Tesla Unleashes the 2025–2026 “Juniper” Model Y:

The World’s Best-Selling Car Gets Its Biggest Update Yet

AUSTIN, Texas — Tesla has just dropped the most comprehensive overhaul in the history of the Model Y. Codenamed “Juniper” internally, the 2025–2026 Model Y is already rolling off lines in all four Tesla plants and is arriving in customer driveways now. While the silhouette is unmistakably Model Y, nearly every panel, line of code and material has been re-engineered to make the planet’s best-selling vehicle quieter, quicker, longer-range and more premium—yet still start at £44,990 / $46,630 before incentives .

Here is everything you need to know about Tesla’s “new” Model Y.

1. Design & Aerodynamics
   • 4 % slipperier body (Cd now 0.22) thanks to a flush front light bar, reshaped bumper and a hidden rear reflector light strip that glows indirectly onto the bodywork .
   • 1.6-inch longer overall length with squared-off rear glass that enlarges the hatch opening.
   • New 19- and 20-inch aero wheels that alone add 2–3 miles of range.
2. Range & Performance—Same Battery, More Miles
   Tesla kept the existing 2170-cell packs but unlocked 5 % more range through 50 % new or revised parts: low-friction gear oil, tighter gear grinding, reduced brake drag, next-gen tyres and smarter HVAC strategy. EPA results so far:

• Long Range RWD: 320 mi (up 20 mi)
• Long Range AWD: 320 mi (up 19 mi)
• Performance (due late 2025): mid-3-second 0-60, 300-mile target .

3. Cabin Silence & Ride Comfort
   Tesla benchmarked $100 k luxury SUVs. The result:

• 22 % lower road noise, 20 % less wind roar, 20 % fewer impacts felt.
• 360° acoustic glass now includes rear doors and hatch.
• Suspension geometry, bushings and valving borrowed from the upgraded Model 3 give a softer primary ride without dulling the Y’s signature agility .

4. An Interior That Finally Feels $60 k
   Open the door and the previous minimalist plastic cave is gone.

• Genuine aluminum sliding console doors, knurled wheels and speaker grilles.
• Soft-wrapped dash, doors and even the headliner; double-stitched seams.
• 256-color ambient lighting wraps the dash and doors, dimming automatically to avoid windshield reflections.
• New ventilated front seats (perforated across all trims) and power-recline second row that folds flat in four seconds—claimed fastest in the segment .

5. Rear Passengers Get Their Own Command Center
   An 8-inch rear touchscreen controls climate, Netflix, Disney+ and two-player Tesla Arcade titles. Dual 65 W USB-C ports can fast-charge a pair of MacBook Pros simultaneously .
6. Tech & Connectivity

• 15.4-inch center display (up 0.4-inch) is brighter, with smaller bezels and 30 % faster graphics.
• 50 % faster cellular, 300 % faster Wi-Fi, 10× more reliable phone-key via Ultra-Wideband.
• Front bumper camera with sprayer joins the existing suite; blind-spot warning lights now live in the door trims .

7. Storage & Practicality

• Electric hatch with hands-free foot sensor.
• 2,138 L total cargo including frunk (down only 20 L despite power seats).
• Frunk gains a drain plug—turn it into a literal ice chest for tailgates .

8. Pricing & Trim Walk (U.S. & U.K.)
   Deliveries began in March 2025, with the Launch Edition already sold out in most markets. Standard trims:

• Rear-Wheel Drive: £44,990 / est. $46,630
• Long Range AWD: £51,990 / est. $49,990
• Performance AWD: £57,990 / est. $54,990 (late-2025 arrival) .

Lease quotes from Tesla UK start at £399/month for RWD with £6 k down on a 48-month term.

9. Seven-Seat Fate
   Tesla has not confirmed whether the third-row option will return; existing inventory of the pre-facelift seven-seat Y has been exhausted .
10. What’s Next
    Engineers were caught testing a Model Y Performance prototype on California roads last week wearing Plaid-spec 20-inch wheels and red brake calipers, indicating an imminent launch . Meanwhile, Fremont and Shanghai lines have already begun tooling for a potential 4680-cell version in late 2026, insiders tell Electrek.

Early Verdict
In one stroke Tesla has addressed nearly every criticism leveled at the world’s most popular EV—road noise, ride harshness, interior ambience, rear-seat amenities—without touching the core recipe of efficiency, space and over-the-air upgradability. If the outgoing Y was a class of one, the Juniper refresh may have just lapped the field.