Compare the2025 Volvo EX40VS 2025 Tesla Model Y

The EX40’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model Y doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EX40 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The EX40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Model Y doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The EX40 has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the EX40’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The EX40 Plus/Ultra has a standard 360-Degree Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The EX40 has standard Volvo On Call, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the EX40 and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the EX40 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Volvo will pay for cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model Y.

There are over 35 percent more Volvo dealers than there are Tesla dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the EX40’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 2 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

The EX40 has more powerful engines than the Model Y:

As tested in Motor Trend the EX40 Twin Motor electric motors is faster than the Model Y Long Range AWD electric motors:

The EX40 stops shorter than the Model Y:

The EX40 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the EX40 flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The EX40 Ultra handles at .87 G’s, while the Model Y Long Range AWD pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the EX40’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the EX40 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (6.9 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the EX40 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The EX40 is 1 foot shorter than the Model Y, making the EX40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EX40 has .9 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, 4 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EX40’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model Y doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the EX40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Model Y doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the EX40 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model Y.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the EX40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Model Y doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EX40 has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EX40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model Y doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EX40 Ultra has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Model Y doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EX40 Ultra also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The EX40’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Compared to the Tesla Model Y’s traditional radio, the Volvo EX40 equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.