Tesla Model Y Performance vs Porsche Macan GTS – Tesla Falls Apart at 140mph!

Key Points

▶ 0:15 The episode asks whether electric SUVs can finally be fun, introducing the Tesla Model Y Performance, Audi SQ6, and Porsche Macan GTS for a 250-mile round-trip challenge.
▶ 0:50 The two-day test plan splits judging: Day 1 focuses on real-world usability (practicality and range), while Day 2 tests handling on winding roads and acceleration at a drag strip.
▶ 1:32 After all the driving, the team will return to the office to crunch the numbers and name the best car.
▶ 2:52 The Tesla Model Y Performance starts at £61,990; with Ultra Red paint and white interior it reaches £65,790, making it the value pick against premium rivals.
▶ 5:09 The Porsche Macan GTS tops the spec sheet with 563bhp, air suspension and a rear differential, but costs around £100,000.
▶ 6:03 Despite having the smallest battery (79kWh vs 95kWh), the Tesla matches or beats both rivals on official range with 360 miles, ahead of the Macan's 359 and Audi's 357.
▶ 7:07 The team arrives at the famous Sandbanks location, noting the ferry to Studland Bay as the next stop.
▶ 7:22 They confirm they've reached the seaside, with sunshine but cooler temperatures than hoped.
▶ 7:32 Before heading to the beach, they pause to begin comparing the cars' boot (trunk) spaces.
▶ 7:32 Real-world suitcase tests rank the boots: Tesla Model Y fits 10, Audi SQ6 e-tron fits 9, and Porsche Macan GTS fits 8 carry-on suitcases total including front boots.
▶ 8:04 Tesla's official over-800-litre figure is measured to the roof, not the parcel shelf, which Dan calls "fudged," while Audi and Porsche use floor-to-shelf measurements (526 and 540 litres respectively).
▶ 9:20 The Macan is "clearly the worst for luggage space" despite a ramped load lip and 40/20/40 folding seats, but remains a practical family SUV; all three offer side storage, underfloor space, and frunks.
▶ 10:20 The Porsche Macan GTS has 65% battery remaining and averages 3.4 mi/kWh, while the Audi SQ6 slightly edges it with 66% battery and 3.5 mi/kWh.
▶ 10:46 The Tesla Model Y sits at 60% battery but is the efficiency winner at 4.2 mi/kWh, despite having a smaller battery—so it's not necessarily the range leader.
▶ 10:59 After the beach break, the presenters plan to charge their vehicles before the next morning's drag race, wanting "plenty of juice" for the competition.
▶ 11:22 Overnight charging recap: All three cars were charged to 90% in preparation for the next day's driving.
[11:24–11:32] Split charging strategy: Dan used a Tesla Supercharger in Havant, while John and Will used faster 800V chargers in Chichester, highlighting different charging experiences.
[11:37–11:41] Transition to interior review: The next morning, the team begins a closer look at the cars' interiors.
▶ 11:43 The Model Y's cabin feels immediately familiar, with the presenter noting they've spent time in "lots of these," reinforcing that the interior design and layout are consistent with previous Tesla models.
▶ 11:48 The Performance Model Y's interior is very similar to other trims, but it differs with carbon fiber trim on the dashboard and doors.
▶ 11:56 The presenters doubt the trim is genuine carbon fiber, joking it might be "carbon fiber adjacent."
▶ 11:59 On close inspection, the material looks like textured plastic rather than authentic carbon fiber, prioritizing appearance over real construction.
▶ 12:03 The bespoke performance seats are the most significant interior upgrade on the Model Y Performance.
▶ 12:04 These seats are unique to the Performance model and feature increased side bolsters for better cornering support.
▶ 12:09 Adjustable leg cushions allow the seat base to extend, improving comfort over the standard seats which feel short.
▶ 12:25 The center display has grown to 16 inches from 15.4 inches.
▶ 12:29 The size increase is downplayed—most of the extra size comes from a slimmer bezel, not a much larger screen area.
▶ 12:39 The infotainment system is praised as really good, but the presenter notes some usability issues.
▶ 12:49 The interior is rated "a very nice interior," with appeal coming from comfort and quality rather than sporting flair.
▶ 12:53 Apart from performance-specific upgrades, the cabin feels like a "normal Model Y" — not an overtly sporty makeover.
▶ 13:00 Despite lacking extra sportiness, it keeps "nice soft materials" and remains "quite an impressive interior" for the Model Y's price positioning.
▶ 13:03 The Model Y interior remains impressive, with the outer rear seat offering a really comfortable seating position and proper thigh support.
▶ 13:33 Even with two over-six-foot occupants, rear knee room is generous, and the middle seat provides about five fingers of headroom.
▶ 14:00 The rear screen is featured, with the co-host noting that younger passengers will have no trouble using it.
▶ 14:07 John finds the Audi's rear seats offer less overall room than the Tesla Model Y; the center console extending to the rear limits foot space and makes moving across awkward.
▶ 15:13 The Audi lacks reclining rear seats, a feature John explicitly calls out.
▶ 15:15 Will notes the Audi also lacks the rear screen, a key feature of the Tesla's rear experience.
▶ 15:34 The front passenger screen has a privacy feature: when the passenger watches a movie, it polarizes from the driver's side so the driver cannot see the content—a nice safety touch.
▶ 15:47 The main curved infotainment display is "fairly decent," quick, and easy to navigate, but it's "not as good as the one in that Tesla."
▶ 15:53 The infotainment system is overly vocal, frequently interrupting with prompts like "Here's the map," though this voice prompt feature can be turned off.
▶ 16:11 John says the basic driving position is “pretty good,” highlighting the relationship between pedals, steering wheel, and seat.
▶ 16:25 The sport seats lack real side support, so you slide around in corners — the sporty element “isn't really quite there.”
▶ 16:35 John criticizes the square, flat-bottomed steering wheel, questioning why the car has it.
▶ 16:41 Despite the Audi's higher price and badge, the interior quality isn't vastly better than the Tesla's.
▶ 16:58 There's a surprising amount of hard, scratchy plastic (e.g., around door pulls and lower bins), and unlike the Tesla, the bins aren't flock-lined, so items rattle.
▶ 17:12 The gloss black center console finish is criticized as unacceptable for a £95,000 sports SUV, though it might be fine in a cheaper A3.
▶ 17:41 The Porsche Macan GTS has the best front seats, with 18-way electrically adjustable seats as standard and a superb driving position.
▶ 18:04 The GTS comes standard with a Race Tex (Alcantara) steering wheel and a heated steering wheel function.
▶ 18:44 The £4,600 optional pack is purely personalization—not needed—since the standard GTS interior is already high quality, solid, and well-equipped.
▶ 19:02 The Macan GTS cabin features fewer hard, scratchy plastics than rivals, with soft-touch materials even low down in the interior.
▶ 19:09 No passenger display is fitted as standard (it's a paid option), and while the main infotainment system isn't the best on the market, the presenter found it "absolutely fine"; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported.
▶ 19:30 The Porsche retains physical HVAC controls, making temperature adjustments "much easier" than in the Tesla Model Y or Audi SQ6, which require using small icons or voice control.
▶ 19:44 A minor gripe: small coffee cups sit in a deep cup-holder well, making them awkward to retrieve.
▶ 19:53 With the steering wheel in the ideal position, it partially blocks the view of the display behind it.
▶ 20:01 Overall visibility is not as good as the Tesla’s; the high shoulder line is the main culprit, reducing awareness compared with the Model Y.
▶ 20:18 The Macan has the smallest rear of the three cars, with the space gap to the Audi smaller than the gap to the larger Tesla.
▶ 20:37 Middle seat headroom is poor with the optional panoramic sunroof, as his head touches the roof when sitting back.
▶ 21:07 Outboard seats are the least comfortable of the trio, with a low seating position and less thigh support; overall legroom is okay but headroom remains a concern.
▶ 21:22 The Macan's rear quarters feel restricted, and by 21:29 it's judged the worst in the back among the comparison cars.
▶ 21:31 The front is the strong point: the Macan has the nicest interior and sportiest driving position in this comparison.
▶ 21:39 Next step is to take the cars to country roads to assess driving performance and handling.
▶ 24:30 The Porsche Macan GTS is the standout, “just does everything well,” with the most comfortable ride, best steering, and best brakes of the three.
▶ 24:54 The Macan feels much smaller and lighter than it is, and is genuinely fun through corners—more fun than many hot hatches, thanks to its balance and adjustability.
▶ 22:06 The Tesla Model Y Performance suffers from numb, video-game-like steering and, at speed, a light brake pedal that makes stopping distances hard to judge.
▶ 25:56 The test uses a full standing kilometer instead of a quarter-mile, allowing cars to reach very high speeds.
▶ 26:17 The Porsche Macan GTS driver uses launch control and Sport Plus mode to unlock maximum performance.
▶ 26:29 The Audi SQ6 e-tron is down on power versus the Porsche, but has more power than the Tesla Model Y Performance—though it weighs significantly more.
▶ 26:32 Despite the Tesla's lighter weight and quicker 0-60 time, the Porsche Macan GTS ultimately proves faster in the standing kilometer.
▶ 26:53 The Tesla driver is stunned by the acceleration but admits being “left for dead” as the Porsche pulls away.
▶ 27:33 The Porsche Macan GTS wins Round One, beating the Tesla Model Y Performance—a rare result on a drag strip.
▶ 27:44 In the drag race rematch, the Porsche Macan beats the Tesla Model Y Performance, a surprise since the Tesla is “quickest on paper” and “Teslas always win drag races.”
▶ 28:17 During the run, a panel visibly falls off the Tesla; the driver jokes, “My car wanted to win so much it has shed a panel.”
▶ 29:01 After the race, they shift to crunching numbers and hint that the cost analysis may not favor the Porsche.
▶ 29:09 Porsche wins the drag race, with a 0–60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, an 11.8-second quarter mile, and a GPS-verified trap speed of 144.9 mph, matching a Porsche 959.
▶ 29:54 Tesla Model Y Performance takes second, hitting 0–60 in 3.7 seconds and a 12.1-second quarter mile, but falling short of its official 3.3-second claim partly due to headwind.
▶ 30:19 Audi SQ6 e-tron finishes third with a 0–60 time of 4.1 seconds and a 12.5-second quarter mile, yet the team notes it is still extremely quick in real-world terms.
▶ 30:41 Tesla Model Y Performance's 4.1s 0-60 mph is quick but not remarkable by modern EV SUV standards.
▶ 30:51 A non-sports SUV, the Mercedes GLC Electric, matches the same 4.1s 0-60 time, putting Tesla's acceleration into perspective.
▶ 31:05 The Audi SQ6 was the least efficient, using 144 kWh at 2.2 miles per kWh for the trip.
▶ 32:07 The Tesla Model Y Performance was the clear efficiency winner, using just 123.5 kWh at 2.6 miles per kWh despite finishing second in the drag race.
▶ 31:13 The efficiency figures include serious drag racing, which drags averages down, and trip computer readings don't account for charging losses.
▶ 32:25 The Tesla Model Y was the cheapest to charge on public networks at £63.17 total, while the Porsche Macan GTS cost £112.50 and the Audi SQ6 e-tron was most expensive at £117.40.
▶ 32:44 Charging speeds varied widely: the Tesla took 51 minutes from 7% to 80% on a busy Supercharger, while the Porsche (22%–80%) and Audi (10%–80%) both finished in under 21 minutes on high-power chargers.
▶ 33:54 The presenters stress that public charging costs look high, but home charging—especially on a cheap overnight tariff—would have saved a substantial amount of money.
▶ 34:09 Audi SQ6 e-tron takes third; it would challenge for second at Tesla's price, but the Tesla wins on practicality, efficiency, infotainment, and much lower cost.
▶ 34:34 Porsche Macan GTS is the clear first-place winner, feeling worth its higher price thanks to a remarkably fun drive, the nicest interior, and being the fastest of the three.
▶ 34:58 The Macan is also described as the most relaxing to drive, though the transcript cuts off mid-sentence.
▶ 35:01 The Macan GTS is described as the least practical option in the group, but still big enough for most buyers and pleasant for long-distance cruising.
▶ 35:08 Final verdict: the Porsche Macan GTS is "the best electric sports SUV you can buy right now."
▶ 35:15 The host thanks viewers and directs them to click above for another video and to whatcar.com for the full written review.

Tesla Model Y Performance vs Porsche Macan GTS – Tesla Falls Apart at 140mph!

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