Watch: After a year of waiting, Model Y, Tesla’s SUV model finally landed in Israel, so we jumped for a ride on the first vehicle to arrive in Israel, and came back with quite a few conclusions
If a little over a year ago we were still waiting for the launch of Tesla in Israel, today it seems that we see one at every intersection. But quite a few Israelis were not satisfied with the Model 3, Tesla’s most popular model, and were waiting for a model that was launched only 3 years ago in the world and became a hit in the United States.
We are of course talking about the Tesla Model Y, Tesla’s first SUV in Israel – which only landed in Israel this week, but we have already had time to try it out. It is important to emphasize, we will not refer here to the familiar capabilities and features of Tesla from the Model 3 (you can see them all in detail here) but more to the differences and uniqueness of the new model.
A noticeable difference
Unlike Tesla’s Model 3, which is a sedan (or what we like to call in Israel a classic “family car”), the Model Y is an SUV (or Hatchback SUV, to be exact), the favorite and popular configuration for Israeli drivers. This means that unlike the Model 3 which is closer to the road, the Model Y is taller and wider. Undoubtedly, this is a very noticeable difference especially if you do as we do – and move from model 3 to Y and back to 3.
In the short time we experienced in the vehicle, we enjoyed the driving experience provided by the extra height, which gives a very comfortable feeling of security and space. You know – the reasons why Israelis love SUVs, and are less willing to hear about sedans today.
Photo: Giktiim
But apart from the driving experience, the driving and use experience also quite upgrades, as the whole interior space is wider and higher, so we had plenty of extra space for the head, and plenty of leg and knee space, so whether you are in the back seat or front passenger seat, you have plenty of space. If that’s not enough, the car’s roof is made of one and even glass this time, which creates a pretty beautiful and impressive panoramic view (but still, Tesla, in resuscitation, we are in Israel, give the option to close the roof completely with a curtain). In addition, the expansion of the Model Y also compliments the trunk segment: 653 liters compared to 561 liters in the Model 3. If you fold the rear seats (at the push of a button, and not by pulling some mechanism like in Muggles’ cars), you get even more significant inflation. Anyone who tends to load cargo in his vehicle will be pampered here.
For no apparent reason, Tesla is missing with the Model Y part of the target audience that has been waiting impatiently for this specific model, as as of this writing, it is not possible to order the 7-seater model in Israel that provides a solution for families with more than 3 children or parents. Hitchhiking shifts with the kids’ friends from school. Tesla Israel informed us that later Israeli customers will be able to order the Model Y with 7 seats, but no further details have been provided yet.
Photo: Giktiim
The Model Y we tried is not just another Model Y, it is also the first Model Y to arrive in Israel (and we have receipts to prove it), and it is also a Model Y in the Performance version. This means that you lose a few tens of kilometers for each full charge, but here you get a very impressive acceleration capability for the SUV: from 0 to 100 in 3.7 seconds. We could not resist and made a few leaps with the vehicle and it made it clearer to us more than anything the Model Y.
It’s a Tesla SUV in every sense of the word. On the one hand the ride comfort of the SUV, on the other hand all the technology and power of Tesla vehicles. Tremendous power for any vehicle, and certainly when it comes to an SUV. Anyone who has been waiting here for Tesla’s SUV news, to the best of my knowledge there are many of these, is getting what he asked for here. But compared to the Model 3 that at least started in Israel with a positive price surprise (a surprise that has since dissolved in a slew of sucking price increases), and unlike SUVs that have taken over Israeli roads, I do not think you will see the Model Y at any junction in Israel for one simple reason.
For the Model Y in the Long Range version and without any additional payment such as paint, wheels or upgrades to the autopilot and autonomous driving systems, you will have to pay NIS 331,532 in light of the fact that the taxes that the State of Israel takes on the purchase amount to a little over NIS 96,000. Great fun. Those who prefer the Performance version will already have to pay NIS 363,396, of which NIS 112,942 goes to the state. The delivery dates of the new models in Israel also suck, as in the rest of the automotive world.
At least from our brief impression with the Model Y, it appears that those whose wallets and patience can withstand the load – will enjoy a highly advanced, mature and feature-rich electric vehicle as only Tesla knows how to provide. We often feel that Tesla is its own league when it comes to understanding that a car is not a product, but a service that you like subscribing to, and are renewed with features, services and even recalls – OTA. Those who expected price competition for the more popular electric SUVs will have to arrange for a loan or compromise on one of the many (= Chinese) alternatives that exist in the market.
A good old age
Born with a joystick in hand. He has far too many gadgets and far too little free time to play with them all. An unexplained hammer holder for calibrating device batteries. When he’s not busy writing about technology, he likes to talk about it, and a lot
