The Tesla Model Y Years Worth Buying And The Ones To Avoid
The Tesla Model Y has become the world’s most popular electric vehicle (EV) and the world’s bestselling car since 2023. Due to its sheer popularity, a handful of Model Ys have begun to enter the used market. At the same time, the Model Y’s price tag has significantly dropped since its launch in 2020, as EV competition from China and ever-lowering production costs within Tesla have made these factors possible.
Now, in 2026, the Model Y starts at $39,990, much lower than its $49,990 launch price in 2020. Even then, $39,990 is still a bit too high for some people, and that’s where the used market comes in. Kelley Blue Book now estimates a 2020 Model Y has an average resale value of $25,300, about the price of the most affordable brand-new compact sedans.
It is worth noting, however, that not all Model Ys have the same quality levels across the six model years that the nameplate has been through. As one of Tesla’s newer nameplates, the Model Y experienced initial quality problems as production ramped up. If you’re looking to determine the best model year to get a used Model Y, then you’ve come to the right place. This list is ranked from worst to best in terms of quality, as determined by AutoReliability.Index, which is based on consolidated data from NHTSA, including recalls and owner complaints.
2021 Model Year
Score: 46 / 100 — Avoid
The worst model year for the Tesla Model Y is the 2021 model year. AutoReliability.Index gives it a rating of 46 out of 100, which is the same as the initial 2020 model year, but there’s a major reason why it’s at the bottom of the list—its sheer number of complaints. The 2021 Tesla Model Y was the subject of 991 complaints, as well as 21 recalls. This model year also had six fire-related complaints. The complaints are mostly centered around the Model Y’s forward collision avoidance, which makes up a whopping 313 complaints.
Other issues in this model year include heat pump failures, which were prone to electronic expansion valve issues in freezing weather. On a more minor note, the upper control arm ball joints of this model year are susceptible to water intrusion, which can cause a squeaking noise as it ages. The 12-volt lead-acid battery is also prone to draining, which can cause owners to be locked out of their vehicles. Though not the oldest model year, the 2021 model year has the lowest resale value among all Model Ys at $24,400, according to Kelley Blue Book, which reflects the market’s reception of this model year.
2020 Model Year
Score: 46 / 100 — Avoid / Strong Caution
While the 2020 model year has a similar rating by AutoReliability.Index, it is only a touch better than the 2021 model year because of having fewer complaints. The 2020 Tesla Model Y is subject to 264 complaints, which is an improvement over the 991 complaints of the 2021 model year, but that is still a lot of complaints. This model year was also subject to 22 recalls. With the 2020 model year being slightly better than the 2021 model year, quality-wise, it has a slightly higher average resale value of $25,300, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Common issues for the 2020 model year Model Y include similar issues from the 2021 model year, such as phantom braking from the forward collision avoidance (53 complaints), as well as heat pump issues. Some of its recalls involve components in the steering and suspension arms, which could create creaking and clunking noises, while higher-mileage 2020 model-year units may require early replacement of control arm bushings and motor mounts. Unsurprisingly, as production of the Model Y was just ramping up that year, most of the 2020 model-year complaints centered around build quality issues like uneven panel gaps and thin paint on the bumpers.
2022 Model Year
Score: 50 / 100 — Middle Ground
Reflecting the improving production and quality control of the Model Y is the slightly higher rating for the 2022 model year. This model year improves upon the 2021 model year, with 783 complaints, while 18 recalls were conducted for this model year. This model year had seven fire-related complaints, the highest of any model year.
Once again, the most common complaint for the 2022 model year is related to the forward collision avoidance (251 complaints), while more minor complaints center around the vehicle speed control (for Full Self Driving or Traffic Aware Cruise Control) and the electrical systems (such as the ultrasonic sensors that were removed in the 2023 model year and low power from the 12-volt battery). Kelley Blue Book says that the average resale value for the 2022 Tesla Model Y is $28,300, which is higher than both the 2020 and the 2021 model years. Notably, the 2022 model year is the first of the Model Ys to receive the more powerful AMD Ryzen CPUs, replacing the older Intel Atom units.
2023 Model Year
Score: 53 / 100 — Worth Buying
Tesla continued to improve and refine its production quality standards for the Model Y through 2023, and that is reflected in the slightly improved reliability score of AutoReliability.Index. Recalls have been reduced from 18 to 15, and fire incidents are down to just 3, though with 997 complaints, it is the model year with the highest number of customer complaints. How did it end up performing better than the others? Well, on a per 10,000 units sold basis, it is actually down to just 25.8 complaints per 10,000 units sold versus the peak of 66 complaints per 10,000 units sold in the 2020 model year.
Once again, forward collision avoidance issues led the way with 206 complaints, while steering and vehicle speed control issues are the other common complaints for the 2023 Tesla Model Y. It is also in the 2023 model year that Tesla introduced a more comfortable tune for the suspension, since common customer feedback was that the suspension was too firm. A 2023 Tesla Model Y has an average resale value of $29,800, which is only slightly higher than the 2022 model year. The premium, we think, is worth it, since you also get improved ride quality.
2024 Model Year
Score: 63 / 100 — Recommended
The 2024 model year is when AutoReliability.Index began rating the Model Y as “Good”, with a score of 63 out of 100. Recalls are now down to just 5, with customer complaints now less than a third, at just 254. This means that the 2024 Tesla Model Y only has 8.1 complaints per 10,000 units sold. Forward collision avoidance is no longer the top issue beginning with this model year, as that distinction now belongs to electrical system complaints, with a still-low 47 complaints.
As one of the model years with the lowest number of complaints, the 2024 Tesla Model Y is finally an easy recommendation for used car shoppers. Also, being just two years old, the 2024 Tesla Model Y still has a pretty good resale value of $31,600, according to Kelley Blue Book. While already good enough to be an easy recommendation, there is another model year that is even better in terms of quality and durability, but this comes at the expense of a higher resale value.
2025 Model Year
Score: 70 / 100 — Best / Worth Buying
The 2025 model year is when Tesla gave the Model Y a mid-cycle facelift. With the Model Y already spanning six model years, it follows that this will be the highest-quality model year to date. This model year only received 69 complaints, though it must be noted that some 2025 model-year vehicles at this point are barely a year old. Furthermore, with only 2 recalls, the 2025 Tesla Model Y is so far the most flawlessly manufactured model year of the world’s bestselling car.
Still, this means a low complaint rate of just 2.7 per 10,000 vehicles sold, and they center around the electric system (12 complaints), forward collision avoidance (10 complaints), and service brakes (8 complaints). For those curious, the service brake complaints center around issues with the actual braking system, regenerative braking, or one of its sensors, like the iBooster. Other, more minor complaints are usually about its build quality, such as inconsistent panel gaps and thin paint on the bumpers.
Unsurprisingly, there is still no data for the 2026 model year, since this model is still too new to be analyzed. Resale value data for the 2025 model year is also unavailable, since the vehicle is still too new. When checking used listings for a 2025 model year, prices usually hover in the mid-to-high $30,000s. If you want a nearly new Model Y but with some savings as a result of depreciation, then a slightly used, one-year-old 2025 model-year vehicle might be attractive enough for you.
Source: Autoreliability.index
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments