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MODEL Y REVIEW

After driving this car for the past few months, I have decided to write my first review of Tesla Model Y in Canada. I ordered the Model Y Long-Rang (AWD) version with the 20’ Induction wheels. Read on for the full review and check out my score at the very end.

DELIVERY EXPERIENCE

✔️Excellent

Everything went smoothly at the delivery center. I was notified my car was ready for pick up about a month out from ordering. I picked up my car in late October at one of Tesla’s newer locations in Vaughan. The place was basically a giant warehouse with a moderate size experience center. I think it was quite new since the other rooms weren’t filled yet. I was given about half an hour to look over the car before signing papers and handing over a bank draft. The entire process took about an hour.

FIT & FINISH

✔️ Excellent

✔️ No Alignment or Gap Issues

✔️ Paint was Smooth & Car was Clean.

In terms of fit and finish, I had no gap and misalignment concerns. The car was clean inside out. I received one of the first 2021 models. I was able to pair my phone to the app and within minutes I was able to start setting up my profile, my seating position and control the car with my phone.

TRADE-IN PROCESS

✔️Excellent

I traded in my old car. The Tesla employee removed my old plate and returned it to me in a cloth pouch. I was then given some papers to sign off the trade-in. There was no final inspection or anything with the old car. I was told all trade-in cars would be auctioned off by a third-party. See my order page guide to see how the trade-in process worked for me.

DRIVE

✔️ Smooth Acceleration & Regen Braking

✔️ Handles Corners well

❌ Harsh on bumpy roads. Stiff ride.

The Model Y drives and handles corners very well. Extremely smooth handling. It took about a week for me to get used to the one-pedal drive vs braking, but once you do, you wouldn’t go back. The brakes are amazing. Stops your car right away. If there was one thing I wish I had, it would be air suspension. It can get quite bumpy if you’re used to riding with air suspension i.e. Mercedes or Audi, especially for passengers in the backseat.

VISIBILITY

✔️ Back up cameras & sensors are great

✔️ Rain sensing wipers are ok

✔️ Seating position is high and higher for passengers. Easy to see out of the car, especially for shorter drivers, or have kids at the back.

👉 Lacks a 360 view camera but makes up for it with great sensors and camera live views. Parking lines and distance to cm given.

❌ Rearview mirror view is non-existent. Because of the hatchback styling, the view of the back isn’t the greatest compared to Tesla Model 3.

The rearview mirror is not usable since the back view is so limited. However, it’s rarely a concern or need with the display screen, you can activate the back camera or use it to check if anyone is behind you. The back up cameras and sensors tells you to the “cm” how close you are. The mirrors also auto-fold and tilt when you are backing up for better view. The rain sensing wipes work for the most part. It takes some time for it know how often you would like the windows cleaned. I like how Tesla implemented a push button on the drive stalk to activate the wipers. At first, I thought I had to search for it on the screen, but now that there is a button, it isn’t an issue.

SIZE

✔️ Great family size car. Similar to Model X size. Baby seats fit nicely.

✔️ Back seats recline a bit and are spacious for adults. Tons of head room.

✔️ Tons of storage in frunk, and trunk. You’ll be surprised how much it carries.

✔️ Can open the back trunk and sit for a picnic. It’s the perfect height.

✔️ 7 seat model is available for 2 smaller passengers and fold flat.

✔️ Fits 2 car seats (forward or back) and trunk fits full size strollers with room for other bags.

👉 Need storage bins at the trunk to prevent items from rolling at the back

👉 Wish it had a cover for the back trunk or sorting bins/dividers/organizers. You can add a cover now for privacy at checkout orders or order it after delivery.

👉 Wish there were more storage compartments. The glovebox is quite small.

WINTER PERFORMANCE

✔️ Defrost function is able to melt all snow and ice off of windows really fast

✔️ Never fails to start up like an ICE car could

✔️ Independently Controlled Wheels help in icy situations so that wheels don’t lose traction

✔️ Heated seats and vents work well. Vents can get noisy.

✔️ Heat pump & Tesla’s Octo-valve works well in keeping the battery warm.

👉 Need to pre-condition car at least half hour before leaving.

👉 Need to plug-in car if it’s extremely cold like -5 degrees.

👉 Prepare to lose km for cabin and battery heating (~5km from pre-heating). Parking inside a garage helps a lot or keeping it plugged in.

👉 Regen also does not work if not pre-heated but Tesla fixed this issue now

👉 Would recommend you get Winter Tires for better traction.

👉 No heated steering wheel yet, but that’s coming to newer models starting Jan 2021. All models now have heated steering.

❌ Door handles are flushed with car and can be frozen and covered in ice. Bumping it usually breaks the ice off. Software now prevents build up. Haven’t have a stuck handle anymore.

❌ Windows can freeze up after an ice storm and not go down if the car is too cold. Pre-heating fixes this issue. Also, lubricating the windows with silicone oil every winter helps.

❌ Heating element for charging port could be larger, sometimes the edges freeze up and then you might not be able to open the charge port right away. Only a concern if you park outside when its freezing rain.

❌ Trunk may not open if too much ice / snow builds up on top of it.

Overall, I have to say my Tesla has been great so far in winter conditions in Canada. I live in Toronto. The car never fails to start up like an ICE car. The only downside which is remembering to pre-heat up the car when its cold outside. The defrost works fast and clears most of the ice off your windows. Tesla pushed an update where you can set a pre-heating schedule which helps. You cannot set specific times if you leave for work at different times of the day but it does work if you leave at the same time daily. I think the liftgate needs to be made stronger to handle heavier weights. I had about 5cm snow build up on a day followed by ice. I wasn’t surprised it couldn’t lift it but since I stored my brush in the rear, it was harder to get to. I would suggest storing it in the passenger seat for easier access. In terms of wheels, it is always good to get winter tires for Canadian winters. The induction wheels handle well in snow but not the greatest in ice. They do look great. Minor issue is that the wheel rims do protrude from the wheel and makes it easier to scratch them on a curb, so take extra care if you get these. The induction wheels do look better than the standard wheels, mainly because all the trim and handles are now matte black.

TESLA MOBILE APP

✔️ Makes you never want to carry keys again.

✔️ Able to control most things and being able to heat car is great.

👉 Some connectivity issues would require you to hold onto the car key or reset your mobile connection to prevent you from locking out.

👉 Can live view Tesla cameras or Dashcam videos and send an alert to you. This works for Apple and Android phones now. However, need to pay for premium connectivity if want to view anytime on your phone. Otherwise, you can view all security footage in car. All data is stored in a USB given to you in the glovebox.

❌ Often quite slow to connect if you want to view the car but few issues pairing to open the car.

SAFETY

✔️ Tesla Achieved 5-Star Overall Safety Rating by NHTSA for Tesla Model Y Long-Range (AWD)

✔️ Model Y structure now includes worlds largest casting

✔️ Model Y has the lowest roll over risk of any SUV to date by NHTSA at 7.9% due to its battery pack having a low-center of gravity

✔️ Every Tesla comes standard with advanced crash-avoidance and pedestrian protection features, including Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist & Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Warning.

✔️ Sentry mode is Standard. Tesla’s cameras can capture recordings while you drive and while parked.

✔️ Tesla Autopilot is Standard. 7x safer than NHTSA average. Works well on highways and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Display screen now sees stop signs, traffic lights, garbage cans, pedestrians, cars vs trucks, curbs, stop signs, and pylons but do not react to them unless you have Full-Self Driving. Full-Self Driving Chip is now rolled out on all Tesla Model Y vehicles regardless of trim level, which can be activated anytime. For Canada, it is $99 per month.

RANGE & CHARGING

✔️ Great for local daily commute with 240V home charger.

✔️ Go for the biggest battery Tesla gives you. You will always be happier with the larger battery.

✔️ Every Tesla comes with a mobile charging cable for 120V outlets and an adapter.

✔️ Tesla Supercharger Stations is the largest charging network available.

👉 Tesla recommends you only charge up to 80%. For Tesla Model Y that range is about 455 km (even though the max range is ~525 km), which translates to about 3-4 days, you will need to plug in your car.

👉 I would recommend plugging in your car every night (or at least when it goes under 0 degrees) since it saves energy by charging at low rates and keeps the battery warm.

❌ 120V is usually not enough for daily use. But if you plan to go out once in awhile i.e. to the grocery store and back, this option works fine. Tesla used to include a mobile 120V charge which you can plug into a normal 120V outlet. You can now add this when ordering the car. I suggest hire an electrician to install an NEMA outlet. Overnight charging for about 12h can get you about 100 km range, which is good for a day’s worth of local travel. See my charging page for more details.

LIGHTS

✔️ Extremely bright headlamps with Auto-High Beams. Push in/out left drive stalk to adjust as in a regular ICE car.

✔️ Fog lights also helps improve visibility.

👉 Wished there was a button or voice command to turn on Fog lights without having to go into the menu.

👉 Interior ambient light is lacking. I think Tesla could add some neat adjustable lighting on in the inside especially on the steering wheel/dash or side wells. Lighting the door handles with a Tesla puddle logo would also be a plus. Also, would like to see lighting on step trims on entry. Trunk area could also use more light.

COMFORT

✔️ Seats are vegan leather and extremely comfortable.

✔️ Saved Driver Seating Profiles are great, especially if more than one driver.

✔️ Steering wheel is also vegan leather and comfortable to grip.

✔️ Large windows and glass roof makes it comfortable viewing for tall passengers at the back.

✔️ Back seats can tilt backwards which can add additional room for taller adults.

👉 Heated seats and vents are great but there's no way for passengers to control them.

👉 Wished they had more adjustments in terms of lower back and leg extensions.

👉 Automatic fold down latch works well. However, the seats are quite heavy to pull back up.

👉 White seats look sharp and are quite durable, but plan to maintain them to keep them looking white. Black is the way to go for lower maintenance and better if you plan to use it with kids.

❌ Lack of options for seats / comfort.

❌ Lack of areas for passengers to hold onto while moving. I believe the door handle is meant for that but a lot aren't familiar with holding on it.

Overall, I enjoyed sitting in the car. It’s quite comfortable for long rides. There’s a lot of improvement that can be done with the interior design. I do , however, like how minimalistic it is. I hope with the new hires can bring Volvo design to their next car models and add quirks and special features i.e. storage underneath the seat or neat storage compartments at the rear.

DOORS, HANDLES, LATCHES & WINDOWS (D.H.L.W.)

✔️ Doors open wide and rimless windows look slick.

✔️ Mirrors are heated and fold at destination or lock.

👉 Doors require both hands to open and not the most intuitive. First time passengers always are confused how they open and close.

👉 Windows don't go all the way down for passengers but do for two front seats.

👉 Wished trunk had kick open feature or hands-free open to open.

👉 Wished door handles were heated, were illuminated and had the ability to break the ice on its own by opening the door.

❌ Windows can get frozen from trapped ice / moisture if car does not preheat properly.

OVERALL ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.30 / 5

DELIVERY EXPERIENCE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

FIT & FINISH ⭐⭐⭐⭐

TRADE-IN PROCESS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DRIVE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

VISIBILITY ⭐⭐⭐⭐

SIZE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WINTER PERFORMANCE ⭐⭐⭐⭐

MOBILE APP ⭐⭐⭐

SAFETY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

RANGE & CHARGING ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

LIGHTS ⭐⭐⭐⭐

COMFORT ⭐⭐⭐⭐

D.H.L.W. ⭐⭐⭐

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