Tesla has confirmed that the rear-wheel drive version of the Tesla Model Y is now available in the UK.

With the arrival of this version of the car, the price comes down, having previously only been available as the dual motor, all-wheel drive version.

That addresses one of the criticisms we had of this car in our review earlier in 2022: it was pretty expensive compared to the competition it faces. You can now get the Tesla Model from £51,990 at the time of writing

The rear-wheel drive option will rebalance this issue, however, and without sacrificing much on the usable performance front.

While Tesla has always offered remarkable performance - especially when it comes to off-the-line speed - for the typical family driver, the 0-60mph time of 6.6 seconds is plenty fast enough.

The range is also cited at 283 miles, which is still a solid showing, considering that this isn't the Long Range model (which offers 331 miles of range).

The advantages stay the same however: the Supercharger network is still unmatched when it comes to the experience of charging on the move, but there are plenty of alternatives if you're looking for a compact electric SUV.

The likes of the Hyundai Ionic 5, Kia Niro EV or Audi Q4 e-tron sit in the same sort of space - and some are more affordable too.

But there are few electric cars on the road that have the brand cache that Tesla does - and the arrival of this new Model Y option will likely prove popular. Deliveries will start from December 2022.