Y Not?

ELON MUSK PUTS THE EUROPEANS ON NOTICE WITH A FAST-AS-HELL COMPACT PERFORMANCE SUV

- CHRISTIAN SEABAUGH

Dear Teslarati: If you’re looking for a 2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range review that focuses on its range, charging rate, battery capacity, or Autopilot with Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, this isn’t it. Our Model Y Dual Motor Long Range review is more than likely your bag.

If you can’t be bothered with simple math, would rather drive fast instead of letting a computer ease you along, and don’t care about battery size, then stick with me. Let’s together ignore the politics of Elon Musk, “alternative” energy, and the hidden meaning of X Æ A-12, and instead focus on one thing: Regardless of propulsion fuel, how does the Model Y Long Range’s Performance setup function as a luxury-performance SUV?

Quite well, as it turns out. The new Model Y Performance is probably the most convincing American sport luxury SUV I’ve driven in, well, ever.

Before we dive deeply into the why of the Model Y, let’s talk briefly about the what. The Tesla Model Y is the brand’s new compact SUV. Although it shares much with the Model 3, including its basic platform, motors, batteries, and lots of its sheetmetal, more than 25 percent of the content in the Model Y is unique to Tesla’s new small SUV. As it sits today, there are currently two versions of the Model Y: the Model Y Long Range and the Model Y Performance, the latter of which is also available with the Performance Upgrade package at no extra cost.