Tesla Model Y review – Reliability & safety

Tesla Model Y reliability

While the Model Y hasn't appeared in our Driver Power reliability survey yet, the Model 3 came ninth out of the top 75 cars in 2023 and actually climbed to second place in 2024. Despite great scores for the Model 3’s drivetrain, running costs and acceleration, there’s one area where it’s always been let down, and that’s reliability (including build quality), where it came 27th in 2024’s figures. 

With the Model Y sharing many of the Model 3’s components, these scores should tell a similar story to Tesla’s SUV styled car. Tesla as a brand came in an impressive third place out of the top 32 car brands in 2023, despite a concerningly high 40% of respondents reporting a problem with their Tesla in the first year of ownership. This was, at least, a reduction from 44% the year before.

Safety

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The Tesla Model Y’s safety was put to the test by Euro NCAP in 2022 and it scored an impressive 97% for adult occupant protection and a near-perfect 98% in the Safety Assist category. 

The Model Y also gets basic Autopilot semi-autonomous driver aids as standard, so it's covered in numerous sensors and cameras that can help the driver avoid collisions and take over some driving tasks on well-marked roads. These sensors also make life easier when parking and manoeuvring, while its cameras provide clear images and even a ‘Sentry’ mode that acts like CCTV while the car is parked.

Some of the few optional extras for the Y include Enhanced Autopilot (costing in excess of £3,000) that provides navigation whilst using Autopilot and Auto Lane Change functionality, while automatic parking and the ability to ‘Summon’ your vehicle are listed as ‘Upcoming’ features. Full Self-Driving Capability is even pricier at close to £7,000, but it only adds the ability to stop at traffic lights currently, with the ability to drive on city streets also listed as a future feature, so for most drivers, we’d hold off for now.