2026 Tesla Model Y Standard First Drive Review: Tesla's New Standard-Bearer?

• The Model Y Standard boasts comfortable ride quality at the expense of sporty response.
• The EV's detuned performance is still ample for family needs.
• We question whether it’s a better value or just cheaper.

— Austin, Texas

The arrival of the 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard has caused quite a stir. Instead of being the subtly detuned version of the existing Model Y we all expected, it's a thoroughly reengineered entry-level car designed to cut costs. In other words, it's unlike any Tesla we've seen before. 

After spending a couple of days with both the Model Y and the Model 3 Standard in Texas, I detailed all of the changes to the Y in our first look article. Here, I'll focus on how the Model Y drives as well as how it compares with the existing Model Y — now renamed Premium — that Edmunds owns and rates highly. 

What's the Model Y Standard like to drive?

Every Tesla to date has driven in a similar way. The cars are tuned to have a strong throttle response; when you press the accelerator, you get an instantaneous surge of acceleration that makes the car feel fast and exciting. The steering is also sharp and responsive — as soon as you start to turn the wheel, the car reacts. It’s a sporty setup designed to make the owner feel that electric cars are fun to drive. 

The Model Y Standard is different, largely for reasons of cost. To save money, Tesla downgraded the Y's suspension, removing the expensive frequency-dependent dampers that help combine a comfortable ride quality with taut control and sporty dynamics. In its place, Tesla reverted to a similar setup to the old Model Y, which was heavily criticized for its stiff ride quality. 

Tesla's engineers acknowledge that customers shared these concerns, so for the Standard they've adopted a different compromise. The suspension springs have been softened to provide a more comfortable ride quality. I drove the Model Y on both the standard 18-inch wheels and the optional 19-inch versions, and in both cases, it provided a comfortable, family-friendly ride.

But this is at the cost of the sporty reflexes. There's more body roll through corners, which, while not uncomfortable, robs the car of Tesla's hallmark planted feeling. The steering also isn't as quick to respond to driver inputs. It's a different kind of Tesla experience, more akin to that provided by other manufacturers. I suspect it's a compromise most family buyers will be comfortable with, but anyone stepping out of another Tesla might be disappointed. 

How does it perform?

An electric car is always a compromise of performance, efficiency and range. Having reduced the size of the battery compared with the existing Model Y, Tesla's engineers needed to tweak the performance to ensure that it still has an acceptable range. The most obvious change is the loss of the whipcrack response to a prod of the throttle. The languid response now feels more like a Honda CR-V than a traditional Tesla.

According to Tesla's own figures, the Standard is significantly slower against the stopwatch. Tesla claims a 0-60-mph time of 6.8 seconds versus 5.4 seconds for the Model Y Premium, numbers Edmunds will verify when we get the car back to our test track in Los Angeles. That's a significant difference, but its impact shouldn't be exaggerated. The Standard is still plenty quick enough for a family SUV. 

What else should I know?

The interior of the Model Y has been thoroughly reworked, most notably with the loss of the panoramic glass roof. For front seat passengers looking forward, this is probably less of an issue than for those in the rear who've lost their big sky vista. The roof lining does help to keep the cabin quiet, though, and the heat soak through the glass, which can be strong on a hot day, is gone. 

The audio system now boasts seven speakers instead of 15 and the subwoofer is gone. It doesn't sound bad by any means, but audiophiles will miss the kick of the more upmarket system. Gone too is the rear entertainment screen but this is less of a concern for me — my kids are obsessed with TV, so removing it is actually a relief. More of an issue for me is the downgrading of the front trunk and the removal of the rear parcel shelf. Both undermine the versatility of the Y and feel a bit cheap. 

The removal of autosteer functionality also appears cynical. As you can see in the video above, this is just a marketing ploy to get customers to pay more either for the Premium car or the optional Full Self-Driving. The ability of a Tesla to steer itself helps reduce driver fatigue, particularly on the highway. 

Should you adopt this Standard?

How you judge the Model Y Standard depends to some extent on your perspective. Viewed in isolation, this is a spacious, versatile, appealing family car with a decent range, plentiful performance and good technology. Tesla's charging infrastructure also remains the best in the U.S., and while other brands now have some access, a bona fide Tesla is still the most seamless experience. The Model Y Standard has a lot to offer and stands comparison with rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Chevy Equinox EV. 

But given the wealth of changes to the Model Y Standard compared to the Premium, I might have expected the price differential to be greater than $5,000. Some of the changes feel cheap and somewhat cynical. Most owners will either lease or finance their Model Y and may find that the difference in monthly payment isn't worth the compromise. 

I look forward to getting the Standard back to Edmunds' test facilities in Los Angeles, where we'll run our full gamut of tests, from straight-line performance to the Edmunds EV Range Test. Stand by for our definitive verdict. 

Photos by Alistair Weaver