After debuting in China just a few weeks ago, Tesla has confirmed that the facelifted Model Y is coming to America in March. However, if you liked the packaging of the pre-facelift Model Y but wanted to wait for updates, you might want to hold your horses. The first updated Tesla Model Y coming to America is a Long Range AWD Launch Series model priced at $61,380 including freight.
Here’s the problem: A pre-facelift Model Y Long Range AWD stickers for $12,000 less than this facelifted Launch Series, and even a pre-facelift Model Y Performance carries a price tag some $8,500 less than the incoming Launch Series. That’s an enormous premium, which really makes you wonder what you’re actually getting for your money.
Well, improved acceleration is one of the highlights. With a quoted zero-to-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds, this Launch Series model is two-tenths quicker than a pre-facelift Model Y Long Range AWD with the $2,000 acceleration boost option. However, the big add-on pre-loaded on the Model Y Launch Series is Tesla’s controversial Full Self Driving, a Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance System that definitely does not allow the car to legally drive itself without full-time supervision. While some people love FSD, considering a 2024 AAA study states that only 42 percent of respondents were in favor of active driving assistance, there’s a solid chance the majority of the car-buying public might not be interested in FSD. That’s it as far as launch edition perks go, aside from a few tacked-on trim pieces highlighting it as a Launch Series. There just isn’t much substance to back up the substantial increase in price.
Alright, so what about the car itself, stripping away the Launch Edition stuff? Well, range isn’t improved enough to make a meaningful difference in the real world, as Tesla claims the updated Model Y will only go nine miles farther on a charge than the equivalent outgoing model. Charging isn’t appreciably faster either, and the big touted benefit that drivers are actually likely to notice is supposedly improved ride quality. If it’s anything like the transformation on the facelifted Model 3, expect far more comfort than the pre-facelift model, but not necessarily better comfort than competitors offer.
See, it’s 2025, and Tesla has opened up its Supercharger network to a litany of other automakers. Combine this with the industry’s investments in electric vehicles, and the Model Y is no longer an obvious no-brainer in the EV crossover space, especially with the high price of this new model.
Again, the current Model Y is probably the new Y’s biggest competitor, but let’s take a brief look at what you can get from other automakers right now for less than what this Model Y Launch Series costs. Suppose you want an electric crossover with all-wheel-drive, 300-plus miles of range, ventilated front seats, a large sunroof, and another level of advanced driver assistance beyond your typical adaptive cruise control.
How about a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS AWD? Loaded up with the Convenience Package II and III, along with the dual-pane moonroof, it stickers for $56,045 including freight, or $5,335 cheaper than this Launch Series Model Y. As a bonus, it can charge on Tesla’s V3 and V4 Superchargers using a NACS adapter, leveling the road trip charging reliability field with the Model Y.
If you love EVs for the speed, you can buy a Ford Mustang Mach-E GT with the $995 Performance Upgrade and the $1,600 panoramic moonroof, still save $1,795, and get an electric vehicle that can trounce the new Model Y Launch Series in acceleration, charge on Tesla’s Supercharger network, and let you go hands-free on mapped highways thanks to BlueCruise, if that’s your thing. Compared to the Model Y, range takes a hit at 280 miles, but if acceleration’s more important to you than total range, a claimed zero-to-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds ought to make up for that.
Want something made in America that offers a wide variety of toys and plenty of comfort? The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD comes standard with a NACS charging port, gives you a wild-looking driver’s seat with a footrest for kicking back while charging, lets you parallel park it from outside the car using the key fob, and lets you power other things using the vehicle while still costing $1,805 less than the Launch Series Model Y. It also gives you just about everything the Model Y has, from ventilated front seats to a panoramic glass roof to 64-color ambient lighting. Now, this particular Ioniq 5 has its downsides and upsides. Adding all-wheel-drive decreases range from 318 miles to 269 miles, but an 800-volt architecture means you’ll be able to take full advantage of 350 kW DC fast chargers, something the Model Y’s 400-volt can’t do.
At $61,380, not only is this Launch Series edition of the updated Tesla Model Y less competitive on price than the outgoing model, first editions like this often feel like attempts to milk more money out of people who just have to be first. When you consider that the refreshed Model 3 launched in normal trims without any sort of special edition, it really makes you wonder if the Model Y needed to go down this route. Given how Tesla has lost some goodwill with consumers for antics like huge dynamic price cuts in 2023, while other automakers have seriously caught up in terms of product, one can’t help but wonder how many people will actually line up for the updated Model Y Launch Series. My advice? If you really like the product and upgrades, just wait. Cheaper variants will come along soon enough and they should offer stronger value for money.
(Photo credits: Tesla, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai)
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And the old one looks less shit too.
Didn’t the new Ionic 5 recently lose the $7500 subsidy, though?
Okay, can we all work together to make British racing green the new silver? I really need a good selection of used green cars available to future me.
I know this has been making its way around the internet the past 24 hours, but for anyone that has not seen it:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dr-philip-low-b742ba_i-have-known-elon-musk-at-a-deep-level-for-activity-7288439915485315072-29fb/
I have no problem with that. If this is how you want to spend your money, good for you. I think you are crazy and clearly have more money than sense, but… well, we already knew that about anyone buying a Tesla in this day and age, didn’t we.
I love that they’re still doing the premium for a Launch/Founders Edition for a facelift lol. People really are gullible.
Is there a 1933 (founder’s) edition?
Reading these comments, it’s clear that leftists will go to any lengths to make fun of Nazis….
What the fuck does this sentence even mean?
Despite the fact that I’d never but a Nazi car, I did ride in a Model Y Uber and the level of NVH was horrendous- at neighborhood speeds in a car with no ICE. I dunno if it was the low profile tires or the shoddy construction, but it made my Corolla Cross feel like a Rolls.
I’ve ridden in a few as Ubers/Lyfts and the tire noise varies a lot. My theory is that electric cars are heavy and hard on tires, and so drivers try to get every last mile out of them. I’ve noticed my ICE cars’ tires also get noisy when worn and have much less tire noise after I replace them.
High tire wear + lots of miles on ride share cars = a greater chance of being in one with worn tires.
Thanks, I feel so safe now…
Teslas don’t have the white noise of the ICE engine to mask suspension and tire noise.
Standard Tesla tires have noise reducing foam layers. Older Teslas have double pane acoustic glass in the front doors. Tesla is phasing double pane glass into rear doors, and generally increasing noise insulation.
Or how about don’t buy a Nazi mobile?
Apparently the kids call them… wait for it… “Swastikars”.
I so hope this is true…
Straight from my own 15 YO
This seems like a good place to share my recent experience: on the interstate, light traffic, Model Y leading Volvo XC90 leading me (’24 Mazda 3 manual). Without warning and nothing in front, Y comes to a complete stop, XC90 barely avoids, I lightly tap XC90 bumper. Y runs, XC90 and I pull over, fortunately no damage to either car. XC90 guy says no cars/cutoff/debris, just a panic brake out of the blue from Y.
I was pretty neutral on the various Tesla debates, but after that incident: screw those underdeveloped, poorly-assembled pieces of shit, and anyone thinking of buying one should seriously reconsider.
https://youtu.be/PzHLPnGuVSQ
I just caNazi myself driving one of these self crashing rolling incinerators.
https://youtu.be/z75DN5r_6H4?si=5s0M9N3_sMI8Inpg
Either that, or Harrison Ford needs to punch that asshole.
Musk is smart enough to realize the true Tesla stans will fall all over themselves to get one of these. So they’ll sell them at the high price for six months and then cut it 10 grand or whatever….
Personally, if I’m buying a car from a company strongly associated with a Nazi, I’ll get a Porsche.
Wasn’t planning on buying one period. Although the M3P does seem like an attractive car I’d have to give Elon Musk money, sad.
Fuck Musk. I sold over 30k of TSLA last year when he started becoming unhinged.
Started? Jk jk, good on you.
There was a time when I actually admired Musk. I’m not sure if he changed, or if his PR people just couldn’t contain him anymore but my God how that man has shown his true colors.
Never Tesla. Never ever ever.
It was always PR. He’s been a racist, apartheid-supporting scumbag from day 1, along with his racist, emerald-mine-owning father. If you’ve got some time, here’s a great read by somebody that dug into Elon’s past and found that almost everything he’s said has been an outright lie: https://sethabramson.substack.com/p/the-truth-about-musk-from-his-biographer
Publicly, it was the “pedo guy” moment
Yeah that’s when I realized that he wasn’t who I thought he was.
Same.
I think you’re forgetting the main reason to not buy a Tesla at the moment, and it ain’t just because the car is mediocre. There are other companies making EV’s that are built better and aren’t run by fascist scum like Elon.
This comment section went exactly as I hoped it would. Love to see it.
Seriously, we’re way past the point where any reporting on Tesla has to mention the elephant in the room.
I tried both the Ioniq and the Mach E before ending up with a Polestar 2. Luckily I don’t need the extra interior space in either alternative, but I can understand if people find the Polestar a bit tight. Here in Norway it was the cheapest alternative to be had with AWD and 3000lbs towing capacity 3 years ago.
And even with Teslas huge price cuts, the PS2 and Y have been relatively closely priced (and over here we (most EV brand owners) have had access to most of the Supercharger network for a couple of years now, for those who regfurlarly drive long distances)
I looked at a Y and decided I don’t need a car so much that I can wake up every day and look a car that looks like a Model 3 that suffered an explosive decompression.
If the company wasn’t owned by someone who has explicitly outed himself as an actual Nazi I would give Tesla some cred for actually giving people the ability to indicate out of a roundabout unlike in the Model 3 and the Plaid, but at the moment I can’t really say anything about Musk that doesn’t land me on some list.