- The refreshed Tesla Model Y codenamed "Juniper" could debut in the first quarter of 2025.
- It could add the seven-seater option for the Europea and Chinese markets.
The Tesla Model Y is a global success story, but like any car, there comes a time when it needs to go under the knife for its midlife nip and tuck. We know Tesla will give the Model Y a major overhaul like it did with the Model 3, but we don’t know what exactly it plans to modify and, more importantly, when it intends to launch the updated model.
Elon Musk made it clear in a June tweet that we wouldn’t see the refreshed crossover this year. This could result in a sales decline for Tesla, though, in a segment of the market that seems to be gaining a talented and tempting new Model Y rivaling crossover every other day. There are already plenty of alternatives to the Model Y.
However, China's National Business Daily reports that the first quarter of 2025 will see the unveiling of the revised Model Y. The report cites an anonymous Tesla supplier source, speculating that the updated Model Y will debut in two variants, with either five or seven seats. This means the seven-seater Model Y, previously exclusive to the American market where the option costs $2,000 (or $1,000 in combination with other options), could be available in both China and Europe in Q4 2025.
Take the information of the Q1 2025 reveal with a grain of salt, though, as the information cannot be verified or confirmed. The same publication said in September 2023 that the revised Model Y was coming in the first half of 2024, and that didn’t happen.
We know the Model Y facelift is coming, and we have seen a camouflaged prototype that confirms it. Tesla has apparently dedicated the rest of this year to working on the self-driving Robotaxi, which will be unveiled during a special event in October. Model Y sales are still strong worldwide, so giving it a makeover in 2024 apparently wasn’t crucial for Tesla. The wave of layoffs that swept the company this year may have also pushed it back.
Many of the changes will mirror what Tesla did when updating the Model 3. The Model Y will have completely revised front and rear fascias (which could have full-width light bars), new wheel designs and new colors. Inside, Tesla will remove all the stalks behind the steering wheel, upgrade the central infotainment screen and improve the quality of the trim materials as well as how everything is screwed together.
The updated made-in-China Model 3 that we tested earlier this year felt like a huge step up in terms of assembly quality, and we expect the same to be true for the 2025 Model Y. Tesla softened the suspension considerably in the revised Model 3, which made ride comfort far better than before, and the Model Y will get a similar suspension setup.
Following the formula set by the new Model 3 Performance, Tesla will likely give the Model Y Performance more aggressive front and rear bumpers as well as more body-hugging sports seats inside. It will have bigger brakes and adaptive dampers as well as more power than the pre-refresh model. More about the revised Model Y could be made public during the Robotaxi reveal event on October 10.
