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The Tesla Model Y is sized just right, and this will help it stand tall against rivals

Tesla Model Y spotted in downtown Mountain View CA (Source: u/gamerlike via Reddit)

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6 years ago

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Tesla’s much-awaited Model Y has piqued the curiosity of green car aficionados but it has always been described as the chunkier sibling of the Model 3 sedan or the smaller next of kin of the Model X SUV. Recently, another prototype of the electric crossover was spotted in California and while it was covered, someone measured the height of the Model Y. It’s 65 inches tall, placing it right in the middle of its rivals in the premium crossover segment.

Redditor u/gamerlike took the initiative to inform Tesla fans asking about the dimensions of the Tesla Model Y he saw in Mountain View. If his measurements are accurate, the Model Y will just be an inch shorter than the Model X, which stands 66 inches. Meanwhile, the Model 3 electric sedan’s height is pegged at 56.8 inches.

Recently, there have been more and more sightings of Tesla Model Y release candidates across the United States. A white Model Y Performance variant sporting a seemingly production-ready exterior was seen in San Luis Obispo, CA. There was also a black Model Y with red brake calipers that was spotted cruising along the I-5 in Washington State.

To those who keep asking: ~65 inches in height
by inTeslaLounge

As the market awaits the Tesla Model Y release date, one cannot help but be more excited and compare the all-electric crossover to its possible competitors.

The Tesla Model Y electric crossover will be offered in three variants. The Rear-Wheel Drive Long Range version will sell for $48,000 while a Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range will go for $52,000. The Performance version, meanwhile, will set customers back by $61,000. The electric carmaker has moved the production up from Fall 2020 to Summer 2020, or if speculations from the community are any indication, maybe even sooner.

Tesla positions the Model Y luxury crossover against other premium vehicles in its class such as the BMW X3, Audi Q5, or the Jaguar I-PACE. Likewise, it can be compared to more affordable competitors in the segment such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

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Tesla Model Y’s competitors are almost the same height. For example, the BMW X3 is 66 inches high while the Audi Q5 is 65 inches and the Jaguar I-PACE is a bit shorter at 61 inches. Meanwhile, the more affordable Honda CR-V stands at 66-67 inches and the RAV4 is a bit taller at 67-68 inches.

Tesla Model Y Performance spotted in Washington State (Source: Daily Night Society | YouTube)

Price-wise, the Model Y is comparable to its premium rivals as well. The X3 will go for almost $42,000, the Audi Q5 will sell for around $43,000, and the Jaguar I-PACE will be at the higher end of the spectrum at almost $70,000. The Honda CR-V, meanwhile, will set back customers by $25,000 and the RAV4 will sell for around $26,000.

If the height of the vehicle will be a basis, we can fairly say that the Model Y will be comfortable with ample headroom and enough legroom just like other vehicles in its class. However, the Model Y might have an X-factor — it has a seven-seat option. The X3, Q5, I-PACE, and the more affordable CR-V and RAV4 do not.

The EV world is awaiting a glimpse of the Model Y interior and a test drive to determine if the Model Y’s extra seats at the back really work. Nevertheless, the presence of more seats can convince some customers that it’s the vehicle that fits their needs. Ask every mom or dad who has to deal with World War III when traveling with kids who are sharing the passenger seats. Extra seats mean world peace.

As of October 2019, crossovers consist 40.4% of light vehicle sales in the US followed by pickup trucks (17.6%)  and small cars (11.6%) based on data compiled by Statista. The market has been shifting from sedans to compact SUVs for their good dose of comparable fuel efficiency with mid-sized cars and their higher seating positions.

One must take note that according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Model Y will be sharing around 75% of the parts used for the Model 3. Expected demand for the Model Y is around 50 to 100% higher than the annual demand for the Model 3 as well. With the Model Y sharing the DNA of the Model 3, this might mean a more efficient production ramp.

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Earlier this year, Forbes analyzed the potential of the Model Y for Tesla. Aside from the high demand stateside, one can only imagine how the Chinese and European markets would react to the electric crossover. In China, the Model 3 has created a loud buzz in the market, and it will likely serve as a catalyst to the country’s slumping automotive industry.

In Europe, the Gigafactory 4 in Brandenburg will play a crucial role in bringing Teslas to the region. Forbes predicts that Tesla will be able to deliver about 250,000 units of Model Y by 2022. According to the same analysis, the Model Y has the potential to bring in revenues amounting to $12 billion in the next 3 years.

While critics say the Tesla Model Y is just the chunkier version of the Model 3, it is clear that it has a ton of potential. It’s not a Cybertruck or a Roadster but it presents a good balance between form and function that really matters to car buyers, electric or otherwise.

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Investor's Corner

Tesla’s comfort level taking risks makes the stock a ‘must own,’ firm says

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2 hours ago

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October 15, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) had coverage initiated on it by a new firm this week, and analysts said that the company’s comfort level with taking risks makes it a “must own” for investors.

Melius Research and analyst Rob Wertheimer initiated coverage of the stock this week with a $520 price target and a “Buy” rating. The price target is about 20 percent higher than the current trading price as shares closed at $435 on Wednesday, up 1.38 percent on the day.

Wertheimer said in the note to investors that introduced their opinion on Tesla shares that the company has a lot going for it, including a prowess in AI, domination in its automotive division, and an incredible expertise in manufacturing and supply chain.

He wrote:

“We see Tesla shares as a must-own. The disruptive force of AI will wreck multitrillion-dollar industries, starting with auto. Under Musk’s leadership, the company is comfortable taking risks. It has manufacturing scale and supply chain expertise that robotics startups possess more by proxy. It can rapidly improve and scale autonomy in driving, the first major manifestation of AI in the physical world.”

However, there were some drawbacks to the stock, according to Wertheimer, including its valuation, which he believes is “challenging” given its fundamentals. He said the $1 trillion market cap that the company represented was “guesswork,” and not necessarily something that could be outlined on paper.

This has been discussed by other analysts in the past, too. Yale School of Management Senior Associate Dean Jeff Sonnenfeld recently called Tesla the “biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen,” by stating:

“This is the biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen. Even at its peak, Amazon was nowhere near this level. The PE on this, well above 200, is just crazy. When you’ve got stocks like Nvidia, the price-earnings ratio is around 25 or 30, and Apple is maybe 35 or 36, Microsoft around the same. I mean, this is way out of line to be at a 220 PE. It’s crazy, and they’ve, I think, put a little too much emphasis on the magic wand of Musk.”

Additionally, J.P. Morgan’s Ryan Brinkman said:

“Tesla shares continue to strike us as having become completely divorced from the fundamentals.”

Some analysts covering Tesla have said they believe the stock is traded on narrative and not necessarily fundamentals.

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Tesla launches ‘Mad Max’ Full Self-Driving Speed Profile, its fastest yet

Published

7 hours ago

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October 15, 2025

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Credit: Teslarati

Tesla launched its fastest Full Self-Driving Speed Profile with the v14.1.2 Software Update on Wednesday, as “Mad Max” mode has overtaken “Hurry” as the most spirited travel option on FSD.

On Wednesday evening, Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, teased that the v14.1.2 Software Update would be released to those drivers in the Early Access Program (EAP). He said it was a “much-awaited feature.”

Tesla just teased something crazy with the next Full Self-Driving update

Many people, myself included, believed it would be the introduction of “Banish,” which would be a perfect complement to the Actually Smart Summon (ASS) suite, as it would find a parking spot and park itself after dropping you off at the front door of your destination.

However, Elluswamy’s post on X finished with two emojis: one a race car, the other being smoke behind the car.

On Wednesday night, we received the v14.1.2 software update to the new Model Y, which revealed that “Mad Max” mode was the new addition:

The release notes state that:

“Introduced new speed profile MAD MAX, which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than Hurry.”
It is pretty interesting that Tesla would introduce yet another speed profile that is even faster and more aggressive than “Hurry.” Personally, I’ve found Hurry to be realistic in terms of other drivers and their aggressiveness, speed of travel, and overall lane change behavior, especially on interstates.

Mad Max mode will be an interesting adjustment.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk first talked about Mad Max mode back in 2018 in posts on X, first mentioning the feature with the Tesla Semi:

Musk then teased Mad Max mode in 2019 with an early Autopilot update, stating that it would be an ideal option for aggressive traffic seen in places like Los Angeles. There was formerly a mode of the same name back in the late 2010s:

Now that it’s here, we’ll be testing it very soon and giving you a good idea of what to expect when it releases to others in the coming weeks.

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Tesla just teased something crazy with the next Full Self-Driving update

Published

8 hours ago

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October 15, 2025

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East | X

Update 9:56 p.m. ET: We got it…

Tesla launches ‘Mad Max’ Full Self-Driving Speed Profile, its fastest yet

Tesla just teased something crazy with the next Full Self-Driving update, which will be released to Early Access Program (EAP) members today.

Tesla just recently released the v14 Full Self-Driving update, and it followed up just a few days later with v14.1.1.

The subsequent release helped refine a handful of things, especially an issue with stuttering at intersections and overall indecisiveness, but it was more of a smoothing over of the initial v14.1 Full Self-Driving release.

However, on Wednesday evening, Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said that the company would be releasing v14.1.2 to EAP members today, and that it would “debut a much-awaited feature.”

He followed that up with a racecar emoji and a smoke emoji, potentially hinting toward something speed-related. However, it could mean something totally different.

Some suggested it was potentially a new Speed Profile that could rank above the “Hurry” option, but that seems unnecessary. As far as other features that have been teased, one that definitely comes to mind is the “Banish” feature that was recently teased by CEO Elon Musk.

Banish is essentially the finishing touch to Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon (ASS), which launched earlier this year.

While ASS will bring your car to your location using the Tesla app on your phone, Banish does just the opposite by dropping you off at the door of your destination and finding a parking spot on its own.

Elon Musk teases ‘Banish’ feature to pair perfectly with Summon

This was recently teased by Musk yet again, as he said earlier this month that Full Self-Driving would be capable of it very soon.

Based on what we’ve seen out of v14.1 and v14.1.1, there is some potential that Banish could be released and could be the feature that Elluswamy is hinting toward, although there is no direct evidence of that.

Luckily, I was able to get into the EAP, so as the feature is released and the Release Notes are available, we’ll be able to report on exactly what feature is on the way.

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