Tesla Model Y Performance Review & Prices

One thing you could always count on with the Tesla Model Y Performance was… well, performance. The new model ups the ante with sportier steering and a higher-quality cabin, but it’s still not all that much fun on a twisty road, nor is it much more entertaining than the standard Model Y.

It is a seriously quick piece of kit, so in that sense, the Model Y is something of a Ronseal car. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and it’s more ferociously fast than a Volvo EX30 Ultra, BMW i4 M50 or a Polestar 2.

But, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the Performance edition apart from a single motor, rear-wheel drive Model Y Premium on the outside. For the Tesla cognoscenti though, there are some visual cues. There’s a slim carbon-fibre rear spoiler, for example, and a chunky rear diffuser partly tucked under the back bumper which does genuinely help to stick the Performance to the ground as the speeds rise.

There are also rather sinister looking ‘Arachnid 2.0’ 21-inch alloy wheels which come with aero-friendly plastic inserts if you want to stretch the range a little, or you can pop those off if you want to show off the spidery wheel spokes in their full.

The only thing that really gives the game away is the ‘Plaid’ badge on the back (a gag taken from Mel Brooks’ 1986 comedy Spaceballs — what ideas will Tesla nick from the incoming sequel we wonder?). The rest of the exterior is as per the rest of the Model Y range, with the egg-shaped silhouette intact, but with the neater-looking front and rear light bars that replaced the slightly geeky lizard-like lights of the previous version.

The cabin is largely carried over too, and again there’s very little that separates out the Performance model from lesser Model Ys. The updated 16-inch touchscreen (half an inch larger than before, but a smaller surround means it takes up no more space) runs the same software, which means that it’s impressively quick and slick to use, with class-leading responses to each and every touch of a finger.

Tesla Model Y: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 360 miles
Battery size: 80kWh (est)
Max charge speed: 250kW
Charge time AC: 8h, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 27mins, 0-80% 250kW
Charge port location: Left rear
Power output: 454hp

That said, it’s still frustrating that absolutely everything is on the display, even picking your gears, which is truly just daft (and something that Tesla seems to be retreating from, albeit slowly). A few physical buttons would make life much easier, as would a proper driver’s instrument display. Packing your speedo onto the main screen might be alright in an affordable Volvo EX30, but in Tesla’s speedy flagship, it smacks of cheapness. Adding headlight and wiper controls onto the screen too smacks of madness.

At least the Model Y Performance is more comfortable now. Not only did Tesla generally improve the front seats when it gave the whole Model Y range a big update in 2025, it also gave it adjustable under-thigh support which makes a big difference. The ‘Plaid’ logo inset into the backrests is also a nice touch.

You’ll have no complaints from rear seat passengers when it comes to roominess. Those in the back also get their own dedicated touchscreen, although other than adjusting cabin temp and seat heating, this seems a bit redundant. The big, and standard, glass roof really helps in the back, too as the extra light it lets in helps to stop things feeling too dark and dreary. This is something that the optional white ‘vegan leather’ (vinyl, really) upholstery also helps with.

Boot space is also massive, although Tesla is a bit cheeky in quoting the boot volume when loaded to the roof (or, more accurately, the tailgate glass) so its 822 litres easily dwarfs the up-to-the-luggage-cover figure of the competition. Fold down the back seats and there’s an enormous 2,002 litres of space, backed up by a useful 116 litres in the front-boot (froot?).

All of this is rather practical, though, and hardly what we’ve come here for in Performance terms. With 454hp on offer, the Tesla Model Y Performance does not disappoint when it comes to sheer, explosive power. Stamp on the accelerator and 0-62mph is done and dusted in just 3.3 seconds, fractionally faster than the old model, and with the same sensation that your kidneys are being shrink-wrapped by your stomach as the speed builds violently upwards.

However, what the old Tesla Model Y Performance couldn’t do was provide any entertainment beyond squeezing the air from your lungs and flattening your spine against the seat in a straight line. Around corners, it felt more or less the same as any other Model Y, which is to say ‘fine’ but nothing more than that.

To try and bring the Model Y Performance’s driver appeal up a notch, Tesla has given the car’s chassis and steering a serious going over. New adaptive dampers are the big news, but there are also plenty of physical suspension component changes and upgrades compared to the standard model and to the previous Model Y Performance. Everything from the anti-roll bars to the little rubber bushes that link suspension parts have been changed.

Has it worked? Well, the ride comfort is better than before — the old Model Y felt like its springs had been replaced by wooden blocks — and it’s a far more day to day usable car than it used to be. Even with the suspension set into Sport mode, ride comfort never drops below a generally pleasant level. That’s a big tick.

When it comes to corners… Well, it feels better than it used to, and it’s certainly more engaging and entertaining for the driver than the standard Model Y, however, there still seems to be too much distance between the driver and what’s happening at the tyres’ contact patch.

There is a ‘Reduced’ mode for the stability control which allows a little bit of movement from the rear when cornering hard (although you’re not going to be doing lurid Ford Mustang-style drifts or anything). You’re instructing the Model Y Performance what to do, and it’s doing a good job with those instructions, but a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Porsche Macan Electric or BMW iX3 makes you feel like you’re contributing something to the process.

At least the range is still good, and certainly better than that of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N which is some 80 miles in deficit to the Tesla, at least on paper. Tesla doesn’t quote official battery capacities for the Model Y Performance (although we reckon it’s around 80kWh) and against a claimed 360 mile range, you should see 300 miles in real-world driving, plus there’s the excellent Supercharger network backing you up with 250kW charging possible.

Verdict

The Tesla Model Y Performance is better, but still arguably not better enough, than the previous version. If what you want is a fast, furious, and yet frugal family electric SUV, with performance that can genuinely drain the blood from your feet in a straight line, then look no further. However, if you’re looking for an electric car that can actually provide the driver with some serious fun behind the wheel, then the Tesla still lags behind the likes of Hyundai and Alpine. The Model Y Performance is fast, but it’s not quite enough fun.

Have a look at the latest Tesla Model Y Performance deals on Carwow, as well as Model Y Performance lease deals. There are plenty of used Model Y Performance options to choose from, as well as other used Tesla models through our trusted dealer network. Remember, Carwow can help you sell your current car, too.

On price, the Tesla Model Y Performance seems to have an absolute lock on the market. It’s around £5,000 cheaper than a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, and has more range, while it’s as much as £8,000 cheaper than the fastest version of the Alpine A390, roomier by far, as well as much quicker and with more range. However, there’s more to this than just pricing, and driver appeal — which the Hyundai and Alpine both have more of — has to factor into the equation.

Equally, if you really want to talk about bargains, the Xpeng G6 Performance can’t match the Tesla for acceleration, but it’s not far off and costs the guts of £12,000(!) less, with similar quality, cabin space, and tech. It too suffers from the same not-actually-much-fun problem as the Tesla (even worse, actually, in that respect) but for that kind of saving, who’s counting?