Tesla's performance-oriented models once stunned the world with their ability to put some of the most competent sports cars on the market to shame. Do you remember when the promotions Model S Plaid sets Nurburgring lap record in 2021? It beat Porsche Taycan for about seven seconds.
It was big news in the automotive world as the technology company managed to beat a manufacturer with over 100 years of racing experience on one of the toughest race tracks in the world.
Two years later he broke his own record with a special edition Track the packagesetting a time of 7:25.231, making it once again the world's fastest production electric car on the 'Ring.
Even before it challenged the established automakers for electric vehicle performance, owners of the Plaid versions that meant the most powerful power were re-engineering their friends' internal organs in exchange for YouTube views. Tesla has fully exploited the performance potential of the electric motor.
Fast forward a few years and we now have Performance Iterations both the updated Model 3 and the Model Y, the latter of the two I've been driving for the past week.
The stats speak for themselves: 0-60 mph takes just 3.3 seconds, and a mid-size 4×4 family SUV with this engine can zip along to a limited top speed of 155 mph.
It's undeniably fast, but the updated battery and motor configuration means it can still travel 360 miles on a single charge, and a 15-minute break on one of Tesla's superchargers adds up to 151 miles of range.
Given that it's based on the recently updated Model Y, it's also arguably the best-looking yet, featuring a rear spoiler, more aggressive body kit and Monster alloy wheels. Finished in Ultra Red (as seen on the test car), it made a stunning presence on the road.
Despite this, after a week in the hot seat, I was still a little cold.
The world has become faster
One of the biggest challenges Tesla faces is that the once innovative company is now falling behind both the traditional automakers that have finally caught up and new competition from China and other countries.
Its technology, while still excellent, isn't as stunning as it once seemed, and the overall performance of the, er, Performance model isn't quite as impressive as it once was.
Press all the right buttons, select the desired mode, press the brake, close the gas and suddenly come to life in the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Audi RS E-Tron GT, or the latest electric Porsche Cayenne, and it physically hurts. The acceleration is almost unpleasant.
The latest Tesla Model Y Performance offers a similar experience, but after trying all of the above cars, it doesn't seem quite so wild.
Don't get me wrong, it's still fast, but there are other electrified family SUVs that can be just as brutal.
What's more, the engineering changes that went under the skin, including adaptive suspension, new bushings and shock absorbers, modified steering, wider rear tires and added aerodynamics, only really helped improve the drive rather than revolutionize it.
Sure, it handles a twisty country road with ease, but despite the addition of new 'drive modes', there's still no feel to the steering wheel, and the brakes are powerful but not the most progressive (and very squeaky in the test car). At the same time, the seats are supportive, but the driving position is not the least bit sporty.
Turning stomachs
The truth is that the family doesn't really want, need, or even enjoy this level of productivity on a day-to-day basis.
My youngest son gets physically pumped by these things, but after experiencing what he described as a roller coaster-like acceleration once or twice, he soon admitted that it made him feel sick.
With a Model Y fully loaded with gear for a weekend jaunt and precious cargo on board, why on earth would you want to set out with the enthusiasm of Lando Norris chasing a Formula 1 title?
It doesn't make much sense, which is a shame because the interior of this production is beautiful, if a little impractical.
Bright white perforated vegan leather and carbon fiber trim lined the interior of the test model, which, while very comfortable and cool in appearance, turned out to be a smudge magnet.
There are heated seats, adaptive LED interior lighting, a massive panoramic roof and, of course, a rear touchscreen that allows kids to watch YouTube through the powerful rear speakers.
It's a tempting package and the bodykit does wonders for the Model Y's clunky styling, but during my tenure an email landed in my inbox informing me that the price of the Model Y Standard had dropped to £41,990 in the UK (it's still $39.99 in the US and AU$58,900 in Australia). That's £20,000 less than the Performance version in my market.
You could buy another one, completely new – although very small and simple – EV for that money and use it to pop into the shops or stick the dog in if you don't want to get your Tesla dirty.
Plus, given that the Premium Long Range Real-Wheel-Drive model has a range of around 387 miles (27 more than the Performance version) and costs £48,990 (£13,000 less), shaving two seconds off the 0-62mph time starts to seem a little silly, doesn't it?
If you want an electric car that really delivers thrills, take it for a test drive Hyundai Ionic 5 Nor the new Kia EV6 GT, while the BMW iX2 xDrive30 is a more dynamic SUV, even if it sounds terrible.
In other words, the Y Standard and Premium models now represent excellent value for money and are still some of the easiest electric vehicles to drive. Forget about performance and focus on practicality.
Follow TechRadar on Google News. And add us as your preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the “Subscribe” button!
And of course you can also Follow TechRadar on TikTok. for news, reviews, unboxing videos and get regular updates from us on whatsapp too much.
