As we pull out of the alley, the driver stomps on the accelerator and my back is pushed against the seatback. We’re on board the dual-motor all-wheel drive variant of the Model Y, and like all Teslas, it’s energetic. The compact crossover quickly reaches a speed of 53 mph before we start slowing down on the closed road.
Musk claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, but we will have to verify that in the near future. After turning the Tesla around, the driver does a bad interpretation of a slalom, and even though the turns he made weren’t especially precise, the Model Y’s maneuverability is proof of its low center of gravity. For an SUV, it sticks to the ground, and there’s hardly any head toss inside the cabin.
Musk alluded earlier how his crossover rides like a sports car with the functionality of an SUV. That’s a hard statement to validate after spending just two minutes riding in the Model Y, but its quick acceleration and ground-hugging handling makes us want to take this crossover on a canyon road.
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As we return to the alley, I look around the cabin and have the same impression our own Kim Reynolds had when he rode in a Model 3 for the first time: It feels like a fishbowl inside. With the huge panoramic moonroof and large side windows, the Tesla Model Y has a sense of freedom. The seats feel like they’re positioned a little bit higher, reminding me of the ride height of the Jaguar I-Pace – not too high, but not too close to the ground.
Soon enough, someone from MotorTrend won’t be sitting in the passenger seat, but actually driving the Model Y, and we’ll provide you with driving impressions.
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