Tesla Model Y first drive: Our first impressions of this American EV!

The Tesla Model Y was launched earlier in India on July 15, and we have driven the Standard variant of the EV in Mumbai to find out what the hype is all about! The Tesla Model Y’s prices start from ₹59.89 lakh onwards and deliveries are set to begin from September 2025. Read further to know our first impressions

The Tesla Model Y has been on sale globally for a while now and the facelifted version has been launched in India – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

Tesla Model Y design

The Tesla Model Y has been on sale globally for a while now and the facelifted version has been launched in India. The design of the Model Y largely remains unchanged since its launch globally, but the facelift brings in a new LED lightbar up front (in line with that of the Tesla Cybertruck), better aerodynamics for improved range and a lightbar for the tail lamp setup as well (this looks pretty cool). With the facelift, you also get new air dams in the front and rear bumper and that helps with aerodynamics and brake cooling. Overall, the design of the car flows well and the sloping roofline adds to the whole look of the car. It rides on 19-inch aero-optimised Crossflow wheels wrapped in Hankook rubber, and these fill the wheel arches neatly.

A total of 7 cameras outside and sensors feed live footage into the cabin for the 360-degree-camera but also aid the ADAS – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

There are a total of 7 cameras outside and sensors that not only feed live footage into the cabin for the 360-degree-camera but also aid the ADAS. While the full self-driving mode hasn’t been enabled in India because Tesla doesn't have the permission yet, you do get some ADAS features like Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning. The full self-driving mode is already coded into the car but disabled by the factory and will be enabled with an OTA update soon enough. The front gets a decent-sized frunk and there’s also a boombox underneath it — what that essentially does is act as a speaker for when you go out with your friends or family and want to listen to music. The car also has a silent feature where it charges the auxiliary battery from the main battery as soon as it detects heavy drainage — in this way the car’s auxiliary battery never gets completely drained. The tailgate is operated electronically and the car has a big sized boot as well — comfortable to store a few suitcases and some other bags too. You don’t get a spare wheel, and in place there’s more place to store other items such as a toolkit, charger, some spares if required, etc.

The Tesla Model Y gets a minimalist design for the cabin – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

Tesla Model Y interior and features

The Tesla Model Y’s cabin is as subtle as subtle can get, but it still packs in a ton of features — all stored away in the 15.4-inch digital infotainment system. Instead of a traditional key, you have a smart card and a digital key available (stored in your mobile phone). There’s no instrument cluster, head-up-display or any buttons of any sort except for the five on the steering wheel. On the left of the steering wheel, there’s a button for the high beam headlights, and another one to activate the wipers — and if you long press it then water comes out too, with the water nozzles built into the wipers itself. On the right, there’s a button that brings up the 360-degree camera on the infotainment screen, a button for voice commands, and cruise control. There are two joysticks on both ends of the steering wheel which control the infotainment screen. The screen gets Tesla’s own OS, which is very similar to iOS — so essentially the screen is like a 15.4-inch iPad.

15.4-inch infotainment screens controls a majority of the functions – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

There are no AC vents in the car, and the whole dash is like an AC, with the air flow configured from the screen — similar to what’s present in the Porsche Taycan. What’s cool is a biohazard mode in the aircon controls. Let’s say you drive through a chemical industrial area and the cabin fills up with toxic air — all you need to do is activate this mode and it will clear all the toxins and the air completely within a few minutes. There’s no drive selector too — it is controlled from the screen — kind of like your Parking Frenzy game — swipe up to go ahead and swipe down to slot into reverse. There are only two driving modes — Chill and Standard. The wraparound ambient lighting looks pretty cool too and has infinite customisations. At the rear, the floor is flat and three people can sit comfortably. There’s also an 8-inch touchscreen unit which is independent from the main screen where content like Netflix, or games can be played. The second row can be folded electronically from the 8-inch screen or a button in the boot, to increase boot space if required. There’s a fixed glass roof on the ceiling which is tinted so it doesn’t warm up the cabin, and you get double-glazed acoustic glass windows to ensure the cabin remains as silent as possible. You also have options of seat ventilation and heating for the front, heated seats for the rear, and a heated steering wheel. Instead of the traditional door handles there’s a button that releases the door and then you need to push it to open it. The car also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but honestly the in-built navigation and Spotify app will make life much easier and is just as good. You get options of black or beige for the upholstery and I would prefer the former.

We tested the Standard Range RWD variant of the Model Y equipped with the 62.5kWh battery pack and a WLTP claimed range of 500km – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

Tesla Model Y battery and performance

The Tesla Model Y gets two RWD variants in India — the Standard Range, and the Long Range. The former gets a 62.5kWh battery pack with a WLTP claimed range of 500km, and the latter gets a larger 84kWh battery pack with a 622 WLTP claimed range. We tested the Standard variant and the infotainment screen showed us a range of 420km at 100 per cent SOC. On the performance front, Tesla does things differently and doesn’t reveal power figures in terms of bhp and torque. Instead of focusing on the spec sheet, they tell the customers only the 0 to 100kmph times — the Standard variant does it in 5.9 seconds, and the Long Range variant does it in 5.6 seconds. The car can take charging speeds of upto 250kW, and Tesla is in the process of installing the V4 Superchargers throughout the country.

While the Tesla may not be as quick as its rivals, it is still fast enough for Indian roads – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

Tesla Model Y driving impressions

The Tesla Model Y’s drive around Mumbai, via the Coastal Road was surreal. We tested the Standard Range variant with lesser power and range. When I drove, it was pouring heavily — good and bad both — bad because we couldn’t get more photos, but good because I was properly able to test a RWD EV in the wet — that’s the ultimate test for an EV. I didn’t take it easy though — I went fast, took corners, accelerated briskly, drove through potholes whichever I could find, and all of this happened while it was pouring. Performance and power was great, but that’s something you do expect from EVs, because of the instant torque delivery. What I was surprised with is how good it handled. Even in the wet, the steering wheel felt direct, the car sat well on corners and held its lane without hesitation. The suspension is well-tuned for our Indian roads as it’s comfortable and doesn’t crash into potholes. While the car may not be as quick as its rivals, it is still fast enough for Indian roads, and the Chill mode adds more punch. The steering wheel can also be calibrated from the info screen and you can weigh it up according to your taste. It was tough getting used to driving a car like this because we are generally not used to looking at such empty cabins, but the beauty of the Tesla Model Y’s cabin lies in its minimalism.

The drive selector for the Tesla, which can be accessed via the screen, can be confusing to use at first – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

The drive selector was a bit confusing at first and needs getting used to, but it isn’t finicky and you won’t have to swipe up again and again for it to slot into drive. The driving and seating position is good and you can sit nice and low — plus you have a flat dashboard so the visibility outside is great — it really makes you feel one with the car. What I couldn’t figure out here is to direct the aircon flow right to my face, and this was the same problem in the Porsche Taycan as well — I guess everything doesn’t need to be digitalised. All-in-all, the experience of driving a Tesla in Mumbai was great, on roads that I know like the back of my hand. I was able to pull references because I’ve driven other cars on the same route multiple times and realised that the Model Y is much better than what I expected it to be. It’s also not a stripped down version of any sort to lower costs, and Tesla has launched the full-blown model which is on sale globally as well — that’s a huge plus!

We also had a chance to check out the first Tesla experience center in India – Shot by Rohit G Mane for evo India

Tesla Model Y price and rivals

The Tesla Model Y has been launched in India, with prices starting from ₹59.89 lakh for the Standard variant, while the Long Range variant costs ₹67.89 lakh. It rivals other EVs like the Kia EV6 GT priced at ₹66 lakh, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 priced at ₹46.3 lakh, the BMW iX1 L priced at ₹49 lakh, and the BYD Sealion 7 priced at ₹48.9 lakh.