All-New 2020 Tesla Model Y: What You Need to Know

The New Small Tesla SUV Completes Elon Musk’s S3XY Lineup

The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV with available all-wheel drive and a maximum driving range of 300 miles per charge. The price starts at $39,000 for the base model with 230 miles of range.

Set to arrive in late 2020, Tesla’s newest model borrows much of its design and engineering from the company’s Model 3 sedan. However, it’s worth noting that the Model 3 has a slightly lower entry-level price and holds a slim edge in overall driving range compared to its larger SUV counterpart.

At a glance, it might be hard to spot the Model Y as being roughly 10 percent larger than the Model 3. With its blunt nose and tapered tail, the Model Y has more of a streamlined shape than you’ll find on most compact SUVs, such as the Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V.  

The Model Y’s primary task is going to be putting more mainstream car shoppers into Tesla vehicles. However, with more major car companies getting into the electric car field, the Model Y is going to have plenty of competition when it arrives next year.

Price and Trims

There will eventually be four major trim levels to choose between:

Standard Range: The Standard Range trim is the base model. It comes with a 230-mile range, a single motor, and rear-wheel drive. It will cost $39,000 and will be released in the spring of 2021, which is later than the more-expensive models in the lineup.

Long Range RWD: The Long Range RWD trim comes with a 300-mile range, a single electric motor, and rear-wheel drive. It will cost $48,000 and be released in the fall of 2020, along with the models below.

Long Range AWD: The Long Range AWD trim adds a second electric motor for all-wheel drive capability and additional power. It is faster than the Longe Range RWD model but has a shorter range (280 miles). It costs $52,000.

Performance: The Performance trim has the same basic setup as the Long Range AWD, but with more power. It has the same 280-mile driving range. It costs $61,000.

Anyone interested in the Model Y can already go online and put down a $2,500 deposit to secure a spot on the waiting list.

Powertrain

Like Tesla’s other vehicles, including the larger Model X midsize SUV, the Model Y is completely electric and will be available with two different sizes of battery pack and single- or dual-motor designs. The single-motor design has one motor in the back driving the rear wheels. The dual-motor design has one motor in the front and one in the back, giving it all-wheel drive.

The Model Y will be capable of charging using Tesla’s Supercharger network, though you’ll have to pay for each charge.

Driving Range

When it goes on sale in the fall of 2020, the first Model Y SUVs will be the performance-oriented and long-range models that offer between 280 and 300 miles per charge. The base version of the Model Y will have a total range of 230 miles and is expected to go on sale in the spring of 2021.

For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 has a driving range of 220 to 310 miles, depending on the chosen powertrain. A Chevrolet Bolt, which starts at about $36,000, has a total range of 238 miles.

Acceleration

The Model Y is fast, especially when fitted with the larger battery pack and optional all-wheel drive. Tesla says the Model Y in Performance trim will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 150 mph. That’s faster than many muscle cars, much less small and practical SUVs.

Even the base Model Y is pretty quick, with only 5.9 seconds needed for the same sprint to 60 mph.

The two midtier Long Range models, the Long Range RWD and Long Range AWD, go from zero to 60 in 5.5 and 4.8 seconds, respectively.

Exterior Styling

If you’re a fan of the Tesla Model 3, then the Model Y should keep you happy. That’s because the Model Y looks strikingly similar to its sedan counterpart. From its grille-less front end to its tapered tail, the Model Y has much sleeker styling than what you’ll find on more traditional SUVs.

Wheel options are 18 or 19 inches in diameter, or 20 inches in Performance models.

Interior Styling and Tech

The interior of the Model Y is dominated by a large 15-inch touch screen placed prominently in the center of the dash. All major functions – short of accelerating, braking, and steering – are controlled by this screen.

The rest of the Model Y cabin is minimalistic, much like what you’ll find in the Model 3. A large glass roof allows plenty of light to brighten the cabin, and a small optional third-row seat ($3,000) boosts total passenger space to seven. Customers have a choice between black or white leather seating.

Safety Tech

Similar to the Model 3, expect the Model Y to come standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, a rearview camera, and front and rear parking sensors.

Optional safety items will include blind spot monitors, lane keep assist, automatic parking, lane change assist, and a mode to summon the car to your location.

Some of these features are integrated with Tesla’s AutoPilot self-driving system, which will also be available on the Model Y. A full self-driving mode is available as a $5,000 option, though some of the system’s functionality is dormant until Tesla activates the full suite of features at an indeterminate time.

Seating

Since we haven’t spent meaningful time behind the wheel of the Model Y, some of our judgement here is based on experience with the nearly identical Model 3 sedan.

The front seats in the Model 3 have proven comfortable and supportive during long drives, and outward visibility is good. The same should hold true with the slightly taller Model Y.

Adults should have no problem getting comfortable in the rear seat. There is plenty of space for rear occupants in the Model 3 sedan, so that bodes well for stretch-out room for passengers in the Model Y. A large glass roof makes the interior a bright and airy place to spend your time.

We’ll reserve final judgement on the Model Y’s third row until spending time getting acquainted with the electric SUV, but based on the tight confines provided by the third-row seats in the larger Model X, the third-row seats in the Model Y might be best left for kids. That tapering roofline could also have a negative impact on headroom for anyone sitting in the third row.

Cargo Space

Tesla says the Model Y offers 66 cubic feet of cargo room with the second- and third-row seats folded. Exact figures have not been released regarding how much the Model Y can haul with its second- and third-row seats in place.

For reference, the Model 3 sedan has 15 cubic feet of rear cargo space, along with a much smaller cargo area located in the nose of the sedan.

Competition

One of the Model Y’s biggest competitors could be Tesla’s own Model 3 sedan. The two are near-twins in terms of their powertrain and size, with the Model 3 holding a slight advantage with its lower price and greater driving range. However, the Model 3 can’t match the Model Y’s cargo space or third row.

By the time the Model Y arrives in 2020, the electric car field will have a number of new and notable additions, including the Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV and the Porsche Taycan sedan. And don’t discount less-expensive alternatives already on sale, such as the Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Ioniq, and Nissan Leaf.

• Read the 2018 Tesla Model 3 Full Review
• See 2018 Tesla Model 3 Photos
• See Luxury Small Cars Rankings

More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report

Want to learn more about Tesla vehicles, and maybe compare an electric-powered sedan or crossover to more traditional offerings? Then be sure to visit our extensive rankings, where you’ll find everything you need to know to help make the most informed purchase decision.

When you’re ready to buy, be certain to use our Best Price Program to find a great deal near you. Buyers who use this program save an average of more than $3,000 off their new vehicle purchase.

You can score even more savings by comparing up to four rates from different lenders using myAutoLoan.