If you ask one hundred random individuals about what car brand comes first to mind when you think of electric cars, most answers will likely be Tesla. It’s a solid answer, especially with Tesla standing at the forefront of EV technology and playing significant roles in advancing these technologies. When you’re at the top, you tend to get dragged down by people below and this happens a lot with Tesla and other EV brands. Stereotypes arise, such as poor quality or unreliable, but Tesla has made significant strides into knocking these so-called claims as myths.
Suppose you’re barely submerged in the automotive world. If that were the case, you’d probably have heard the claims that EVs, specifically Teslas, are unreliable. It wasn’t until the last two years that coverage of these myths started to be debunked through companies such as Tesla and other competing brands.
Tesla provides examples of how the reliability myth is debunked through its cutting-edge technologies, top-notch range, and innovative designs, which, in return, illustrate various models that provide some sort of reliability. One model in particular differs from the rest, with it being the more affordable SUV within the lineup. The Model Y offers unique features and an impressive range, but these accomplishments don’t answer whether the Model Y is reliable or not. If you’re in the market for this SUV, then take a second and discover which years provide the best reliability on the Model Y.
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In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Edmunds, NHSTA, and ConsumerReports, and J.D. Power. The list is ranked based on reliability from worst to best.
5
2023 Tesla Model Y
Reliability: 28/100
It’s worth mentioning that the company behind the ratings, ConsumerReports (CR), grades vehicles pretty heavily, and models that shed a score of 45 out of 100 and up provide some sort of reliability. The 2023 Tesla Model Y marks its fourth year after its debut and has undergone several changes and additions since 2020. Tesla continually advances in some fields within the electric automotive world, and the Model Y attests to this with its constant changes. The 2023 Model Y introduced Tesla’s so-called 4680 battery cells. These batteries are a complete overhaul of the previous battery, which aims to lower costs.
Reliability
Regarding its reliability, the 2023 Model Y received a low score of 28 out of 100. The low score comes into contact with many factors, but one of the more significant angles is the recalls. The 2023 Model Y was recalled 12 times, which, spoiler alert, isn’t the year with the highest recalls. A breakdown of the recalls shows several electrical system errors, forward collision avoidance, and seat belt malfunctions. Recalls branch off of a vehicle’s safety, and the 2023 Tesla Model Y finally seemed to ace one test.
The 2023 Model Y received an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. Ownership costs also play a part in a vehicle’s reliability, and you can see a diverse range of numbers given the year of the model. You can expect to pay $2,448 on maintenance after five years. This is one area that Tesla and other brands that offer EVs thrive in due to electric vehicles typically requiring less maintenance than conventional vehicles. Lastly, you can expect a 2023 Tesla Model Y to depreciate by $37,656 after five years.
- Recalls: 12
- Five-Year Maintenance Cost: $2,448
- Five-Year Depreciation: $37,656
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4
2020 Tesla Model Y
Reliability: 36/100
It’s worth remembering that, based on the 2023 Tesla Model Y, it depreciates over half of its MSRP ($46,630) after five years. So, keep track of the Model Y’s initial strengths, low maintenance and safety ratings, along with its flaws, depreciation, and recalls. The 2020 Model Y was the debut of the affordable mid-size crossover. In the automotive world, it’s expected to be the model on the list that most buyers would avoid because it is the first model of a generation. The 2020 Model Y demonstrates Tesla’s strength in range, with the Long Range providing an overall range of 316 miles.
Reliability
The 2020 Model Y received a reliability score of 36 out of 100. This is eight points higher than the 2023 model, but it receives the most recalls out of all the years. This is predictable, with first-year models in a new generation or even a new model, typically the guinea pigs, finding all the flaws and bugs. These recalls included even more electrical system malfunctions, such as failing to stop at stop signs, decreased defrosting performance, and many others.
Even though it came into contact with an assortment of recalls, it ended up receiving an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. For the ownership costs, you can expect to pay $3,990 after five years. Unlike the later years, like the 2023 model, the 2020 Model Y depreciates at a slower rate, with an expected loss of $15,327 after five years. So, the maintenance fees were raised more than twenty-five percent over the 2024 model, almost doubled in recalls, kept its safety ratings, and lowered its depreciation rate.
- Recalls: 21
- Five-Year Maintenance Cost: $3,990
- Five-Year Depreciation: $15,327
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3
2022 Tesla Model Y
Reliability: 39/100
The 2022 Tesla Model Y is a great model to examine after the 2020 and 2023 models. This is because it’s the model that sits between both years, allowing you to see if the Model Y has any trends and flow or if all the reliability factors are different with no similarities. Some changes seen on the 2022 Model Y include the discontinued Standard Range entry-level model, making the Long Rang the base model. Keep a note of the last two models’ depreciation values, maintenance fees, and recalls in order to compare each model’s reliability.
Reliability
The 2022 Tesla Model Y raises the reliability rating by three points with its 39 out of 100 score. Two years after its debut, the Model Y seems to still be prone to recalls, with the 2022 model recalled 17 times! If you had to put a bet on what most of these recalls consist of, you’d most likely be going home with some extra money. Similar to the previous models that were discussed, the 2022 Model Y showed various electrical system issues, including decreased defrosting performance, an obscured pedestrian warning system (PWS), and many others.
The 2022 model keeps a clean board going for safety, with another year obtaining an overall safety rating of five out of five stars. Maintenance is back to being a benefit for the ownership costs, with owners expected to pay $2,569 after five years. Unfortunately, though, the 2022 Model Y depreciates more again, losing $21,150 after five years. Currently, the Model Y seems to have no similarities with its reliability factors, and it all depends on the year.
- Recalls: 17
- Five-Year Maintenance Cost: $2,569
- Five-Year Depreciation: $21,150
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2
2024 Tesla Model Y
Reliability: 41/100
The 2024 Tesla Model Y is the newest year available to the public. This is expected to change with the new 2025 model, codenamed Juniper, which is projected to be released early next year. After entering its fifth year in production, the 2024 Tesla Model Y is expected to lower its recalls, with the American EV brand learning from previous models and maintaining its five-star safety rating. If you’re eager to buy a Model Y as soon as possible and can’t wait for the highly anticipated Juniper, the 2024 Model Y might be your best bet.
Reliability
The 2024 Tesla Model Y comes in second place for its reliability, scoring 41 out of 100. You might think this reliability score is pitiful, but it’s worth noting again that ConsumerReports grades hard on a vehicle’s reliability. If you compare its reliability score to J.D. Power, which gave the 2024 Model Y a 69 out of 100, you’ll see the difficulty of obtaining a high score through CR.
The good news for people in the market for a 2024 Model Y is that it comes in first place for the least recalls. Funny enough, both recalls consisted of electrical system issues with an unlatched hood popping open while driving and warning lights obscuring the instrument panel. The 2024 Model Y didn’t receive an overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) but was an overall 2024 safety pick for the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS). For ownership costs, you can expect to pay $2,448 in maintenance after five years. Depreciation remains high, with a projected loss of $33,586 after five years.
- Recalls: 2
- Five-Year Maintenance Cost: $2,448
- Five-Year Depreciation: $33,586
1
2021 Tesla Model Y
Reliability: 60/100
The 2021 Tesla Model Y is the year that takes home the win regarding its reliability. Consumer Reports doesn’t provide an extensive overview of why this year is more reliable than the others, but you’ll just have to trust them. If reliability, ownership costs, or even depreciation are deciding factors for you when purchasing the Tesla Model Y, it’s apparent that each model comes with its strengths and weaknesses. Each factor is either up or down when compared to other models, making it difficult to decide which is the best model to take home. According to CR, the 2021 model will provide more reliability than the rest.
Reliability
The 2021 Tesla Model Y received a reliability score of 60 out of 100. If you can’t put your trust in one score and need more evidence, it seems to be the case that other companies, such as J.D. Power, rated midfield Model Y’s, such as the 2022 model, with a higher score than the earlier and later models. The 2021 Tesla Model Y, though, does come close to taking first place, after authorities recalled it 20 times!
To save you some time and correct guessing, you just need to know that the 2021 Model Y comes into contact with various recalls surrounding electrical system errors and other familiar issues. Maintenance is also higher on the 2021 model, with owners expected to pay $4,188 after five years. You can also expect the 2021 Model Y to depreciate higher than some of the others, with an expected loss of $18,043 after five years. It’s a lot to take in, and you might be sitting here, thinking, “Honestly, I don’t know which year I’d go with.” If you look past depreciation, the safest bet is the 2024 Model Y, which is the most up-to-date model with low maintenance. But if you can’t swing that and buy an older year, you’re still looking cool in one of the most advanced electric SUVs on the market.
- Recalls: 20
- Five-Year Maintenance Cost: $4,188
- Five-Year Depreciation: $18,043