Summary
- Tesla unveiled the updated Model Y crossover on its China website
- The redesigned version comes after Tesla’s first annual sales drop in over a decade
- The updated model features a new exterior and interior design
- The new Model Y has been tuned for better efficiency and has an improved suspension
- The updated Model Y offers improved range estimates and a slightly increased price compared to its predecessors
Article
Tesla Unveils Updated Model Y Crossover: A Breath of Fresh Air
Tesla finally unveiled the long-awaited, updated version of its Model Y crossover. The new model appeared on Tesla’s China website on Thursday. The redesigned version of Tesla’s best seller arrives just after its first annual sales slump in over a decade. A refreshed Tesla Model Y crossover appeared on the automaker’s China website on Thursday, giving the world its first look at the long-awaited, updated version of Tesla’s best-selling vehicle. The redesigned crossover arrives at a time when Tesla seriously needs a win and is facing unprecedented competition on the global stage. Its worldwide deliveries sank in 2024—from 1.81 million units to 1.79 million—marking the automaker’s first annual drop in sales in over a decade. The updated crossover could help reignite sales in 2025 and beyond. Deliveries should begin in China in March, according to Tesla’s website.
An Eye-Catching Exterior Makeover
The updated model features a new nose with an angular light bar reminiscent of Tesla’s Cybertruck pickup and the Cybercab robotaxi unveiled late last year. It also has a beefy light bar running across its rear. Otherwise, the exterior styling is largely identical to the current Model Y. Similar to the Model 3 "Highland" refresh that launched in late 2023, the side profile of the updated Model Y, sometimes referred to as the "Juniper" update, looks similar to the outgoing model.
Revamped and Futuristic Interior
The refreshed crossover also gets a big interior makeover that brings it in line with the recently-updated Model 3 sedan. That includes an ambient lighting strip running throughout the cabin, a screen for rear passengers, and a stalk-less steering wheel. That’s right, folks—you won’t find conventional turn signals or a gear shifter here. On Tesla’s China website, it says the new Model Y has been tuned for better efficiency and gets an updated suspension that produces a smoother ride. The latter could solve one of the biggest complaints owners have about the Model Y: its overly stiff suspension and bumpy ride quality.
Enhanced Performance and Efficiency
The Long-Range All-Wheel Drive variant earns a 719-kilometer (446 mile) range estimate according to China’s testing procedure, which yields more generous ratings than the EPA figures we’re accustomed to in the U.S. That’s a slight, 4.5% increase over the 688 km (428 miles) previously provided by that trim. Tesla quotes a 0-62 mph sprint as low as 4.3 seconds. Tesla is also offering a lower-priced, rear-wheel-drive option with an estimated range of 593 km (368 miles), up 7% from the 554 km (344 miles) available in the pre-update model. Both models are priced slightly higher than their predecessors.
Expanding Market Presence
The Model Y is now the best-selling electric vehicle in the world—and, furthermore, the best selling vehicle of any powertrain. That’s great for Tesla. But it also means EV buyers may be clamoring for something new and different. China is one of Tesla’s most important markets and is by far the largest market for electric vehicles, which helps explain why the new model is going on sale there first. Plus, Tesla is facing stiff competition in the country from fast-moving, homegrown EV makers like BYD and Geely. There’s no word yet as to when the new model will go on sale outside of China, or how the details of the U.S.-bound model may differ from the Chinese-market one.
Looking Towards the Future
Whereas most automakers give their cars visual tweaks every few years and complete overhauls periodically, Tesla hasn’t changed up the look of the Model Y since it went on sale in 2020. Auto industry analysts say that decision—and more broadly, Tesla’s limited, stale lineup of cars—has dragged down demand for Teslas as competition in the EV space has intensified. The Cybertruck launched in late 2023 as Tesla’s latest brand-new model, but it’s proved too expensive and polarizing to grow sales in a major way. Tesla will also need more models—and particularly, lower-priced ones—if it wants to continue expanding its sales, experts say. The company says it will launch just that this year, but hasn’t shared any details.
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