- The Model Y receives many of the updates seen on the latest Model 3
- Faster acceleration and improved range among the upgrades
- The exterior design is cleaner with a full-width light bar front and rear
Tesla has responded to leaked images of the updated Model Y that appeared on Chinese social media recently by revealing full details of the updated EV, which has long been codenamed ‘Juniper’.
As with the Model 3 last year, the new Model Y gets a fairly extensive exterior overhaul, complete with full-width light bars front and rear, as well as a subtle but easily visible refresh of the front and rear bumpers.
The slimmer exterior has improved the vehicle’s drag efficiency, which, together with improved sound insulation, new acoustic glass, greater insulation and the latest molding methods, has reduced the number of body gaps and will lead to a quieter cabin. It will also have a positive effect on battery range.
Inside, Tesla has introduced ventilated seats and countless ambient interior lighting extras to the refreshed Model Y, while the turn signals are now activated via a traditional stalk on the Asia-Pacific models rather than buttons on the steering wheel.
However, it remains to be seen whether the controversial button controls will remain on vehicles coming to other markets.
There’s also a new eight-inch touchscreen in the rear, in addition to the 15.4-inch touchscreen on the dashboard, which allows occupants to play games and binge their favorite movies and TV while on the move.
Currently, only the Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and Long Range All Wheel Drive (LR AWD) models have received the ‘Juniper’ updates and as a result have also received reworked estimated range and acceleration specifications.
But keep in mind that the WLTP cycle tests are typically more generous in their range than the EPA numbers used in North America.
The 2025 Long Range AWD model is said to be capable of 551 km / 342 miles on a single charge, while 0.7 seconds has been shaved off the 0-60 mph sprint time, so it can now do it in just 4.3 seconds. Tesla claims it charges slightly faster too.
A cheaper rear-wheel drive (RWD) model is also offered, capable of 466 km / 289 miles on a single charge and a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 5.9 seconds. Customers will likely have to wait for a Long Range RWD model, as well as the top-spec Performance versions, to arrive.
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Currently, customers in China can order a Launch Series Model Y in either a RWD or Long Range AWD variant, with the former costing ¥263,500 – or around $36,000 / £29,000 / AU$58,000. The more expensive AWD model costs ¥303,500, which converts to around $41,300 / £33,600 / AU$66,900 at current exchange rates.
There’s been no word on European and North American specs and pricing, but with the outgoing Model Y starting at $31,490 in the US and £46,990 in the UK, it’s likely to be more expensive than the aging model. Electrek claims that the numbers, for example, represent a 5% increase over the previous Chinese pricing.
It is highly likely that Australia will be the next market to receive the updated Model Y, with key European markets likely to follow soon after. But the current uncertainty surrounding tariffs on Chinese cars in the US will affect the rate at which the North American market receives updated cars.
The updated model probably can’t be rolled out soon enough for Tesla, as the company reported its first sales decline since 2011 on its latest Q4 2024 earnings call, according to CNBC. Musk predicted earlier this year that this would likely happen, citing aging models as one of the main reasons for slowing sales.
The recent update to the Model 3 has highlighted how stable the Model X and Model Y now look, while the range offered by their respective battery packs, once the talk of the EV industry, now lags behind rivals from the Volkswagen Group, Hyundai, Kia and Peugeot.
