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Tesla Inc. opened orders for the freshened version of its popular but aging Model Y crossover in China, featuring more upscale features and a modern look with front and rear light bars. The updated model is expected to go on sale in the U.S., Canada and Europe later this year.
“The vehicle has been redesigned to maximize efficiency,” Tesla said on its China website Jan. 9, according to a Google translation. “Updated wheels and tires make for a smoother, quieter ride.”
Tesla launched the Model Y out of its plant in Fremont, Calif., in 2020 and it remains in its first generation even with the freshen.
While the Model Y was available for order in China on Jan. 9, Tesla said deliveries would start in March, pending regulatory approval. Tesla didn’t provide information for other markets. Tesla’s other volume vehicle, the Model 3 sedan, was freshened in fall 2023 in China and in early 2024 in the U.S., with about four months between the two launches.
Some of the new features on the freshened Model Y, informally referred to a “Juniper,” are similar to the updates made to the Model 3. The crossover, however, underwent more significant exterior changes than its sedan counterpart.
The freshened Model Y adds ventilated seats, a rear-seat infotainment screen, a softer suspension and blind-spot monitors near the sideview mirrors. The updated crossover also adds power-folding rear seats.
In China, where Tesla faces intense competition, the freshened Model Y starts at $35,900, a 5.4 percent increase, according to Reuters. The Chinese model also gets a small bump in range, from 688 kilometers (427 miles) to 719 kilometers (446 miles) for the long-range model, according to Tesla’s website. The Model Y and Model 3 in China are significantly less expensive than in the U.S.
Tesla needs a hit with the freshened Model Y. The automaker’s global deliveries fell for the first time in over a decade last year to 1.79 million from from 1.81 million in 2023. Tesla doesn’t break out sales by model.
According to registration data from January-October last year, the Model Y was the No. 5 best-selling vehicle in the U.S., behind the Ford F Series pickup, the Chevrolet Silverado pickup, the Toyota RAV 4 and the Honda CR-V. The S&P Global Mobility data, the most recent available, showed the Model Y with 315,444 registrations versus 572,970 for the Ford pickup.
Visual changes to the updated Model Y, which was the best-selling vehicle globally in 2023 according to JATO Dynamics, are most noticeable with the front and rear fascias, which drew mixed reviews on social media.