Tesla 2025 Model Y RWD 110 review: A mostly successful update

Is it possible to write a review of any Tesla without mentioning its CEO Elon Musk? For better or worse, the company is synonymous—symbiotic, even—with Musk. After all, profits plummeted 71% amidst Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration. But even if you disagree with his views and his activities in American politics, it’s hard not to be impressed with what Tesla has achieved and its products. The company’s Model Y wasn’t just the best-selling EV in the world, it was the best-selling car in the world. Clearly, it’s no chump.

The TL;DR version:

As a transportation device, the new Model Y is extremely capable. It’s practical, comfortable, and priced reasonably.

It’s easy to mistake the new Model Y as being an entirely new model because it looks so different to the one it replaces. But it’s actually a facelift, not a brand-new model. However, as far as facelifts go, the changes are extensive. I’ve written about the updates extensively in my first impressions piece, and my colleague has covered the differences between the new and old Model Y here so I would bore you with the details, but after having spent the past weekend with the latest Model Y, I’d say the updates are largely successful.

The styling changes are supposed to improve aerodynamics and add attractiveness. Tesla claims the drag coefficient has been reduced by about 5%, but this is hard to prove without access to a wind tunnel. What I can say, however, is that it looks contemporary. The entire front fascia is a lot sleeker and I think many will like the new full-width light bar that serves as daytime running lights. Though light bars are all the rage now, I worry that it’ll age the car poorly in a couple of years. Only time will tell.

The interior has also been updated to match the new Model 3. Rear passengers now have a screen for climate and media controls. Kids will love that it can also be used to watch YouTube and play games. And because there’s ample legroom, the rear is generally a pleasant place to sit in.

The other interior highlight is the massive panoramic glass roof. It stretches across the entire length of the car and gives the interior an incredible sense of airiness. It lets a lot of light in so it’s a good thing it’s silver-coated to insulate against heat. The coating does a good enough job as long as you have the air-con running. Park the Model Y outside on a sunny day and the interior will get as hot as a sauna. In these instances, you’ll want to use the app to pre-cool the car before getting into it.

Drivers will appreciate the return of the indicator stalk. This makes signalling so much more intuitive. There’s still no stalk for the wiper controls and high beam—you’ll need to use buttons on the steering wheel for that—and unless you spend a lot of time in a Ferrari, this will take some getting used to.

I know readers want me to compare the ride of the new Model Y against its predecessor, but the fact is it’s been nearly three years since I drove the old Model Y so I don’t think I can make a fair comparison.

What I can say, however, is that the new car rides well. Tesla said it has improved the car’s suspension and it shows. It soaks up undulations without fuss, but body movement remains well-controlled. Therefore, passengers never feel like they are in a boat on choppy waters being tossed around. Even on poorly paved roads it remains relatively composed. Not many SUVs in its price bracket can manage this trick. But it’s not omnipotent, it pitches quite severely if you approach humps at an angle.

Another contributing factor to the new car’s improved ride comfort is the ability to reduce the strength of its regenerative braking. I’ve always felt that the default level was too strong, so this feature is a godsend. Turning it down to the new Reduced setting enables the new Model Y to feel more like a traditional car and coast whenever you take your foot off the throttle.

Tesla claims it doesn’t affect range, but during my time with the car, I found that using it in the Reduced setting increased power consumption by around 3kW/100km. In other words, reducing the brake regeneration could mean a range reduction of around 20%. That’s not an insignificant amount, which means the more prudent thing to do would be to acclimatise to the heavy brake regeneration—the sooner, the better. In fact, considering how imprecise the brake pedal feels, it’s arguably better to get used to the default brake regeneration to slow the car down.

It’s quiet too. Like the facelifted Model 3, the new Model Y gets double-glazed glass throughout and more sound-deadening materials throughout the car. Tesla claims these changes reduce cabin noise by 20% and I can believe that. The serenity within the new Model Y is remarkable, even by electric car standards.

The Model Y I tested was the Rear-Wheel Drive 110. Despite being the least powerful model in the lineup, it still felt quite brisk. Power output might just be 110kW (148hp), but the car has a rather sizeable 350nm of torque. Plant your foot to the carpet and you will feel that instantaneous surge of power that only EVs can deliver. Tesla claims 0 to 100km/h in 9.6 seconds, but it genuinely feels quicker. It’s only at around highway speeds that it starts to run out of breath.

Power consumption during my test drive of over 350km was 14.6kW/100km. Given that the Model Y has a battery capacity of around 60kWh, one could get around 250km of range if you wanted to keep your battery between 20% and 80% charge. For longer trips where you’d charge the battery fully, you could probably cover 400km before needing to plug it into a charger. These figures are all very decent for a car of its type.

Tesla may not be making headlines for the right reasons now, but its ability to make objectively good electric cars is possibly irrefutable. And on the whole, this new Model Y is a more competent car than its predecessor. Yes, there are cheaper Chinese alternatives, but none matches the Model Y’s levels of refinement. If you buy a car solely for getting around and transporting people and things, few can do it as well as the new Model Y.

Availability and pricing

The new Tesla Model Y is available now in three variants and prices start at S$76,090. The table below shows the prices, road taxes, and estimated on-road prices of the three variants.

You can order the new Model Y on Tesla’s website here.