2026 Tesla Model Y Standard review: Quick drive

To widen the selection of car buyers the Tesla Model Y appeals to, the company has launched a new cut-price version in some markets, called the Standard.

It gets less range, less performance, and has a distinct whiff of cost-cutting, but none of that rules out the new entry-level version as a viable option for price-sensitive EV buyers.

Though exterior colours are limited, and the Standard doesn’t feature the same LED light bars as the rest of the range, it doesn’t look notably worse.

Given that the Model Y lineup has been tweaked for the Australian market recently, with no mention of the new Standard car, it’s not clear whether such a thing will be introduced here, but to get a flavour for how it might feel, we drove it in Ireland.

How much does the Tesla Model Y Standard cost?

Tesla Australia’s existing Model Y lineup opens at $58,900 before on-road costs for the RWD, rising to $68,900 before on-roads for the Long Range AWD and $89,400 for the Performance.

In markets where the Standard is offered, it’s some 15 per cent cheaper than the next rung up the ladder, suggesting a theoretical price of circa-$50,000 in Australia if it were to be offered here.

However, the Chinese-made, entry-level RWD car in Australia already has a lower range than the German-built Standard, so it is not clear where the latter could fit in at this stage.

If Tesla did manage to sell a Model Y for $50,000, it would undoubtedly be welcomed with open arms.

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What is the Tesla Model Y Standard like on the inside?

Anyone familiar with other versions of the Model Y will instantly spot where Tesla has saved dollars in creating the Standard, as its specification is pared back.

There’s a simpler, more open centre console to start with. Where the rest of the lineup has copious amounts of closed storage between the front seats, the Standard makes do with a shelf of sorts – though it’s still of useful size. The Model Y’s dual-wireless smartphone charger is present, though it’s more plastic to the touch, and the cupholders that can be covered elsewhere in the range are always exposed in the Standard – no hardship unless you’re obsessed with the clean, minimalist aesthetic.

Recent updates to the Australian Model Y range brought with them a standardisation of the screen size to 16 inches, and that carries through to the European Standard model. It’s not massively larger than before, but it is of newer technology and has higher resolution as well. 

It is crammed with all the usual Tesla gimmicks, too. We just wish the car were not so reliant on it for such things as temperature control and even drive selecting – though the option to let the car choose that automatically seems to work quite well.

Those in the rear seats of the Standard do miss the touchscreen found in the back of other Model Ys, though there are still air vents (manually controlled rather than via a screen) and USB-C sockets. Small consolation.

There’s new upholstery for the Standard as well, which is supposedly a step down from the default synthetic leather, but we quite like the tactile mix of the materials used.

One of the biggest changes to the interior for the Model Y Standard is the covering up of the glass roof. And bizarrely, that’s exactly what Tesla has done. In other words, if you tore off the headlining, you’d find glass underneath, not a metal roof. We do wonder if it costs Tesla money to make this aspect of the car appear to be ‘de-contented’ in a bid to get people to spend more on the higher-spec versions.

Likewise, there’s no luggage cover at the back, and the seats can be folded down manually rather than electrically. There is still a ‘frunk’ up front, but its liner is of lesser quality than that found elsewhere in the range, and there’s no drain plug.

Back inside, the stereo system has fewer speakers, there’s no ambient lighting and even the HEPA filter and ‘Bioweapon Defence Mode’ have been replaced by a simpler particulate and odour filter.

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

For some reason only known to itself, Tesla doesn’t like to disclose all the technical specifications of its cars, so some of the figures related to the Standard’s electric powertrain are not available. 

We do know that its battery – presumably the same 60kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) item found in the Model Y RWD – feeds a rear-mounted electric motor that can propel the car to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds.

To save you looking up the RWD stats, it manages the same sprint in 5.9 seconds, so clearly the Standard does not get the same 255kW/450Nm electric motor. Or perhaps it does, and the peak outputs are electronically limited…

Tesla will confirm that the Standard can be charged at up to 11kW on a three-phase AC outlet or at up to 175kW on a suitably powerful DC charger, so it’s still above average for charging speeds regardless of its entry-level positioning. Tesla quotes added range of up to 260km in 15 minutes at one of its Superchargers.

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Tesla Model Y Standard drive?

Not long ago, if a compact diesel SUV of this size managed a 7.2-second 0-100km/h time, it would have been considered relatively swift for its sector, so while the Standard is the slowest Model Y yet, it doesn’t feel slovenly on the road thanks to the instant-torque characteristic of electric motors.

Away from rest, it cleanly, smoothly accelerates up to speed and has no trouble keeping up with fast-moving traffic. Admittedly, you’ll always want it in the ‘Standard’ setting for acceleration, as the ‘Chill’ mode lives up to its name a little too closely for our liking.

While you’ve got the Dynamics menu up on the big screen, it’s worth tweaking the brake-energy regeneration to your liking as well. Tesla labels this ‘Deceleration’, and by default, there’s quite a strong force of braking when you take your foot off the accelerator. Some people like this ‘one-pedal’ sensation, but not us.

Then again, there’s little enjoyment in using the brake pedal, either, so devoid of feel is it – you modulate your braking by sight only in this car. 

The steering is a little better, and the car is easy to accurately place on the road. We find the steering wheel a little ugly, but at least it’s perfectly circular, and the rim thickness is spot on as well.

At speed, the Standard lets a little more road noise and wind roar into the cabin than its siblings, as its side glass is not of the acoustic variety, but by any measure it’s quiet and refined.

Surprisingly, the Standard we drove was by far the most comfortable Model Y yet, though it shares its 19-inch wheel-and-tyre package with others. This version is some 60kg lighter than the RWD, which will have an effect, but it’s also the only Model Y to get basic passive shock absorbers.

Model Y Performance aside (which has electronically controlled, adjustable damping), the other cars feature frequency-dependent dampers that, in theory, reduce their damping force through mechanical means when there are fast movements through the suspension – ie: the damping is firm by default.

Those should, in theory, result in better body control when pushing on over smooth surfaces, but the Standard didn’t seem any less controlled, and it was certainly more comfortable.

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

This section is a little academic, given that we don’t know if anything like the Model Y Standard will be created for the Australian market. If it is, it’s highly likely to lose the distinctive LED light bars of the other versions, and have its glass roof covered up. It’s more a case of what you don’t get.

2026 Tesla Model Y Standard equipment highlights:

• 16-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 19-inch wheels
• Heated front seats
• LED headlights
• Auto high-beam
• Power-folding door mirrors
• Two wireless chargers
• Five USB-C ports
• Partial electric front-seat adjustment
• Eight exterior cameras
• Electric tailgate

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Tesla Model Y Standard safe?

ANCAP published its assessment of the new-shape Model Y in 2025, and it passed with flying colours, achieving the top five-star overall rating. Tesla fits all its cars with the core safety equipment required for this level of protection, including the Standard, though you can pay – a lot – more if you want access to its so-called ‘Full Self Driving – Supervised’ function.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Centre-front airbag
• Automatic emergency braking
• Advanced speed assistance system
• Emergency lane keeping
• Lane departure warning

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Tesla Model Y Standard cost to run?

The Tesla Model Y Standard is covered by a four-year, 80,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year, 160,000km battery warranty.

In Europe, the Standard is the most efficient Model Y thanks to a WLTP-ratified energy consumption rating of 13.8kWh/100km. That translates into an official 505km. That’s a longer range than is quoted for the RWD sold in Australia.

The observed data on our test drive varied considerably, including an average of less than 9kWh/100km over 20km of driving that included lots of downhills. The overall average of 21kWh/100km isn’t so impressive, but in the car’s defence, we were driving in a cold and wet Irish winter with heated seats on and the car’s heater cranked up. 

Previous experience on Australian roads in the RWD indicates that an average of 16kWh/100km is achievable, so perhaps the Standard might get close to its official number in more favourable conditions.

To see how the Tesla Model Y lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Tesla Model Y Standard

If you’ve experienced the Model Y as it is, with all the bells and whistles such as the rear infotainment screen, glass roof, ambient lighting, electric rear seats and fancy lights, the Standard feels like a notable step down.

But, if you’re new to electric motoring and you’ve never experienced a Model Y, this car is still a good one.

And if Tesla can bring something similar into Australia for around the $50,000 mark, it would certainly help it see off the hordes of new competitors that are vying for its top sales spot.

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