Tesla Model Y vs Toyota Corolla

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 final score for this review makes it look as though the Corolla is a middling effort. The scores for each individual section of the review are well considered and fair. The Corolla does lack the practicality of some of its rivals. A lack of an ANCAP rating isn’t great and the powertrain is just okay. But it remains one of the most fun-to-drive hatchbacks on the market today, even seven years into its life, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the Corolla to anyone looking for a small car. If you can forgive some of the quirks, it is a reliable, adorable, fun and efficient small car favourite. 

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.

It’s been around for a good seven years, but the current-gen Corolla hatch is still a smart design. It has a squat stance and looks as though it has sporty intentions (it doesn’t), and the head and tail-light treatment doesn’t look like anything else in the segment.

The Corolla has adorable proportions and a pert little behind in a sea of increasingly boring small SUVs.

However, in SX trim and in the ‘Sunstone Orange’ body colour of my test car, the Corolla gives off rental car vibes. Which is hardly surprising given lower grade Corollas are a favourite of rental companies.

Inside that vibe continues. This is where the Corolla is really showing its age.

There are various shades of grey throughout the cabin, with a mix of hard and soft plastics. The cloth seat trim is drab, which is a shame because some other brands have managed to make cloth cool again. Not Toyota.

The touchscreen sticks up out the top of the dash like an old iPad and the dash design is old but functional. 

There is nothing inspiring about this interior design. In saying that, of those aforementioned rivals, only the Mazda3 and the new Kia K4 have modern cabins.

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 Corolla is a small car and that is evident inside. You might bump elbows with your front passenger, but I have no problem with the front leg or headroom.

Those cloth seats might be drab but boy they are comfy, and the fronts have loads of side bolstering. 

The steering wheel has typically clear controls and looks and feels nice. 

As a more, shall we say seasoned model in the segment, the Corolla still has buttons on the dash for things like air con, but not too many. That bulbous centre stack and the centre console, however, could be better designed for the space.

As it is, the wireless charging pad is hidden under it at the far end of the console. It’s a bit fiddly to get your phone in and out. This is also where one of the USB-C ports lives.

The other one is in the central storage bin which is quite small, but also houses a 12-volt outlet. There are no other places to store things because of the rounded shape of the console, which also features a couple of narrow cupholders.

OurCarsGuide bottle had to be squeezed into the door storage cavity - only narrow, short vessels will fit properly.

That 8.0-inch multimedia screen is very easy to navigate, with logical menus and icons. However, it’s almost too basic, which is not helped by the all-white background. It could be a more engaging set-up but it’s also very hard to fault the functionality. Our Apple CarPlay maintained its connection the whole time with the car, too.

Space is quite tight in the rear, although I have enough headroom for my 184cm frame. Legroom is just okay behind my driving position. There’s more space in the back of a Hyundai i30. It’s also dark because of smallish rear windows and thick C-pillars. 

The rear seat backrest is quite upright, but, like the front seats, well cushioned.

Amenities are just average back there - there’s a weird cupholder high on the door, only a passenger side map pocket, no rear air vents and no USB ports, although you could easily use the one housed in the front central bin. There’s a rear fold-down armrest with two cupholders.

The rear seats split and fold 60/40 and they fold flat making for a better loading space.

The good news is the SX (and the base Ascent Sport) come standard with a temporary spare wheel, which is great news for a hybrid model. The bad news is, that reduces boot space to a paltry 217 litres. 

That’s off the pace of all of its key hatchback rivals, including the Mazda3 which has its own cargo concerns at 295L, and the Hyundai i30 with 395L.

The Corolla ZR hatch has more space at 333L but you only get a tyre repair kit instead of a temporary spare. 

If you’re dead set on a Corolla but need more cargo space, consider the smart looking sedan that has 470 litres.

Toyota dropped all exclusively internal combustion engine versions of passenger car models and car-based SUVs last year so the Corolla is now hybrid-only.

The grade we tested is the SX five-door hatchback which is priced from $35,260, before on-road costs. Interestingly, the sedan version, which has a much bigger boot, is $340 cheaper.

The SX sits in the middle of the Corolla range with the Ascent Sport the most affordable (from $32,110) and the ZR the priciest before you get to the fire-breathing GR Corolla hot hatch.

Direct rivals at this approximate price point include the Hyundai i30 N Line ($36,000 BOC), Mazda3 G20 Touring ($37,110), Subaru Impreza 2.0R ($35,490) and the Kia K4 Sport ($35,190), although that is sedan only for now.

You get 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth bucket seats, a synthetic leather steering wheel, auto-dimming rear view mirror, rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, USB-C ports, a wireless device charging pad, six-speaker audio, an 8.0-inch colour multimedia display with sat-nav, digital radio, Bluetooth, voice assistant and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The standard features list could be described as adequate without being overly generous for the price. A head-up display (standard in the ZR) would be nice.

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.

Since Toyota dropped the petrol engine from the Corolla range, it’s a hybrid-only affair.

The powerplant is a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid system that incorporates a lithium-ion battery, which is lighter yet more powerful since the 2022 update.

The Corolla drives the front wheels exclusively via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

It’s not the punchiest engine and could do with more poke, but Toyota does do hybrids well. 

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.

According to Toyota the official fuel-use figure for the Corolla hybrid hatch is 4.0-litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions sit at 90g/km.

While the trip computer said 4.8L/100km at the end of our week, my own fuel consumption calculation came to 5.8L.

You will only need 91 RON 'standard' petrol to fill up the Corolla.

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.

Most generations of Corollas have been solid, dependable and occasionally, even fun to drive. 

My first car was a Holden Nova GS hatchback, which was a rebadged version of the seventh-generation Corolla. I loved that car. It was zippy, fun and super economical.

The same principles generally apply to the current-gen Corolla. Thankfully, Toyota’s former CEO, Akio Toyoda, insisted all models from the Camry to the Kluger needed to be injected with more fun. And he succeeded with the Corolla. So much so that they've spun off a wild GR performance hot hatch version.

The Corolla sits low to the ground and it just feels much more connected to the road than a small SUV can. Even in mid-range SX guise, the Corolla can hug a corner and there is ample grip to ensure a fun drive on your favourite winding road.

Sure, the hybrid powertrain might not set your heart racing, but it is quick enough from a standing start and it lacks the lag of some of its turbocharged contemporaries. There’s also plenty of poke on tap for a small car when overtaking.

Even though it has a sporting edge to how it handles, the Corolla SX has been tuned for comfort first and foremost and this is another area it excels. The damper set-up ensures the Corolla soaks up speed bumps, nasty potholes and whatever else our shoddy roads can throw at it. At no point in my seven days with the Corolla did I complain about a harsh bump or thud.

Steering has a mechanical feel but it is still sharp, adding to the ‘chuckable’ vibe of this hatchback.

The powertrain can be noisy when pushed and combined with a CVT auto it’s the nicest sounding engine out there. Also, the transition from electric to petrol power isn’t particularly smooth. Other carmaker’s hybrid offerings - like Honda for example - are close to seamless. 

Some road noise gets into the cabin but it’s no deal breaker.

The Corolla is currently unrated by crash safety watchdog ANCAP. It did achieve a maximum five-star rating back in 2018 but that expired at the end of last year.

Safety features are largely standard across all grades and the SX comes with auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, speed sign recognition, 'Lane Trace Assist', adaptive cruise control, a blind spot monitor with safe exit assist, a rear cross-traffic alert, reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors and a rear occupant alert.

It doesn’t have a driver attention alert, and it’s all the better for it.

The lane keeping aid is well calibrated and subtle in its interventions, but the adaptive cruise let the speed creep several kilometres over the set speed on several occasions. 

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 Corolla is covered by Toyota’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which, given Kia, MG, GWM, Jaecoo and more have longer terms (not to mention Nissan and Mitsubishi’s conditional 10-year terms) is now officially trailing its competitors.

However, the capped-price servicing plan of up to five years costs just $250 for each service, which is incredibly competitive. The service schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.