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This 2020 Tesla Model Y Performance Long-Term Review Singles Out Many Issues

Based on the Model 3 but roomier, the Model Y is a nifty electric crossover that sells like hotcakes. North America simply can’t get enough of this fellow, but Edmunds’ editorial team can’t wait to get rid of their long-term 2020 Performance with the no-cost Performance upgrades.
How Reliable Is a 2020 Tesla Model Y After a Year? Long-Term 2020 Tesla Model Y Review 10 photos
Photo: Edmunds on YouTube
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Pre-ordered in March 2019, the red-painted utility vehicle originally retailed at $68,700 including freight but excluding incentives. The highlight option is Full Self-Driving Capability, which isn’t to the liking of feature content manager Carlos Lago. As it happens, FSD reacts very strangely to what happens around the vehicle, which isn’t surprising if you ask me. Lest we forget, almost nothing works as intended because every feature is in beta.

After a year of driving and 9,000 miles (14,484 kilometers) under its belt, the Model Y Performance had no problems worthy of Tesla’s service centers. This particular example wasn’t recalled either although there are two recalls for inoperative trailer brake lights and loose control arms bolts.

During this period and over this mileage, the panel gaps appear to have gotten worse, the back seats began to rattle and don’t align properly anymore, the passenger-side front fog light came loose, and the ginormous wheels have been rashed multiple times. The biggest issue reported by Edmunds is the central touchscreen, which has died multiple times in the hands of many editors. The infotainment screen apparently fades to black, losing all functionality in the process. Oh, and by the way, Edmunds couldn’t get more than 263 miles of real-world range as opposed to 291 miles (423 and 468 kilometers) as per the Environmental Protection Agency.

Even though Edmunds didn’t experience catastrophic problems with their Model Y Performance, the oversized wheels and firm suspension leave much to be desired. On the upside, this e-SUV smokes the likes of a Shelby GT500 and Hellcat-engined Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk over the quarter-mile. As for the biggest advantage over its rivals, that would be the Supercharger network which provides a maximum of 250 kW of charging power.

But would the Edmunds team recommend this 2020 Tesla Model Y Performance over a newer competitor? “We’d tell you to go look at a Ford Mustang Mach-E first,” is how Carlos ends the following review.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

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.
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