There are a few downsides to picking the Model Y Performance over the Model Y Long Range, starting with the worse ride quality of the larger wheels and low-profile tires. A difference of $7,000 in terms of pricing also has to be mentioned, and there’s also the matter of driving range.
The MYLR offers up to 326 miles (525 kilometers) between charges, which is the most you can expect from an electric vehicle in this particular segment for the 2021 model year. In this configuration, the e-crossover also happens to be adequately fast, as in 4.8 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) and a top speed of 135 miles per hour (217 kilometers per hour).
Thus far, the only competitors of the Model Y come in the guise of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volvo XC40 Recharge. Sam CarLegion had the opportunity of pitting the Swedish utility vehicle against Palo Alto’s golden standard, and their straight-line performance is - dare I say it - impressive.
Available from $53,990 excluding taxes, the federal tax credit, and options, the XC40 Recharge for the U.S. market is produced in Belgium at the Ghent facility. 402 horsepower and 487 pound-feet (660 Nm) is the peak output of the dual-motor setup, and the battery flaunts a usable capacity of 75 kWh.
The Model Y Long Range has a 75-kWh battery as well, but it’s not as potent due to 384 horsepower and 378 pound-feet (512 Nm). Be that as it may, we shouldn’t forget that Tesla has the upper hand in terms of software as well as weight. According to Sam CarLegion, the red-painted example in the following video tips the scales at 4,416 pounds (2,003 kilograms) while the Volvo XC40 Recharge makes do with 4,740 pounds (2,150 kilograms).
In the first of four quarter-mile showdowns, the Swedish interloper hooks up better off the line although the Model Y Long Range catches up effortlessly and takes the win by the smallest of margins. Curiously, the Volvo wins the second race like it’s nothing. The MYLR takes revenge in the third race, then wins again from a 50-kilometer-per-hour (31-mph) roll.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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