Tesla Model Y vs Volkswagen Passat

What's the difference?

If you like the five-seat Model Y, then you'll like the six-seat L version even more. I think this the best example of Tesla's electric SUV to date, and the cabin layout just makes a lot of sense, and would suit plenty of families who don't need to squeeze someone into a compromised middle seat.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

I so enjoyed driving the Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line. It's a roomy wagon that should fit a lot of different types of families. It still has sporty performance that will entice even the most reluctant family car buyer, so don't be turned off by its large proportions! I really like the comfort, convenience and handling of this one, so it gets an easy 8.0/10 from me.

My kid thought the blue colour was cool and loved having so many things to play with in the back seat. His only complaint was about the heavier doors but he still managed. He gives it an 8.0/10, too.

Spoiler alert - it looks a lot like a five-seat Model Y, doesn’t it, albeit a slightly bigger one. And you’d have to be a bigger Tesla head than me to immediately spot the differences at a glance.

The wheelbase is longer, the rear doors are bigger as are the rear 3/4 panels and the roof line is higher, helping with headroom in the third row.

Still, safe to say if you like the look of the five-seat Model Y, you’ll like this one. And if you hate it, well, good luck.

The alloys are 19-inch and shaded by the aerodynamic caps and there are light bars front and rear which debuted on the updated five-seat Model Y when it arrived mid-last year.

The bigger changes are inside, of course. I promise we’ll get to the second and third rows in the Practicality section, but let’s talk about the look and feel first.

There’s a love/hate relationship with Tesla’s stripped-back aesthetics, and I’m probably somewhere in the middle. I like the airiness of the space in the cabin, and I think it feels nicely put together, and I really dig the contrasting fabric used on the doors and dash which add a little visual interest to the cabin.

But I hate using the central screen to select a gear and I hate not being able to see how fast I’m going without turning my head. A head-up display would work wonders in the Model Y L cabin.

The Passat is a large car and stands at 4708mm long, 1832mm wide and 1504mm high. The boxier rear and long nose make these proportions feel even larger.

The 2023 model doesn't see much change, if any, to the previous iteration. The exterior features the classic VW sharp pleat that runs the length of the body, slim-line LED lights and pronounce grille with lots of chrome accents found throughout.

It looks shiny, new and stylish, but not garish. You'd be proud to be seen in this.

The interior is also classically VW – sharp, a little pared back and hosting easy to see buttons and dials. The adjustable ambient lighting elevates the cabin space, as does the black headliner (R-Line exclusive).

An interesting feature is the directional air vents, the slatted design is carried the entire length of the dash which accentuates the width of the car. It all looks seamless and well thought out.

Captain’s chairs are simply a more luxurious version of second-row seating. With that there is no argument and the heated and cooled chairs that occupy the second row of the Model Y L are pretty good examples of them.

Space, both knee and headroom, is ample, and you can adjust each seat individually if you want to grant a bit more space to any third row occupants. Armrests deploy at the push of a button — as do the two hidden cupholders — and it really is easy to settle in and get comfy.

The third row is a bit more hit and miss. I’m 175cm and found I had enough legroom and headroom, but the big plastic mouldings that emerge from each side of the Model Y (which house a cupholder) are a miss. They end up pushing you into the seat next to you, and I can foresee a lot of arm rubbing with anything like two adults back there.

Also confusing is how to actually get out of it. You can fold the seat in front of you flat, but then you have to climb over it. I found it easier to just walk out between the seats.

There are another two USB-C ports in the rear row and you get air vents but no temperature controls. 

The Model Y L stretches 4969mm in length, 1668mm in height and 2129mm in width, which is roughly 18cm longer and 4.5cm taller than the five-seat model. The extra space doesn’t sound like that much, but start dropping rows and you find a heap of storage space.

Both the second and third row stow electronically from the boot, but with them in place you’ll find 420 litres of storage in the double-layer boot. Drop the third row, and that number grows to 1076 litres. With the third row folded there is a massive 2423 litres of space. The frunk serves up another 116 litres.

There’s also room (and the ISOFIX attachment points) for four child seats.

A very practical family wagon with all passengers enjoying ample head and legroom.

The amenities in both rows are very good. The seats are fairly comfortable but the lumbar support isn't awesome. The massage function on the driver's side is a nice novelty but not strong enough to be called a massage. Think of it as gently stretching.

For storage, you get a decently sized middle console, dedicated phone tray, cooled glove box, drink bottle holders in each door and two cupholders.

There are plenty of charging options available for the front with two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Bonus having the wireless Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto), as it's one less cable you have to worry about.

In general, I like how easy the tech is to use. The 9.2-inch touchscreen multimedia system looks great and is responsive.

It's easy to get all the connections going and you can pull the built-in satellite navigation directions through to the 10.25-inch digital instrument panel. I did miss having a head-up display this week but the info on the instrument panel is displayed clearly.

The back seat gets a couple of cupholders in the fold-down armrest and drink bottle holders in each door. It also has directional air vents with climate control, reading lights and one USB-C port for charging. However, I would have liked to have seen another charging port, to limit sibling squabbles.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats plus three top tether anchor points.

The backseat is wide enough to fit three child seats side by side if needed, and there's plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

The windows are wide and offer good visibility but I really like the 142mm ground clearance. It was super easy for my six-year old to climb in and out.

The only thing he mentioned he didn't like was how heavy the doors were to operate. I don't mind this because they feel solid but they do swing wide, so be wary of letting any wild kids just hop out themselves in a crowded car park. You may get (or inflict) some dings.

The boot is a great size at 650L, with all seats in use, but if you pop down the backseats, that jumps up to 1780L.

The back seat also split-folds 40/20/40, which opens up your storage options. I enjoyed using the powered tailgate with kick function, it's handy on the grocery run.

The 206 TSI R-Line is top of a (small) two-model line-up. Our example has been finished in 'Lapiz Blue', a colour exclusive to the R-Line. Otherwise, expect a sea of monochromatic colour options.

We say top model but it's not necessarily a massive jump up in specifications from the 162 TSI Elegance, you're paying for the engine performance on this one.

This R-Line will cost you $67,790, before on-road costs. That's a $4K price hike from the 2022 model with no discernible upgrades.

And that price tag still puts it well above its closest rivals, with the Octavia RS 180 TSI being $53,090 and the Mazda6 Atenza at $52,140 (all before on-road costs).

However, you won't be disappointed with the features list with Nappa leather-appointed seat trim, R-Line stitched detailing on the floor mats and seats, electric and heated front seats, massage function on the driver's seat, a panoramic sunroof as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto all coming as standard.

The R-Line also enjoys 19-inch alloy wheels, a full-sized spare, heat insulating tinted glass, 65 per cent light reducing rear privacy glass and 30-way adjustable ambient lighting in the cabin.

The Model Y L gets Tesla’s dual-motor AWD powertrain, with two electric motors producing a total 378kW and 590Nm. That’s enough, Tesla says, to knock off the sprint to 100km/h in five seconds flat.

The R-Line has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum output of 206kW/350Nm.

That puts its engine specs 44kW up on the Elegance model and you feel that difference when you put your foot down.

The six-speed auto transmission provides surprisingly smooth shifting in most settings. The grunty engine combined with the all-wheel drive creates a sporty and purposeful driving experience.

Tesla is always a little vague when it comes to the size of its batteries, but reports point to the Model Y L carrying a 84Wh (useable) NMC battery.

Whatever the specifics, the range is strong, with Tesla promising a 681km driving range on the WLTP combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

It’s also set up for 250kW DC fast charging, which should see you take on 288km in 15 minutes, according to Tesla.

That powerful engine does cost you a little bit with efficiency. The official combined fuel figure is 8.1L/100km and real-world testing saw my figure at 8.6L.

Not too bad for the type of driving I did this week, which was a combo of open-road and urban. I wasn't scared of putting my foot down but I would expect to see a double-digit figure in an urban setting.

This has a 66L fuel tank and based on the official combined figure, you should be able to get around 815km driving range, which is great.

Honestly, it feels like the Tesla Model Y has grown up. I didn’t love earlier iterations of this car and I found the Performance to be fast but lacking any emotional fizz.

This one, though, feels solid and composed, and the power on tap (of which there is ample) is more about effortless progress than it is attempting to offer sports car excitement.

The steering is now nicely weighted and feels direct enough without being too sharp, and the cabin is well insulated, with often the slightly off-putting sort of rubbing noise the steering wheel makes when you turn it the only intrusive sound.

One drawback is a ride that definitely errs on the side of firm. This Model Y L gets electronic damping designed to iron out some of the more jagged stuff, but it still feels brittle in places, and you can definitely feel some sharpness in the cabin. Now, to be fair, it’s not too firm for me, but it might be for you.

Another is a bizarre turning circle which constantly reminds you you’re driving a big bus, especially when you try to complete a tight three-point turn.

But despite its stretched dimensions, I found the Model Y L easy to drive and park in the city, and once you're up to speed with Tesla's operating system (there's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), then the screen is pretty easy to use, too.

The performance of this is to be commended. Powerful but poised, there's a sense of performance in reserve when you put your foot down and while still fun, it's not unbridled power.

It inspires confidence, the lower centre of gravity and firm steering meaning you tackle corners with minimum roll. You can accelerate out of a corner a little earlier than you might normally in this.

The cabin is nice and quiet with some road noise at higher speeds but not enough to intrude on chatting.

Despite suspension that feels sporty, aka stiff, the ride comfort is very good, with back seat passengers also feeling the comfort. There's not a lot of jostling in this.

Let's talk parking. It is a large car but you don't feel those dimensions when you park it.

It's very forgiving to manoeuvre with the front and rear parking sensors, crisp 360-degree view camera and tight 11.7m turning circle!

And if you're not confident it has a self-parking feature.

This has a good list of safety features with the following being standard: LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree view reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, front and rear parking sensors, driver fatigue alert, and adaptive cruise control (with stop/go function).

I like the Emergency Assist feature which will provide multiple visual and sound alerts if there's no steering wheel activity detected. If there's still no driver input, the car will slow down and ultimately come to a complete stop.

The Passat's maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating has just expired and at the time of writing was yet to be retested.

The 2023 Passat has nine airbags, including side airbags for the rear outboard seats, as well as curtain airbags covering both rows.

There are three top tethers across the rear row and ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard positions.

Tesla warranty is a these-days-underwhelming five years and unlimited kilometres, while the high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or (a wildly specific) 192,000km.

There’s also five years' of roadside assistance, including puncture repair (a good thing, given the lack of a spare wheel). I also couldn’t find a puncture repair kit and later research suggests Tesla sells them, rather than provides them as standard.

Tesla servicing is condition-based, so there’s no fixed schedule, with a summary on the car’s touchscreen providing a record of when vehicle maintenance was last carried out and prompts for when they should be performed next.

In the absence of a combustion powertrain the emphasis is on things like wheel rotation, balancing and alignment, brake fluid testing, air-con servicing, camera precision, radiator cleaning and high-voltage battery maintenance.

Expecty a ‘Vehicle Health Check’ to come in under $300 with ‘General Diagnosis’ at around $270 per hour.

The Passat comes with a market standard five-year/unlimited km warranty, and roadside assistance is included for one year (through Allianz Insurance) if you get your car serviced at a VW centre.

There is a three- or five-year capped price servicing plan that can be pre-purchased and will save you money compared to the pay-as-you go option. Servicing averages $620 though, which is expensive for the class.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 16,500km – whichever occurs first.