An update to the Tesla Model Y has been awaited for some time; it was originally suspected the so-called ‘Juniper’ model would land in 2024. As it turns out, Tesla missed it by just a few weeks, with the refreshed Model Y finally being revealed in China on Friday.
There weren’t a lot of theatrics around the release. Instead, Tesla China quietly updated its website, revealing the facelifted version of its best-selling electric crossover. The new model also appeared on Tesla Australia’s website, while the US website continued to feature the outgoing model.
The most notable changes are obvious at a glance. The new model has a smoother, more streamlined front end with a revised lighting design. Gone are the traditional headlights, replaced with a pair of sharp LED units that blend into a strip running along the hood crease.
It’s a similar story at the rear. The back end of the Model Y Juniper sports a taillight stretching across the whole back end. It is apparently “the first indirect reflective body panel taillight of its kind,” according to the automaker. Tesla has also complemented the model with new wheel designs in 19″ and 20″ sizes for the Chinese market. The company also notes that updates to the suspension, tires, and body castings were made with an eye to increasing ride quality.
Interestingly, some interior images show what appears to be a turn signal stalk protruding from the steering column. This diverts from the design choices Tesla made on the Model 3, with the current model relying on buttons instead to activate the turn signals. Indeed, the company also eliminated turn signal stalks from the Model S and Model X in 2021. Other interior updates include ventilated front seats and powered rear seats. Rear passengers will also get an infotainment screen of their own, for both entertainment and accessing climate controls.
Tesla China lists the new model’s range as 719 kilometers (446 miles) on the CLTC test regime, up from the 688 kilometer rating (427 miles) of the outgoing model. Those figures are for the Long Range AWD model on 19-inch wheels. CLTC figures are usually a lot higher than those recorded on the US EPA cycle. Perhaps a better guide are the Australian figures recorded on the WLTP cycle, which state the new model achieves up to 551 km (342 miles) of range. In any case, the new model appears to have a small gain in range—perhaps around 5% or so.
As for pricing, Chinese models start at ¥303,500 yuan ($41,393 USD) for the Long Range AWD model, and ¥263,500 ($35,937 USD) for the rear-wheel-drive version. The AWD and RWD models achieve the zero to 60 mph sprint in 4.3 seconds and 5.9 seconds respectively. Tesla China doesn’t appear to have a Performance trim on offer. Both those figures are slower than the existing Model Y Performance, which hits 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
The new Model Y comes with powered rear seats! pic.twitter.com/SC53b6r557
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 10, 2025
It’s worth noting that these Chinese market prices are not directly relevant to the US market. Deliveries in China are expected to begin in March. For now, no details are available for American models, but it’s expected the Juniper will become available Stateside sooner rather than later.
Ultimately, the Juniper refresh will be seen as a much needed update to Tesla’s volume seller. While the company has continued to post strong sales figures, the electric vehicle market has not stood still. In particular, Chinese automakers have been putting out their own compelling product, and Tesla will have to continue to innovate if it wishes to keep up. The Juniper update is evidence that the company is well aware of this fact going forward.
Image credits: Tesla
Hey hey hey, Ive seen this one before! It’s a Kona EV!
What do you mean, you’ve seen this before? It’s brand new.
(Not sure if you were making a BTTF reference but that’s where my mind went with it.)
Yeah, well, i saw it in a rerun
Usually it is Hyundai that is accused of stealing designs.
Its kinda ugly
thats kinda an understatement
I’m curious about the guy who is super excited about powered rear seats. Is this a highly desired feature that Tesla fans have been clambering for? There are plenty of vehicles on the market that have had it for years.
China likes lwb smaller cars. Limo but not a limo.
The refresh isn’t able to fix the goofy proportions these have. The light bar across the front has become wah too common on EVs these days and it seems this is following the trend. 342 miles on the WLTP (way longer than possible) cycle is promising but we will see what the EPA numbers bring.
A mid cycle refresh in the 6th model year is an interesting strategy
Your general point remains, but it hasn’t even been available for 5 years, yet. First deliveries were in March 2020.
March 2020 is 6 model years ago
20
21
22
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24
25
I never said otherwise, but was simply clarifying that in actual years it’s not even 5 years old.
Very similar length of actual time between first deliveries and refresh as for the Porsche Taycan (late 2019 to summer 2024), too.
Saying “A mid cycle refresh at 4 years old is an interesting strategy” wouldn’t sound as surprising.
The auto industry goes by model years, Y launched in the middle of the 2020 MY, we are now several months into the 2025 MY, a mid cycle should have been done for 2023 or 2024, and an all-new generation should be out next year for 2027, just getting the facelift now speaks to plans for an extended production run like Tesla’s other models. Which might have been fine when they were the only game in town with a wide range of EVs, but maybe not so fine as every company in the industry becomes EV only and Tesla winds up with the oldest lineup. S and X sales have declined into near total irrelevance, the 3 seems to have slipped behind the Y, and last year was the company’s first year with a 12 month sales decline. At some point, they’re going to realize they need to replace product to keep buyers interested, you want someone with a 2021 Model 3 to trade in on a 2025 Model 3, the ’25 needs to look and feel different enough to justify that. The rest of the industry doesn’t do it because they just enjoy setting money on fire, they do it because that’s what it takes to keep consumers coming back for more
First, none of this has anything to do with my point: That “6th model year” makes it seem older than it is.
And yes, many models do refreshes every ~3-4 years, but that’s based on them actually being 3-4 years old. The Model Y is 4.x years old, but the dates just happen to cover 4 model years and 2 partial model years. Taycan, an EV from a more established marque, is on a similar refresh timeframe. The Chevy Bolt was also refreshed in it’s 6th model year. So, this isn’t unique to Tesla.
They should have done a mid-cycle refresh for MY 2023 (in 2022) when it was the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the entire world for calendar year 2023?
And it may be the best selling vehicle in the world again in CY2024.
Maybe it could have been a little sooner than right now, but no, it didn’t need to be done for MY2023 in CY2022, the year BEFORE it was the best-selling vehicle in the world.
It seems to? It’s long been behind the Y. It’s a sedan in a crossover world.
Model Y refresh schedule isn’t exceptionally long for an EV, and it clearly didn’t need a normal 4th model year refresh, the year it was the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the entire world.
I think that the overall shape is just dorky and doesn’t work. The same way the lame-ass BMW x6 doesn’t work. It looks like an AMC Eagle, which is ironically cool in just how dorky it is.
The exterior is definitely an improvement, but that interior makes me depressed just looking at it. I wonder if these recent Model 3 and Model Y updates will help move the needle on sales though. Maybe it’ll bring in some new buyers, but I just don’t think they’re different enough for someone who already owns one to upgrade. It would be like trading in your car just to get the mid-cycle refresh version of it. Your Tesla fanboys might, but I don’t see the average buyer doing so.
I don’t think people will buy this as an upgrade, but I could see current owners buy it as a replacement. I keep my cars for a long time, but I know a lot of people that start thinking about a new car after 5 or 6 years. If you liked your original Model Y but are ready for a new car, this vehicle makes sense. I don’t see this is as a vehicle anyone will be particularly excited about, but I still see a market for it.
Not to mention the fact that no matter what they do there are millions of people that will never buy a Tesla as long as Leon is involved.
Tesla should roll out a few tape stripe and decal special editions to keep interest up
A felon edition in orange won’t fix his problems
Looks like they made an uglier Kona.
And it’s still magamotors.
Wow, I really like this! Now you’ll have to excuse me because I’ve an exciting day planned watching paint dry.
Still in the conversation for one of the ugliest cars ever.
That’s pretty ridiculous. The Cybertruck, sure, you’ll get no argument from me on that, but this is fine.
Oh no! anyway…
As a previous Model Y owner, I generally liked the way it looked (outside of Tesla’s bland ass color selection). This is not a upgrade on the style of the previous model.
Still the same overly touch-based unsafe interior UI I see.
It may be “new” but it still has the same aging Tesla design language which is derivative of the Model S. They need some truly fresh design ideas.
Well, they have the Cybertruck
The People: Tesla needs a new design
Tesla: Here’s a Cybertruck
The People: NOT THAT! NOT THAT!
The interior still looks like an early 2000s office park but I’ll be damned….the exterior looks good.
While I think the Model S has been the best looking Tesla yet, the I never hated the Y. I don’t think this improves it in the look departments. The front is fine, if not a tad forgettable. The back light (lights?) just don’t work for me.
Finally, the exact vehicle I’ve been waiting for all these years.
Eh, I don’t hate it. Don’t love it either. It’s… fine, I guess.
Guarantee this is the 2023-24 MY with a different skin. The 2023-24 MY have had a nicer suspension than the previous models. The faster 0-60 can already be unlocked with a purchase. There was also a rolling change to an updated “FSD” computer in Q3 2024.
Eh, this is what it is. People know exactly what it is.
Looks like every other Tesla except the lights are different. In other words, boring.
It does look less “froggy” than the previous version (which I never liked and was really starting to age), but also a bit more anonymous – I guess that’s what happens when the rest of the world catches up.
The interior has the personality of a cafeteria tray.
The interiors have always reminded me of a McDonald’s booth with the white flat expanse in front of you and vinyl (vegan leather) seats
People who buy from from Fascist Motors are complicit in this awful timeline.
Exterior design is incoherent. Elon should’ve let his Designer actually design. You can tell it’s supposed to be more in line with the Model 3 Highland with leftover elements – lights don’t match in side profile. That’s what’s throwing people off.
It doesn’t know whether to be a Model 3 or Cybercab.
The rear looks like they were tasked to make it look like the Cybercab, but ran out of time.
100%. They gave it the sharp light bar from the Cybertruck up front, but the greenhouse is still a big egg. Totally jarring to me to look at.
Eh, I guess. Better than BMW I suppose.
Tires are still too big.