Julien Chassagne

ECO MOTORS NEWS had the opportunity to get hands-on with the Tesla Model Y 2025. This electric SUV has managed to sell more than 3.5 million units since its launch in 2020, and was even the best-selling vehicle of all energy sources in 2023 and 2024. In other words, the American manufacturer has high hopes for this restyling.

We’ve arranged to meet at the Tesla Center in Saint-Ouen, where our ride of the day is waiting for us. Dressed all in black, our Tesla Model Y 2025 is ready to devour the kilometres of the route we’ve planned for it today: a bit of town, a bit of the ring road, the main road, the secondary road and the motorway, to put it through its paces in as many conditions as possible.

First impressions

At first glance, the change is obvious. The design of the Model Y has been extensively revised for this new version, with more than half the parts reworked to improve aerodynamics (and consequently range). The front lights, inspired by the Cybertruck, add a real touch of modernity, while the rear lights feature a wide, diffused strip of light to great effect. This restyling, which is much more contemporary, finally erases the slightly dated lines of the 2020 version.

At the rear, the boot still impresses with its capacity. The rear seats can be folded down at the touch of a button, and it is now possible to raise them in the same way. This is a real plus in terms of practicality. The panoramic roof, which remains true to form, is an undeniable asset in terms of light and the feeling of space on board.

Finally, and this was often a criticism of Tesla, the finish is impeccable: Alcantara, aluminium, ‘vegan’ leather – it’s quality, well-worked and up to the standard you’d expect from a top-of-the-range car.

Behind the wheel of the Tesla Model Y 2025

In terms of driving, Tesla has taken another step forward. Comfort has been improved, thanks in particular to much more advanced soundproofing. The chassis has adopted the changes made to that of the latest Model 3, making it a little more supple. Although it’s still a little too ‘grounded’ for lovers of automotive animality, it does the job well for an SUV that manages, despite its two tonnes, to offer some response in bends and a less heavy feel than other vehicles of the same size. The suspension has been reworked and, although in standard mode you can feel the cobbles a little at low speeds, you only need to accelerate a little to free yourself from the roughness of the road. It’s quite impressive! The steering is supple and precise, and very pleasant when you choose the ‘supple’ mode.

Acceleration remains true to Tesla’s reputation: crisp, immediate, with no lag time. Braking is excellent, particularly with the ‘one pedal’ mode, which allows you to slow down effectively simply by releasing the accelerator. The only downside of our experience is a turning circle of over 12 metres, combined with a width of 2 metres, which means you have to anticipate manoeuvres, especially in dense urban areas.

But on all other types of road – crowded ring roads, potholed highways or open motorways – the 2025 Model Y performs brilliantly. The range is in line with what’s displayed on the screen, and you even recover a little energy by braking. The journey planner, as practical as ever, anticipates any necessary stops at superchargers, which is a great relief for the driver.

Anecdote: during our stop at the Supercharger, many other Tesla drivers came up to us to ask questions about this new model, confirming the ‘wow’ effect felt when we picked up the car.

Finally, still on the subject of comfort, the seats are now not only heated, but also ventilated, a real plus, and there are still two screens on board, at the front and rear, to manage all the vehicle’s settings.

Conclusion

The experience was so convincing that it was hard to hand back the keys – or rather the card – after this test drive. Comfort, versatility, reliable range, responsive driving and even the price of recharging (€16 to go from 40% to 98%) make the Tesla Model Y 2025 a truly complete vehicle. The restyling is a real success, bringing this SUV up to date with the times.

In short, it’s a banger. Tesla is striking hard to face up to increasingly serious competition from Europe, but especially from China. The Model Y 2025, unquestionably one of the best value-for-money cars on the market, has all the weapons it needs to continue its domination and, why not, top the list of the best-selling cars in the world for the third year running. The arrival of rear-wheel drive versions at even lower prices (from €44,990) could well help it achieve this objective.

For our part, we can already see ourselves inflating Tesla’s signature mattress (yes, yes) with the cigarette lighter built into the boot, and falling asleep peacefully in the huge trunk under the stars thanks to the panoramic roof, at a perfectly stabilised temperature, thanks to… the Camping mode! There’s no end to the options available on this new Model Y…

ECO MOTORS NEWS notes on the Tesla Model Y 2025

Tried and tested model: Model Y Grande Autonomie All-Wheel Drive
Range: 586 km (WLTP) with 19-inch wheels / 568 km (WLTP) with 20-inch wheels
Fuel consumption: 14.8 kWh/100 km for 19 inch / 15.3 kWh/100 km for 20 inch
0 to 100 km/ h: 4.8 s
Maximum speed: 201 km/h
Maximum supercharging power: 250 kW
Boot volume: 2138 litres
Price: €52,990