Tesla’s various erformance models are known for their wild launches. When Tesla first started adding hyper-aggressive launch modes to its cars, the internet quickly became awash with suburban dads making their kids nauceous with gut-churning levels of instant acceleration. However, the newest 2026 Tesla Model Y Performance seems to let its lineage down. While it’s certainly still a quick car, Out of Spec Studios noticed that it’s actually slower to 60 mph when using launch mode than when the launched it simply by stomping the go-pedal.
In a recent video review, Out of Spec host Kyle Conner tested the Model Y Performance on a private runway, safe from any other drivers or pedestrians. To test the car’s performance, he launched it on his own, without using the car’s built-in launch control system, recording a 3.58-second run. The he did it in the opposite direction using launch control and got a 3.67-second time. OK, maybe the wind was different in the other direction, or there were some surface changes. However, he then used launch control again in the same direction as the first run and got another 3.67-second run on the nose. For fairness, he did another launch without launch control in the opposite direction. He saw 3.61 seconds that time.
Importantly, Conner says the Model Y Performance feels at its quickest at the top end, between around 50-100 mph. So highway driving — slicing through and overtaking slow moving traffic — should still be a breeze. He also notes that the Rivian R2 feels faster, even though instrumented testing is still needed to truly make that conclusion.
What’s interesting is that it wasn’t something like battery degradation or overheating or anything like that. It wasn’t even a traction issue in the wet. You can see that the Tesla seems to meter its acceleration out more gently in launch control, as it doesn’t fully pickup until almost a full second after hitting the accelerator. However, when just quickly flooring the pedal without launch control active, the Tesla had no problem delivering all of its performance right away. It launches harder when you do it yourself.
While it’s not a big deal, as you can just launch it yourself, it does show a downward trend in the Model Y’s performance software. The Track Mode that previous Model Y Performance customers loved is now gone, and with it the ability to adjust its drift abilities. There’s also no way to fully defeat the ESP, so you can’t even manually do smokey slides. It’s still very quick, it just has a scaredy-cat launch control system and lacks all of its old hooligan nature.