Tesla Model Y vs Mazda CX-60

What's the difference?

Completely putting aside the Elon Musk factor, there’s no question the Model Y was in need of an update to keep it fresh and attractive to buyers. On a purely automotive level, the changes they’ve made have been almost universally positive.

Tesla has had to adopt the traditional car company plan, which is out of character, but the new look and tweaks to the ride and specifications make it feel fresh, new and better - which is exactly what the brand needs to continue to grow its market and win back those who have started to look elsewhere.

Whether that’s enough in the face of both the Musk element, slowing EV market and increased rivals - especially those from China - remains to be seen. But if Tesla sales remain in decline, at least it won’t be for a lack of trying to make the Model Y better.

The Mazda CX-60 GT P50e will suit those families that don’t need the extra seats of its bigger siblings but still want some luxury and comfort. I like the features and the hybrid efficiency but don't like how it handles in the city. I got used to it but it’s not my favourite plug-in hybrid to drive and for the higher price tag, I did expect a smoother experience.

Tesla’s original game plan was to focus on software updates to keep its cars fresh and appealing, rather than the traditional facelifts and specification tweaks that other car companies use. But, in what should probably not be a surprise, it turns out the rest of the car industry hasn’t been doing mid-cycle facelifts and updates for every other car for no reason - it did them because they worked.

To that end, this ‘new’ Model Y isn’t all-new, but rather the existing platform with refreshed styling. It takes Tesla’s latest design cues taken from the Cybertruck and Cybercab concept, with a new-look front end that is dominated by this LED lighting that runs across the entire width and wraps around the corners into the headlights.

There’s a new, flatter bumper, which takes styling inspiration from the Cybertruck but the company claims it’s also more aerodynamic. While at the rear there’s been an equally extensive redesign, with new lighting and tailgate. Tesla claims the new rear light bar that runs the width of the car is one of the longest of its kind in the industry.

I’ll leave it to each individual reader to decide whether they like the look of the 2025 Model Y, but objectively speaking it certainly looks different enough from its predecessor that it could entice existing owners to upgrade or attract new buyers.

Inside the changes are less noticeable, with some subtle but significant tweaks. Visually the biggest change is a new wrap-around ambient light strip that runs from door to door across the front of the dashboard.

But the rest of the layout is largely what was there before, with one notable exception. Tesla has taken its ‘minimalist’ design to the next level and removed the gear selector stalk on the right-hand side of the steering column. Instead you need to use the central touchscreen to get the Model Y moving.

To be candid, I don’t like this, it makes for a less convenient, less tactile and less initiative way to change gears, while also making the central screen even busier. Aesthetically, with the left-hand indicator stalk still there, it makes an asymmetrical design element in an otherwise symmetrical cabin. Which is where it starts to feel less like a design choice and more like a cost saving decision.

In fact, despite the good quality materials used throughout the cabin and good build quality, personally I find this almost-buttonless, so-called minimalist cabin just looks and feels cheap with so little in the way of details and design flourishes. Especially against the wave of incoming similar-sized and sometimes cheaper Chinese electric SUV rivals, that either look very similar (Deepal S07) or have similar technology and add some more design flair (BYD Sealion 7).

One design element of note is the lack of any Tesla badging on the front. There’s no ‘Tesla’ or even a ‘T’ badge, which is in keeping with the Cybertruck design but is another meaningful change from the previous Model Y.

For me, Mazda SUVs are a bit too similar to get me excited. It’s a case of ‘same same but different’ when they’re on the road.

Each one looks like a scaled version of the other but the GT’s body colour extends to the lower cladding and wheel arches, which makes it appear larger than the CX-5 at least.

The GT model is also set apart from the base Evolve model with the heavier use of black accents – like the gloss black side mirrors, 20-inch alloy wheels and honeycomb grille. It’s 'PHEV' and 'In-line 6' side badges are also blacked out for added sportiness.

Full LED exterior lights in Mazda’s classic slim-line look plus some added ‘in-take’ vents at the front complete the overall package.

In the cabin, there’s a strangely wide panel on the dashboard that separates the centre console from the media system and it doesn’t look right compared to the skinny air-vents and button panel that sits below it.

The interior does sport black leather-accented trims and enough soft touchpoints that there is a sense of quality throughout but I was hoping for a more luxuriously-appointed interior, given the price tag. Especially considering the top-spec CX-5 model is a good $25K more affordable.

From a space perspective, the Model Y offers good room front and rear for an SUV of this size. The addition of the rear heated seats and small touchscreen that can support two Bluetooth headphones is very nice. 

There’s plenty of small item storage thanks to a large centre console between the front seats, with space for two wireless smartphone charging pads, two cups or bottles and a pair of large lidded storage spaces (albeit with only a single USB-C input).

In terms of luggage space, the Model Y does a nice job, thanks to its 117L front boot (or frunk), while at the rear the boot has a claimed 854L of cargo space with underfloor storage. However, that big boot comes at the expense of any sort of spare tyre or even a puncture repair kit. Instead, Tesla offers roadside assistance and brings you a spare wheel and tyre or takes you to a tyre store. Which is fine if you have a flat in an urban area and a Tesla service vehicle can drop off a spare in short order, but if you’re in a regional spot you may be waiting a while for a job that some people can do in 15 minutes or less.

As for the in-car technology, there’s no question that Tesla has created a good infotainment system and it runs quickly on the big, hi-resolution screen. However, once again Tesla’s desire to be different and not conform to the industry norms rears its head.

There’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility, because Tesla wants to only run its system and not deal with third parties. And, yes, you can still pair your phone and get very similar functionality, but it is not the same functionality and seems like a compromise for customers.

The Model Y still has plenty of the ‘Easter eggs’ that are a much-talked about part of Tesla lore. And honestly, they’re fine, a nice little bonus, but the truth is, like so many other car ‘surprise and delight’ features, they don’t add any meaningful long-term value to the ownership or user experience. I used to get excited by them when I first drove Teslas, but within a few days you tend to forget about them.

On a positive note, the Tesla App is a great feature, allowing you to keep in contact with your car, and access cameras and other features remotely, while also using your phone as a key. Which is good, because otherwise you have to use a key card, which allows keyless entry but the card has to be pulled out of your pocket and placed on the wireless phone charging pads in order for the car to start, which just seems unnecessarily complex.

The cabin is practical with its great sense of space in both rows, which is not always the case for a mid-sized SUV. Taller families will love how much legroom there is to be had.

The front passenger can get comfortable with the eight-way power adjustments on their seat but the driver enjoys the most perks with 10-way adjustments, lumbar support and two-position memory function.

Both seats have heat function (up to three levels) and are well-cushioned for a longer trip.

The rear seats are well-padded and feature a handy 40/20/40 split-fold for internal storage. The outboard seats also have a heat function for added comfort.

My six-year old found this car to be super easy to get in and out of because of the 175mm ground clearance. He also enjoyed a good view from the wide windows and liked the amenities, like the directional air vents and reading lights.

Individual storage is decent in both rows but the front passengers get the best options with two cupholders, extra-large storage bins in each door, a glove box and a middle console, which is on the shallow side.

Back seaters get two cupholders in the fold-down armrest, small storage bins in each door and a couple of map pockets.

The technology looks upmarket with the dashboard being headlined by two separate 12.3-inch digital screens.

The multimedia system is easy enough to use but I wish Mazda enabled touchscreen access on this as it’s a pain to use the rotary selector dial while on the go.

That said, it’s fab that you get wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, plus built-in satellite navigation.

The premium Bose sound system with its 12 speakers makes for a concert-like experience and the charging options are good throughout the car.

Up front you get two of the faster USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad to choose from.

In the back seat you get another two USB-C ports plus a handy 220-volt (150W) port for bigger items. In the boot you get another 220-volt port but this one has 1500W capacity, so larger appliances can be hooked up.

The boot rounds out the cabin practicality with a decent 477L of capacity but you can bump it to 1726L if you fold down the rear seats. There are manual levers in the boot to do this.

The level load space makes it easy to slide things in and out and I always enjoy having a powered tailgate. A flipside to all of this room though is that you only get a tyre puncture repair kit rather than a physical spare.

There are three models for the CX-60 and ours is the mid-spec model, which will cost you $80,300, before on-road costs.

You get a decent number of features in this grade, so it feels well-positioned against its rivals.

The Lexus NX350h F Sport Hybrid AWD beats it by a smidge at $80,500 (MSRP) and the Volvo XC60 Recharge Plus sits well above at $92,990 (MSRP).

As you’d expect there are some luxury items to be found, like the panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, heated leather steering wheel, and heated rear outboard seats.

You also enjoy the following as standard - dual-zone climate control, electric front seats, leather-accented trim, electric steering wheel adjustment, satellite navigation, keyless entry, a hands-free powered tailgate and a 360-degree view camera system plus a bunch of upmarket technology which we’ll touch on later. 

For all the difficulties Tesla has been suffering lately, and amid all the new challengers, one area where the brand remains in a strong position is its powertrains and battery technology. It is still among the best in the business, and should be the reason you buy a Model Y more than its ‘Easter eggs’ or buttonless interior.

Tesla is notoriously cagey when it comes to its power and torque figures, but all indications are the motors haven’t been changed. That means the RWD makes 220kW/420Nm, while the Long Range we’re in has a theoretical 331kW/559Nm.

What Tesla has confirmed is the new Model Y is faster, thanks to a software update, with the RWD a full one second faster from 0-100km/h - now taking 5.9 seconds - and the Long Range is two-tenths quicker at 4.8 seconds.

The GT P50e has a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol plug-in hybrid powertrain with a maximum power output of 241kW and 500Nm of torque.

This is an all-wheel drive and has an eight-speed auto transmission.

Overall, it’s fairly gutsy and you’ll be pleased with that power when you hit the open road.

On the electric motor side of things, this also has a lithium-ion battery with a relatively small 17.8kWh capacity which gives you a driving range of up to 76km when in pure EV mode. 

It has a Type 2 AC charging port but it can’t be hooked onto a fast charger as it lacks the CCS DC connector.

On a 7.0kW system you should be able to get from 20 to 80 per cent in as little as 90 minutes. The household plug charging time is more like seven or eight hours, so best to leave overnight when at home.

While it may not be more powerful, Tesla has extended the range on both the RWD and Long Range.

The RWD has been stretched to 466km, an improvement of 11km, and the Long Range lives up to its name with a 551km range - an 18km increase over the old model.

In the real-world though, we noticed quite a dramatic decrease in battery percentage on relatively limited urban driving, so much so we’d need a longer evaluation period to confirm whether you could consistently get more than 500km from a single charge. Even working from home, and driving a second car during the week we had the Model Y, I was on course to have to recharge within a seven-day period.

When you do need to recharge, Tesla operates its own Supercharging network, so in addition to being able to use the growing number of public chargers, you can probably find one of Tesla’s 110 Superchargers near you.

Charging is nice and easy too. You can upload your credit card to the car so you only need to plug in and it will automatically start replenishing the batteries.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 2.1L/100km but after an almost 600km roadie and charging it twice, my real-world usage came to 6.4L.

That's a good result considering this car's power and size but you will get the best efficiency if you charge the battery regularly. 

Based on my usage and the 50L tank, I’d be able to get a rough driving range of 781km.

One of the most significant mechanical changes for this new Model Y is retuned suspension. The previous Model Y was criticised for its uncomfortable ride, especially in the rears, and Tesla has acted to change that. 

The ride is more comfortable but still on the firm side as it needs to control the weight of all the batteries. Overall the changes have brought a positive impact and helped improve one of the weak points of the Model Y.

Tesla has also added lower rolling resistance tyres and acoustic glass, both of which help refinement and make for a quieter cabin. That was an early problem with the Model S, the amount of road noise and mechanical groans and squeaks that were audible without an engine to mask them. Tesla has worked hard over the years to make a much more refined and quieter electric vehicle.

From a driving perspective, the Model Y is nice without offering anything class-leading or particularly stand-out. Tesla claims the new tyres help improve handling, but there's no real evidence of that from behind the wheel.

In fact, the Model Y doesn't really have any element of the driving experience that stands out amongst its newer rivals. The motors offer good, effortless performance, but the driving character - the steering, the chassis handling - just lacks any above-average quality.

One area where Tesla has caught up to some of its EV rivals is adding a different level of regenrative braking, with a relaxed setting that allows for a more conventional two-pedal driving experience than the standard regen, which is quite strong.

Still, it's hard to give Tesla any more points for its Driving score because it simply feels very much average for the current class of EV SUVs.

Well .. let’s unpack that shall we? Yes, this thing certainly has power but the biggest surprise for me was how the electric motor and combustion engine talk to one another because it doesn’t make for the smoothest driving experience in the city.

Therein lies the rub, for me. At this price point I was hoping for a smoother drive experience. In fact, it performs in the strangest of ways - when you’re accelerating, it feels like you’re in a much lower gear than you ought to be.

Almost like you’re stuck in 4WD. There is a sensation of the engine being held back and fighting you when you drive this in built up areas.

The ride comfort in the city was affected by this because it has a tendency to bunny hop/lurch when you hit corners at lower speeds. However, it has beautiful manners on the open road and that is where this model shines for comfort and handling. 

In this environment the steering feels concise and you can handle winding roads at speed without much roll. It can get a little noisy in the cabin as the electric motor wheezes a lot but otherwise, it’s alright for highway driving.

Overall, it's pretty good to park and I like the tight 10.8m turning circle. The 360-degree camera system is clear, too, but coupled with the front and rear parking sensors, you won’t have any issues.

The CX-60 has a lot of safety features I like to see on a family car and a highlight is the intelligent blind-spot monitoring system which shows the vehicles around you in a dynamic display on the instrument panel.

Other standard safety features include LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aids, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, intelligent seat belt reminders, a driver fatigue monitor, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree view camera system.

It also has adaptive cruise control but it was a bit hit or miss. It’s quite sensitive and sometimes registers a larger vehicle, like a truck, as still being in your lane despite overtaking.

It has autonomous emergency braking with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction assist detection that’s operational from 10–80km/h (although the car detection is operational from 4.0–160km/h).

I’m happy to say this system works well – a ‘roo jumped out in front of me this week and the car performed an emergency stop with plenty of room to spare.

It achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022 and it has eight airbags, including a driver’s knee- and a front centre airbag.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top tethers and while two seats will fit best, you might get lucky with three skinny booster seats. There’s also plenty of room when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

Tesla has a relatively short warranty for the Model Y, at least by modern standard, at just four years and 80,000km. However the battery and drive units are covered for eight years, so you do get more peace of mind that any battery issues will be resolved.

However, there are different mileages for the RWD and Long Range models, and Tesla says the batteries only need to retain 70 per cent of their performance to be within their limits.

Servicing is another non-traditional area for Tesla. The company doesn't offer fixed-service intervals, but rather the car will alert you when it needs a service. BMW and Mini also do this.

Naturally, there are less lubricants and other consumables to maintain as you’d find on a petrol-powered SUV, but there are still parts like brake fluids and air filters that need to be looked at by a technician.

The ongoing costs are pretty reasonable. It comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is usual for the class. It also has capped-price servicing for five-years or up to 75,000km, whichever occurs first.

Services cost an average of $518, which is a little expensive for this class but servicing intervals are fine at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.