Tesla’s latest vehicle, the Model Y is starting to roll off the production line. In a spontaneous midnight release, Jay Leno’s Garage uploaded an in-depth 30-minute long review covering the ins and outs of the Performance Tesla Model Y.
0:22 – Intro
1:13 – Thoughts on Tesla and the hate they receive
4:14 – Exterior and spec overview
5:34 – Storage space
7:17 – Range Anxiety
10:39 – Heat pump importance
12:32 – Autopilot safety
13:55 – Interior overview
18:03 – Test drive
19:10 – Do electric cars pollute?
22:28 – Next Gen Roadster talk
22:58 – Embrace both new and old technology
24:32 – Tesla maintenance
24:40 – Autopilot
26:25 – Build quality
26:49 – Jay Leno’s Elon story
29:50 – Final thoughts
Jay Leno’s history with Tesla dates back all the way to the original Roadster, where he got first glimpse of the future in a factory walk through with Elon Musk himself. Most recently, the two took a ride through the Boring Company tunnel in the infamously upcoming Tesla Cybertruck.
With access to Elon’s direct number, Jay saw it fit to review what is arguably the most important car of the decade. Rather than the traditional quick cut TV ready clips, the Model Y review is nearly uncut and 30 minutes long. In which Jay goes through both the vehicle and the theory of Tesla.
As we already know, the auto enthusiast points out the obvious resemblance to the Model 3. Stating that the vehicle is just 10% bigger as a positive for those who see comfort as fitting. However, as you might expect, Jay Leno is not really the crossover or SUV type. Typically found in classics or sport cars, Jay still finds love for the Model Y acknowledging its speed as faster than most modern day sports cars while still having room to hold a family (or a kayak).
Jay estimates 12,000 – 14,000 Model Y’s have been sold to date. While this information is not to be taken at face value, one can assume he knows more than the general public. While we don’t know when this was filmed, he makes an assumption that a 400-mile battery is not far off and will be “Elon’s next big surprise”. This is most likely a reference to the recently announced 400-mile ranged Tesla Model S as Elon has previously stated there are no plans to increase the battery size of the Model 3 or Y.
While awing over the tech inside, he notes the importance of the Tesla Supercharge stations. At 17,467 Superchargers today, you can nearly travel across the globe at ease. More notable tech mentioned would be the fan-favorite Tesla app allowing you to control all features in your car such as your A/C or media controls. In an interesting turn, he mentions the innovative importance of the new heat pump used in the Model Y.
It should be noted that Jay Leno is not just a fan of the electric automaker, he’s also an early Model S adopter. Having experience with an earlier version of Autopilot, he understands it’s achievements and current limitations noting that present day Autopilot, while spotting traffic lights and stop signs, should still be used with both hands on the wheel.
While the Model Y may not be the perfect car for Jay Leno, for the common folk, it’s stands as the best deal in auto sales. For a man with the stature like Jay Leno, the next gen Tesla Roadster is a better fit.
