2021 - 2022 Tesla Model Y Receives IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Accolade

What does the Top Safety Pick+ accolade stand for? For starters, the all-electric crossover from Fremont, California has passed all six crashworthiness tests with top marks. Three of them are featured in the videos below. The mid-size utility vehicle is also rated “advanced” in terms of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian crash avoidance/mitigation.

In terms of headlights, the nonprofit organization has two ratings for the Model Y: “good” for the Performance trim level’s LED projector headlights or “acceptable” for the Long Range trim level’s LED reflector-type units.

Finally, the outboard rear seats are deemed “acceptable” too because the lower anchors for the LATCH hardware are located too deep in the seats.

Also produced in Shanghai for the Chinese and European markets, the Model Y is currently priced at $58,990 excluding potential savings and taxes for the Long Range dual-motor trim level. This variant features an estimated delivery window of July 2022 for the U.S. market, 330 miles (531 kilometers) of EPA-rated driving range, a top speed of 135 miles per hour (217 kilometers per hour), and shoots to 60 mph (97 kph) in 4.8 seconds.

Available in two no-cost paint colors and three optional hues, the Model Y Long Range loses a few miles of range if you upgrade from the standard 19-inch Gemini wheels to the optional 20-inch Induction wheels. A steel tow bar capable of handling 3,500 pounds (1,588 kilograms) is available as well for a cool grand. Offered with five- or seven-seat configurations, the Model Y can be upgraded to Full Self-Driving Capability for $10,000 albeit you should be aware that Full Self Diving is misleading advertising.

FSD is actually a sophisticated version of Level 2 semi-autonomous driver assistance, as defined by SAE International. Oh, and by the way, don’t forget that regulatory counsel Eric C. Williams told the California DMV that “neither Autopilot nor FSD Capability is an autonomous system.”