Having driven the Model 3 and Model Y, perhaps the one thing that stood out to me the most was the sound system. Maybe it’s because Tesla don’t make bold claims about it unlike a lot of other car manufacturers with their branded sound systems. The overview page for the Model Y simply mentions: ‘Premium audio – 13 speakers, 1 subwoofer, 2 amps, and immersive sound’. I’ll only discuss how the system sounds at the front as I haven’t yet had the opportunity to listen in the rear seats yet.

Measurements

To try and convey the sound signature of the system more empirically, I decided to take some measurements in a 2023 MY (RWD) using Room EQ Wizard (REW) and a UMIK-1 microphone. I positioned the microphone near where the driver’s head would normally be by wedging it between the seat and the headrest as shown below.

I then connected my computer to the car’s audio system via Bluetooth and used it as the playback source for REW. The resulting measurement is plotted below. Here’s the REW save file for those who want the raw data. This measurement was taken with the EQ set to flat and ‘immersive sound’ option set to off. Though the different immersive options don’t seem to change the frequency response much. Finally, the sunshade accessory was fitted to the glass sunroof.

Starting with the lower frequencies, we can see that bass overall is relatively more emphasised. Sub-bass also extends decently low which results sounds pleasant and makes the bass region sound less ‘boomy’.

The rest of the frequency spectrum sounds relatively neutral with a slight emphasis towards the higher end (>10 kHz).

Conclusion

Compared to a lot of other car manufacturer’s that like to implement a V-shaped EQ curve to impress, the speakers in the Model Y are much more neutral. In my opinion, makes for a very pleasant listening experience whether it’s more vocal based content, instrumental tracks, or pop music. The ‘immersive sound’ also allows you to change the perceived soundstage and it does so in a rather natural way without sounding artificially virtual. Overall, it is a commendable system.