Tesla might not do things in lockstep with the rest of the automotive industry, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to toeing the line every so often. Take the Model 3 and Model Y, for example. Both electric vehicles have been given major makeovers within the past couple of months, keeping the tradition of the mid-cycle refresh alive. Tesla just published initial figures for the facelifted Model Y, colloquially referred to as the Juniper, so let’s see how the automaker’s two most affordable people-movers stack up.
As of this writing, Tesla has only announced the Model Y Juniper in a single trim—a fully loaded Launch Series. The closest point of comparison is the Model 3 Long Range AWD, so we’ll compare these two for now. As Tesla releases subsequent Model Y variants, we’ll update this story with all the data we can fit into our grubby little mitts.
Size
It’s no surprise the Model Y Juniper is a bit larger than its Model 3 sibling, but the two remain close. According to Tesla’s spec sheet, the Juniper measures 78 inches wide, 63.9 inches tall, and 188.6 inches long. That’s 1.9 inches wider, 7.2 inches taller, and 2.8 inches longer than the refreshed Model 3. The Model Y Juniper’s track is 2.0 inches wider too, which makes sense given the body’s extra girth.
View Model 3 Photos
Tesla
The SUV more than triples the available cargo capacity, with a claimed 76 cubic feet of cargo space between the trunk and frunk; the Model 3 sedan musters only 24 cubes. The Model Y also rolls on larger wheels, currently offering a choice of 19- or 20-inch rolling stock against the Model 3’s 18- and 19-inch options. All those extra inches pack on the poundage—at 4396 pounds, the new Model Y’s single launch trim is 366 pounds heavier than a Model 3 Long Range AWD, at least according to Tesla’s figures.
View Model Y PhotosTesla
Powertrain and Performance
If there’s one thing Tesla loves, it’s not telling the public how much horsepower and torque its vehicles make. Sadly, that doesn’t change with the Model Y Juniper Launch Series. Until we can dive deeper into the EPA docs, we know the Model Y’s sole launch trim comes in long-range, all-wheel-drive format, with one electric motor up front and one out back. This is fundamentally the same arrangement as the Model 3 Long Range AWD.
Tesla
Tesla
We’re guessing the motors in the Model Y pack a bigger punch, though. Despite its larger dimensions and commensurate curb-weight gain, the Model Y Launch Series will reach 60 mph in a Tesla-estimated 4.1 seconds, which is 0.1 second quicker than a Model 3 Long Range AWD.
Battery, Range, and Charging
Tesla apparently thinks publishing battery capacities is gauche, as consumers will likely only care about the vehicle’s overall range. That said, the Model Y Launch Series carries a manufacturer-estimated range of 320 miles. That’s a bit lower than the Model 3 LR AWD’s EPA-estimated 346-mile range, but it’s ahead of the pre-refresh Model Y LR AWD, which peaked at 311 miles.
Tesla
We speculate that Tesla will eventually release other Model Y Juniper variants, likely following the Model 3’s cadence. That means the Y lineup could grow to include a single-motor Long Range RWD variant as well as a hi-po Performance trim. If that happens, the LR RWD variant will likely boast the most range, while the Performance will sacrifice a few dozen miles in exchange for eye-squishing acceleration.
The refreshed Model 3 and Model Y carry the same peak charging rate, which is 250 kW when hooked up to a Tesla Supercharger.
Cabin and Tech
The Launch Series is strictly a five-person affair; currently, no third-row option is available. The cabin tech is pretty similar across both the Model 3 and Model Y. Each comes standard with a 15.4-inch center touchscreen on the dashboard and an 8.0-inch touchscreen for second-row passengers. The two vehicles also have similar layouts, with wraparound ambient lighting and soft-touch materials aplenty.
See Model Y InteriorHowever, compared with its pre-refresh predecessor, the Model Y Juniper is better equipped in general. The front seats now offer ventilation, while the second row picks up power-folding capability and powered air vents. There’s a new front-facing camera, which brings the total camera count to eight. The Launch Series offers a 15-speaker sound system (two more than before), and the trunk now offers hands-free activation.
See Model 3 InteriorThe Model Y Launch Series also comes standard with Tesla’s confoundingly named Full Self-Driving (Supervised), which is a series of driver aids enabling hands-free (but closely monitored) operation on roads and highways. If you want that same tech on your pre-refresh Model Y, it’s an $8000 upgrade. It’s likely that FSD will remain optional on future Model Y trims; launch-specific trims such as this one typically offer a fully loaded experience.
Price
Speaking of a fully loaded experience, the Model Y Juniper’s price definitely reflects that. Prior to any incentives, the Model Y Juniper Launch Series will set you back $61,630. That’s a far cry from the old Model Y LR AWD, which starts at $49,630. Heck, the Launch Series is $8500 more than the old Model Y Performance.
Obviously, this also makes the sole Juniper variant vastly more expensive than any Model 3. The 2025 Model 3 lineup ranges from the $44,130 Long Range RWD to the $56,630 Performance. Once additional trims are announced, though, we expect the Model Y Juniper’s minimum cost of entry to dramatically decrease and settle in a bit above the refreshed Model 3.
Managing Editor, Reviews
Cars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree.
