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Cars age like people. At first, they are trim, hungry, and tight in the joints, chasing lap times and electrons with equal fervor. Then, with the years, comes a curious transformation.
They can grow in size, sometimes in speed, often in comfort. But occasionally, like an aging athlete trading sprints for long walks, they lose a measure of that spark that made them magic when new. This is not a condemnation of progress. It is a reality of engineering, safety mandates, and shifting market demands. Comparing the 2022 Tesla Model S and the 2026 Tesla Model Y is less about horsepower or battery chemistry and more about how machines, like their makers, evolve.
A Redditor summed it up beautifully.
“The obvious difference is that Model S rides low. So if I am driving for long periods, it kinda gets tiring sitting in this position.
Also obvious is that handling and turning are really controlled at high speed for Model S because it sits low. And hence it is more fun to drive, but it is not a must-have.
Fsd I compared hw3 to hw4, but I was actually impressed with hw3. It did all the merges and lane changes perfectly. It was very similar, and the only missing items were the fsd from the park and the front camera.
The insane mode on Model S is really good, and I use it all the time, but your Wh/mi will be poor. Getting 250 to 400 Wh/mi. Whereas Model Y was 190 to 240Wh/mi. Also, since Model S is older, it was less efficient.
The suspension and cabin noise actually seem similar to Model Y, so Model S was not superior.
The space in the frunk and trunk looks similar to the Model Y.
The main must-have is the yoke plus front screen on Model S. This is game game-changer that Model Y needs. Seeing the map, fsd visual, and the side camera during the turn signal on the front screen is sooo much better! The yoke provides the best view for it. Looking at the big screen becomes optional.
I hope in the future Model Y/3 adopts this change even if they charge extra.” — u/chaosatom, r/TeslaLounge (2025)
Owners like u/mikedeezy22, who keep both in the same garage, praise the Y’s leaps forward compared to earlier versions but maintain that the S is still more involving to drive. It is not just torque or handling. It is the way the yoke frames the forward screen, the planted stance, the aura of a car built to be more than transportation.
Tesla Model Y Juniper Worldwide Success
- Model Y finished #1 worldwide in 2023 (first EV ever to do so), and multiple trackers report it is likely to repeat in 2024.
- Tesla’s “New Model Y” page lists the AWD at ~320 miles EPA est. and 0–60 mph in ~4.1 s (Launch/trim dependent).
- Tesla advertises up to ~182 miles added in ~15 minutes on a high-power DC fast charger.
- Model Y is produced at Fremont (CA) and Giga Texas (Austin) in the U.S., Giga Shanghai in China, and Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Germany.
Time, however, is unforgiving. The 2022 Model S is no longer the technological thunderclap it once was. Its “Insane” mode still delivers breathtaking acceleration, but its 250 to 400 Wh/mi consumption in spirited driving concedes the efficiency battle to the younger Y, which returns 190 to 240 Wh/mi. The analogy to the big-block V8 versus a modern turbo six is apt: the elder still wears the performance crown but at a greater cost. Efficiency matters more now, even in cars designed to stir the blood.
Beyond numbers, there is the feel of a machine growing older. Chaosatom’s account notes that suspension tuning and cabin noise are surprisingly close between the two, evidence that Tesla’s trickle-down engineering has made the “lower” models more like their upper-tier siblings. But ride height and seating position tell a different story. The low-slung S offers a driver’s vantage that is thrilling on a winding road and tiring on a cross-country haul, a reminder that ergonomics age right alongside drivetrains.
Tesla Model Y Bridging The Gap
Technology bridges the generational gap. Hardware 3 in the older S impressed its driver enough to draw comparisons to Hardware 4 in the newer Y. Merges and lane changes were seamless, with the only real omission being park-to-drive autonomy and a front camera. This keeps the S relevant in ways that mechanical aging cannot erase. In the era of software-defined vehicles, an older car can gain a second youth through updates and calibration, much like a veteran athlete learning new tactics to stay competitive.
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Still, the soul is harder to transfer. The Model S’s yoke and forward display create a driver-centric experience that the Y cannot yet match. Some mistake the setup for a traditional heads-up display, but as others in the discussion clarify, it is a dedicated instrument screen.
Labels aside, it offers an immediacy that changes the rhythm of a drive. You see more without shifting your eyes, and the steering layout clears the view entirely. It is the sort of intangible that rarely makes a brochure but stays in a driver’s mind. This is where the two cars, though separated by four model years, begin to meet.
Tesla Model Y Juniper Specifications & Dimensions
- Factory figures show ~71.4 cu ft max with 2nd row folded, ~29.0 cu ft behind the 2nd row, plus a ~4.1 cu ft frunk.
- The factory tow package is rated to 3,500 lb on Model Y (all wheel configurations).
- Model Y earned IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ (2024), with additional 2024/2025 entries listed on IIHS’s awards page.
- Independent tests of the updated Model Y report quicker acceleration and a quieter cabin versus earlier builds.
Tesla’s refinements have made their performance sedan and mass-market crossover share more similarities than differences in noise, storage, and software experience.
It is part of a larger pattern in the industry, where manufacturers seek common ground between models for efficiency’s sake. Yet in doing so, there is always the risk that the distinctiveness of the flagship trickles away along with the technology. Like people growing into their middle years, both the Model S and Model Y have traded some sharp edges for comfort and efficiency. Whether that trade feels like wisdom or loss is a question every driver must answer for themselves.
Image Sources: Tesla Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
