26 June 2025
I’ve been driving for over two decades now, and like many people my age, I’m at a point where I want a vehicle that is both practical and enjoyable to drive. Whatever your views on their controversial CEO may be, I can confidently say that the 2025 Tesla Model Y delivers on nearly all fronts.
Tesla’s Senior Marketing Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Kevin Goult, says this is a full vehicle redesign. The styling has been sharpened up, taking inspiration from the Cybertruck, making the whole thing look leaner, meaner, and more refined. It’s still very much a Model Y, but with a bit more attitude.
The suspension’s been reworked, and you can really feel it - it rides smoother, handles better around corners, and feels more quiet overall. I’ve driven earlier models in the past, and this one feels like Tesla has listened to customer feedback and made changes.
The interior has had a spruce up, too. You get heated and cooled front seats now – ideal for those frosty morning commutes and hot summer days. The rear seats are heated as well and now feature power recline and flat-folding magic. This pairs beautifully with one of Tesla’s new air mattress accessories for overnight trips.
There’s even an 8-inch rear screen for the kids, which can connect to two Bluetooth headsets – so you won’t keep getting asked, 'are we there yet?'.
The car features ambient lighting, and it’s fully customisable. Your teenage kids can have it glowing like a Sydney light show, but I still preferred the relaxing blue mood.
A few little things really stand out. The hands-free boot that opens as you approach is a stroke of genius – no more awkward juggling with the groceries or sports bags. The new pixel-by-pixel adaptive headlights are clever and are especially useful for those pitch-black country roads.
The front camera has a self-cleaning function – finally. I've had other brands in the past where most of the safety features stop working because of a bug splatter or rogue leaf covering the camera, but not anymore. Massive win.
They’ve even sorted out the panoramic glass roof, which is now coated with a fancy silver-coated layer that reflects heat more effectively. You get less of that greenhouse effect on sunny days, meaning the aircon doesn’t have to work overtime, saving you precious miles.
There’s also a magnetic loadspace cover in the boot that you can easily stow away. It’s a small touch, but these things matter when you’re throwing the kid's sports gear in the back.
Tesla’s single cross-car lamp on the rear is the first indirect reflective body panel taillight of its kind. The rear light bar is a one-piece cross-car light, making it one of the largest light bars in the automotive industry, measuring 1600mm in width.
Prices start at $67,900 for the rear-wheel drive and $77,900 for the long-range all-wheel drive – before any Government charges, of course. While not cheap, it’s not outrageous either, given the specs.
The RWD will do 466km on a full charge (WLTP) and gets from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds, which is faster than any classic car I have ever owned. The long-range AWD ups that to 551km range and 0-100km/h in a silly-fast 4.8 seconds. For a family SUV, that’s seriously impressive.
Tesla’s basic vehicle warranty is 4 years or 80,000km. It's not brilliant, considering MG and Kia are both stretching things to 5 and even 10 years, so Tesla’s a bit behind on that front.
However, where they absolutely excel is in charging. Tesla’s Supercharger network is hands-down the best in the world – and they’ve got 28 stations in New Zealand. You can top up 282km of range in 15 minutes. Perfect for a pie-and-coffee stop on your classic Kiwi road trip.
The final verdict is that the new 2025 Model Y is a proper step up. It’s not just a software update, and I reckon this one should absolutely be on your shortlist if you’re looking for an electric vehicle.
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