is plenty enough for multiple buggies, and that’s backed up by a large 117-litre ‘frunk’ storage area in the nose.
How safe is the Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
The Model Y is very safe. Tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, not only did the Model Y get a full five-star score, but it was also awarded the ‘Best In Class’ prize by NCAP. It scored 97 per cent for the protection of adult occupants; 87 per cent for child occupants; 82 per cent for vulnerable road users; and 98 per cent for its electronic safety systems.
Alternatives to the Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)
Audi Q4 e-tron
Volkswagen ID.4
BYD Sealion 7
Ford Explorer
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6
MGS6 EV
Nissan Ariya
Renault Scenic
Skoda Enyaq
Toyota bZ4X
Xpeng G6
How much is a Tesla Model Y (2021-2025)?
For estimates of the current value of a given car, drop us a message using the Ask Us Anything page with as much detail as possible in it.