FIRST ENCOUNTER

A short but revealing drive gives us an early taste of Tesla's Model Y in India.

- WORDS AAKASAH S PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY HIYAN CHAUHAN

You don't need to be an auto enthusiast to know of Tesla. Elon Musk has made sure that whether you love the brand or hate it, you're aware of its cars. Then there's the long-running saga of Tesla's India entry - after years of 'will they, won't they,' the company finally seems to have stepped into the Indian market.

For now, the company's lineup consists of just a handful of completely built units (CBUs) of the updated Model Y. We got the chance to spend a grand total of two hours with it. While this isn’t enough to properly assess a vehicle, especially one as complex as the Model Y, it's just enough to answer a few important questions.

DOES IT LOOK IMPRESSIVE?

Usually, minimalistic design often risks looking bland or odd, but that's not the case with the Model Y. Despite having very few creases, it carries an understated elegance. Perhaps that's because we've now become accustomed to design elements like the slim lightbar, compact headlights, and aero-style wheels. Tesla has equipped the Model Y with fairly large 19-inch alloys, but thankfully, unlike many other cars, the sidewalls aren't paper-thin - something that should help it better tackle the rough road conditions of our country.