Tesla road test shows off major upgrades to iconic model — here’s what’s happening

Following the lead of the entertainment industry, Tesla has introduced its own sort of reboot. Tesla’s, of course, is an electric vehicle — an upgraded, revised, new-school version of the company’s most iconic model.

According to Car and Driver, a revitalized version of the EV giant’s famous Model Y, the world’s best-selling car just two years ago in 2023, has just hit the market with plenty of tweaks and flat-out improvements with the potential to take the celebrated model to even greater heights.

There’s a lot to discuss with this latest Model Y unveiling. It has new lights and an incredible amount of rear-seat room. It’s very streamlined and almost entirely digital — very few buttons or knobs. That latter point can be a dealbreaker for some, of course, but the mostly all-screens interface gives the Model Y the total future-forward aesthetic it is likely aiming for.

Plus, on the road, it still handles very well. Car and Driver got early access to the new model, and in its road test, the Model Y went zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds and a quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds at 115 miles per hour, both massive numbers. If you’re at all interested in the announcement of an upgraded version of this iconic EV, everything about this rollout so far should continue to hold your attention.

This announcement is part of an increasingly encouraging period for Tesla, which is finally starting to see some positive momentum after a catastrophic first half of 2025 that featured formal boycotts, massive sales slumps, and a newly impactful social stigma. Reminding potential customers about what was always the heart of Tesla’s business — environmentally friendly and sustainable vehicles at a competitive price — will likely win the EV giant some supporters back in the coming months and years.

If you already drive or are in the market for an EV, using solar panels can further increase the benefits of owning one. Installing solar panels on your home can dramatically increase the cost savings associated with EV ownership, as fueling with solar energy is often cheaper than using public charging stations or relying on the grid.

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