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Tesla Model Y

Tesla Model Y Track Mode takes on snowy roads in New Zealand

(Credit: Tesla)

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During the summer, Tesla took its S3XY lineup to Wanaka, New Zealand, to continue winter testing all year round. During those winter tests, Tesla took the Model Y’s track mode out for a spin on Wanaka’s snowy roads. 

Wanaka is a small town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is surrounded by mountains of the Southern Alps and is known for its outdoor recreation, including skiing or just leisurely walking past the stunning views. Winter in Wanaka runs from June through the end of August, with an average temperature of 10°C. 

Tesla Model Y Track Mode Winter Test

Tesla Model Y Performance owners have been waiting for Track Mode for a long time. Musk announced Track Mode for the Model Y Performance back in 2020, and it took some time before it was officially rolled out. 

Tesla released Track Mode for the Model Y Performance during its 2022 Holiday Update. With Track Mode, Model Y Performance owners can save up to 20 driving profiles specific to a different driving scenario or track. 

Tesla tested the Model Y’s Track Mode in Wanaka. The Tesla team worked hard on the feature, ensuring it is both fun and safe for Model Y drivers. 

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“We’re out here in New Zealand, working on Model Y Track Mode, a new development for the Model Y Performance package. So this is full oversteer. All you drifter guys are going to love this kind of setting because as soon s you just tip out, you can just rotate the car around and do pretty wild maneuvers,” said JD Price from Tesla’s testing team.

Winter Tests for the S3XY Lineup

Tesla tested all S3XY vehicles in Wanaka while it was summer in California. The team tested the cars and worked with Tesla’s team in California on software improvements for them. With Tesla’s unique software structure, the Wanaka team could test updates as soon as the California team rolled them out. 

“It’s super cool to talk to people in California, send the update halfway across the world [and then] you go on top of a mountain [and] test their update. That’s something I’ve never experienced before,” said one member of the Tesla testing team.

Another member of the Wanaka team mentioned that they go to different places to test the S3XY lineup so customers can drive their cars on many kinds of terrain and surfaces through varying weather. 

“We’re almost always on a proving ground, testing new software, and we run these thousands of times per software we release,” said one member of the time. 

“We do everything from driving the car, writing the code, doing that collaboration. That feedback look is really quick,” elaborated another team member.

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Check out Tesla’s Winter Testing video from Wanaka below!

If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries could boost S Korea sales in Q2

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(Credit: SeoulTRX78/Cafe Naver)

Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries started in South Korea recently. The Model Y Juniper is poised to drive Tesla’s sales growth in South Korea.

Tesla’s strong performance in the country’s import market underscores its growing dominance in South Korea. In 2024, Tesla sold 29,750 vehicles in South Korea, defying challenges in the broader auto sector.

The company’s momentum carried into 2025. The Tesla Model Y led South Korea’s imported car market in February with 2,038 unit registrations, according to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). South Korea’s total imported passenger car registrations rose 24.4% to 21,199 units. Tesla ranked third with 2,222 unit registrations, trailing behind BMW’s 6,274 units and Mercedes-Benz’s 4,663 car registrations.

The Model Y Rear Wheel Drive has been a key driver of Tesla’s appeal in South Korea. The classic Model Y was South Korea’s top performer in February 2025. The Model Y Juniper variant is expected to build Tesla’s success in the country.

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In the first quarter, Tesla was focused on retooling and upgrading its gigafactories worldwide for the Model Y Juniper. Tesla’s results in the second quarter will reveal how much of an impact the retooling and upgrades had on the company in the first quarter.

Tesla is still facing a few headwinds in Q2 2025, including Trump’s auto tariffs and attacks on customer vehicles related to Elon Musk. While Tesla is predicted to be the best-positioned American automaker for Trump’s auto tariffs, it will still be affected. As for the Tesla attacks, Elon Musk has announced a renewed focus on his duties to the EV automaker and plans to significantly reduce his time to DOGE next month.

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Tesla trails Volkswagen in Q1 EV sales, Model Y still on top

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Volkswagen surpassed Tesla in Q1 2025 electric vehicle (EV) sales in Europe.

The German automaker sold 65,679 battery EVs compared to Tesla’s 53,237 in the first three months of the year, per JATO Dynamics data. Volkswagen’s registrations soared 157% year-over-year (yoy), while Tesla saw a 38% decline in the same period, the steepest among the top 30 brands. The German automaker’s strong performance highlights a growing competitive landscape in the EV market.

Despite losing the overall lead, Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 remain the top two in Europe’s battery EV registrations. Volkswagen’s ID.4 ranked third in EU registrations, trailing the Model 3 by 2,000 units.

Model Y registrations dropped 43% in March, but the Model 3 increased 1% in the first quarter. The decline in Model Y registrations could be linked to Tesla’s upgraded Model Y, which debuted at the beginning of the year. In the first quarter, Tesla retooled and upgraded its factories worldwide to produce the new Model Y.

“As the brand continues to deal with a host of PR issues in addition to the changeover of the Model Y, Tesla is now relying on the Model 3 to offset its losses. Despite the controversy surrounding the brand’s CEO and the limited availability of the new Model Y, Tesla continues to perform well,” said Felipe Munoz, a global analyst at JATO Dynamics.

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Tesla addressed its Q1 challenges during its recent earnings calls, with CEO Elon Musk attributing the dip to seasonal and strategic factors.

“Now, Q1, [the] first quarters of a year, are usually pretty tricky. Because it’s usually the worst quarter of the year because people don’t want to go buy a car in the middle of winter during the blizzard. So we picked Q1 as a good quarter to do a cutover to the new version of the Model Y and we changed the production of the world’s best-selling cars with — remember, the Model Y is the best-selling car of any kind on earth with a 1.1 billion unit per year output of a single model,” Musk stated.

Volkswagen’s surge reflects its continued focus on and dedication to EVs. While Tesla’s Model Y remains the global best-seller, Volkswagen’s momentum signals intensifying competition. As both companies navigate market dynamics, Tesla’s focus on its Robotaxi network and upcoming launches will be critical to regaining its edge.

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I took a Tesla new Model Y Demo Drive – Here’s what I learned

The new Tesla Model Y has plenty of improvements that make it much better than its past version.

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As the new Tesla Model Y arrived at a local showroom for Demo Drives, I swiftly signed up for one to compare the legacy model to what the company is hoping is an even better version of its best-selling vehicle. Coming off of a Legacy Model Y Demo Drive just two months ago, as I was planning to buy one, I had a good understanding of what was improved and what was not.

To make a long story short, I’m really happy I did not pull the trigger on the Legacy Model Y in February. The new Tesla Model Y is truly a much-improved version of what was already a great vehicle, and while I still think the Cybertruck is the best vehicle in Tesla’s lineup, the new ‘Juniper’ is right up there with it.

First Impressions

The first thing I really took note of was the massively changed exterior. The addition of the light bar on the front and the taillight bar that glows were two modernized designs that Tesla chose to implement on this vehicle.

While I never disliked the look of the Legacy Model Y, this is simply better. It’s more modern, slightly cleaner, and truly starts to give off the vibes of the Cybercab, which Tesla unveiled in October 2024.

Overall, the vehicle, in terms of dimensions, is not incredibly different from the past version. The look is really what changed here, and in my opinion, it’s for the better.

Fit and finish were really great. A quick inspection showed the car had been put together very well, and the Sales Advisor, who recently took a trip to Gigafactory Texas and viewed the new Model Y line, said Tesla has been really paying attention to the condition of these vehicles as they leave the factory.

Tesla had a very distinct focus on eliminating excessive panel gaps and aesthetic issues before they leave the factory.

Interior Changes and Higher Quality Materials

In the past, I’ve been sort of hesitant to buy Teslas because, for $35,000+, I felt like some of the interior parts were cheap. Most notably, the sliders above the storage and cupholders and the center console were things I felt should be of higher quality.

This was a big improvement. All of the compartment doors and covers felt much better in terms of overall quality. Nothing was creaky or cheap feeling, and paying $41,000 for a car (after tax credit) should come with materials that are a much better quality.

The steering wheel had a good shape, and the bottom portion of it being flat was not anything crazy, but it was nice.

My favorite tidbit of information was regarding the ambient lighting. Tesla did not run it as far back on the doors in the new Model Y as it did in the Model 3 Highland. Also, many owners apparently complained about the reflection of the ambient lighting on the windshield when they were driving.

Tesla fixed this by covering the ambient lighting and pushing it into a nook that was designed for the lights specifically. There is no longer any reflection of the ambient lighting on the windshield, so it’s important to note that Tesla didn’t take the Highland interior and put it right inside the new Y.

Suspension Improvements Were the Best Part

By far, my favorite fixes were the suspension improvements. While the fixes to overall interior quality and the look are great, the feel when driving the car is truly more important.

The Model 3 Highland had a really great improvement from its past iteration, as I was able to test it with some spirited driving on Pennsylvania backroads. I felt the same way about the new Model Y. You can truly feel a lot of the things Tesla did to make the ride more comfortable in the new version of the crossover.

The ride feels solid but not rigid. It handles things like bumps, potholes, and other inconsistencies really well. It was never uncomfortable; it felt very sporty and responsive and hugged tight corners at higher speeds.

Room and Comfort

The vehicle was very spacious, and I had a lot of legroom in the back. I also liked the feel of the driver’s seat, and I felt like I was sitting in the cockpit of something sportier than a crossover. It was really very nice, and the seats seemed to hug you.

As far as the rear, it felt spacious and comfortable, and I wouldn’t worry about being stuck back there on a road trip that was 6-7 hours long.

The rear seats are heated, but the middle seat is not. The rear screen also gives occupants in the back of the car something to do, and Tesla even enabled multiple Bluetooth headsets the ability to connect to that center screen.

Other Tidbits

The small improvements from the new Model 3 are what really make the Model Y a great car. The previously mentioned ambient lighting fix is something that is great.

One other thing I really liked was that the trunk privacy cover now has a dedicated storage area, which is seen in the indentations here:

The trunk cover can be folded and removed and placed in those indentations, as opposed to sitting on floor of the trunk, potentially being bent and damaged by whatever you have back there.

This was one thing that was a nice touch.

Final Thoughts

All in all, I was very impressed with the new Model Y. It is undoubtedly better than what Tesla previously offered, and that car was the best-selling vehicle globally for two straight years. I would not be surprised to see many Legacy Model Y owners trade their cars in for this new version.

There’s something to be said about a car that fits functionality and fun. The crossover design is popular because it offers so much more space than a sedan but is not the size of a massive, full-sized SUV.

The way this car drives is more like a sedan than a crossover, though, and how the suspension improvements really shine through is where this car is excellent and matches both the wants and needs of many.

While the Cybertruck is still my favorite Tesla to drive, the new Model Y is more accessible to more people and it truly was an awesome experience getting to run around in it for an afternoon.

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