Test Drive: Tesla Model Y Performance

One could say that Elon Musk has the bone of a bat. This person not only took advantage of the opportunity, but can balance this hype for a long time. With the main recipe of simplicity, technology and attractiveness, he adjusts the dose for each case enough to make everyone happy. Something that, at first glance, also applies to the Tesla Model Y Performance.

In years past, there were a few voices in automotive circles describing Tesla as a “Bubble.” A company with models that would quickly die out once traditional manufacturers got serious about electrifying.

As a result – and save for its stock market value – nothing like this has ever happened. The company itself is growing rapidly and at the same time ensures constant improvement in detail. As for people who buy, he often shows signs of addiction in front of his creations.

So what do we have here? The Tesla Model Y, a crossover version of the Model 3, has been on steroids. For those who consider the 5-speed rotation of the Model Y Long Range a bit for 0-100 km / h, in the Performance of the Tesla Model Y the corresponding time drops to 3.7″ – and the star that the number is calculated from that time. move. Accordingly, the same people they should expect a higher final, at 250 against 217 km / h.

Visually, the whole set maintains the presentation of the lamb, with its minimal design focusing only on reducing aerodynamic drag (Cd=0.23). But don’t be fooled by appearances. Instead, be sneaky if you notice a carbon fiber rear spoiler or 21” Uberturbine wheels. For the latter, let’s say that they are good as long as they are stored, but they can be easily injured on the asphalt, since they come out a lot from the tires.

A well-read person will find another difference by eye. Due to the more powerful approach, the people of the company decided to reduce the distance from the bottom from 17.2 to 15.7 cm. And this comes together with a more powerful suspension that wants to finish as much as possible with the grip of Pirelli P Zero Elect, but also changes to the level that we have known so far.

The philosophy remains the same, with two wishbones up front and multiple links at the back. However, its character ends up being drier than that of the Tesla Model Y Long Range. This is something that will not bother you when you are moving carefully on the road. However, in narrow city streets, at low speeds and known road surface irregularities, it makes you wonder about the correctness of your choice.

The steering wheel is very fast, with two turns from end to end. It has a balanced weight for that occasion which changes to Sport. Overall it will inspire confidence in the average driver, helping him easily control the Tesla Model Y’s reactions under pressure. But consider that for any trick, the car will need its space. A turning radius of 12.13 m is considered good for a model of this size.

Test Drive: Tesla Performance Y, Photo © DRIVE Media Group/Thanasis Koutsogiannis

The driving position in the Tesla Model Y can be easily adapted to the dimensions of any body type, through the 15” infotainment. Actually everything goes through there – we’ll get to that later. For the time being we will remain in traffic. And since Tesla often confuses things and prefers not to be clear about the final power figure (it does not announce horsepower), we can at least describe its effect when you sink the right pedal to the floor. Beware of spoilers! It’s not the right move if there’s no open field ahead, as the distance happily climbs to three digits.

Here we open the parenthesis, saying that some Tesla Model Y performance that we tested, was given by the seller “closed” (this is the second time this has happened with a Tesla test) so that it does not exceed 140 km / h. . Good accounts make good friends, so don’t wait to read in this test what happens from there.

Closing the parenthesis, we return to the behavior of the road. For anyone who wants to move normally, the throttle control does an exemplary job, adding power very well. But care is needed here, as the car does not easily betray the speed at which it moves. You can easily withdraw without getting carried away.

Test Drive: Tesla Performance Y, Photo © DRIVE Media Group/Thanasis Koutsogiannis

On the open road, traffic is “one gear”, everywhere. If you start to flip it, a slight slip in the turn will sound the first alarm. In more aggressive driving a good tip is to trade the entry for hard and moderate turns, as the Tesla Model Y Performance will pave the way for the front end. So input measurement and acceleration from the top onwards. This way you don’t mess with the Physics and at the same time you allow the four wheel drive system to do its thing. What he knows best.

As a first taste, Tesla Model Y Performance will easily impress you. But if you are looking for a permanent residence and not for one night, there are better alternatives in the range.

In general, the accuracy with which the torque passes to each wheel individually leaves no room for criticism. Do not expect to receive real sporty sensations, such as those offered by the Porsche Taycan for example. But expect similar seat pressure from acceleration, as the Tesla Model Y Performance easily humiliates almost everything in its path.

Good conversation is also worth the brakes. At the front we find 355 mm ventilated discs with 4-piston calipers and at the back the disc is the same as the heart, at 335 mm. Their performance is good with their behavior considered smooth and progressive, better than the average BEV.

Test Drive: Tesla Performance Y, Photo © DRIVE Media Group/Thanasis Koutsogiannis

And somewhere here we move to the digital direction of the car, which is probably a priority for the average buyer of the brand. As in other versions, everything is controlled by a large, centrally placed screen. You will only find physical switches for the four windows and the alarm. Let’s add two more multifunction controls to the steering wheel. This in itself makes the whole experience interesting, but on the other hand there will be times when it will make your life difficult.

The display definitely offers high responsiveness and high brightness. The UI is easy to understand, but several important features are hidden in a small menu, causing the wizard to spend more time than it should. Small improvements are the fact that they appear over time, through air conditioning. Although you want to impress your friends, show them instant access to Netflix and games you can play while charging.

In terms of charging, the car can charge up to 11 kW on AC chargers and 250 kW on DC. FYI, if you plug it into Tesla chargers, the energy is still treated by the company. Testing it on 150kW chargers at the Golden Hall, the car went from 24% to 92% in less than an hour. However, it could not accept more than 126 kW, which decreased to 41 kW as the charge rate increased.

What else to say about the car? The same applies to the simpler versions of the Tesla Model Y. It remains a particularly spacious car, with room for five capable adults and the ability to transport a large amount of cargo. The glass roof combined with the minimalist design and cabin equipment that is undoubtedly decent but not high-end leave a good impression. The special cars, in fact, come to our country from the Gigafactory in Berlin and seem to be built with more attention to quality than other Teslas we have tested.

Now as to whether it beat us to the Longevity or Performance version of the Model 3, the answer is no. For those looking for a crossover from Tesla, the “simple” Model 3 Long Range remains very fast, looks more balanced and does not get tired in everyday life, like the Performance. If you still have problems with acceleration, then the best option is Model 3 Performance: Better in feel, more accurate and even faster, it is the best option.

What DRIVE says
The performance of the Tesla Model Y is a real rocket. But it offers more comfort than it should at the altar of performance. Therefore, if we were to look for a crossover in the Tesla range we would still give a vote of confidence to a longer economical and more balanced range.
Price From €66,990
Technology ΒEV, two parallel permanent magnet motors, 75 kWh battery, four-wheel drive, constant ratio transmission
Performance It has not been announced
PERFORMANCE
0-100 km/h 3.7″ (minus recording start time)
High speed 250 km/h
Average consumption* 19.8 kWh/100 km
Freedom* 378 kilometers
CO emissions₂ 0g/km
Measurements 4,751 x 1,921 x 1,624 mm
Cargo area 854+117 lt
Weight 1,995 kilos
Manufacturer specifications, *STORAGE specifications.