2025 Tesla Model Y Juniper facelift caught testing as full reveal nears
New exterior design and uprated range on the cards for Tesla’s family SUV
With more than 1.2 million units sold, Tesla’s Model Y was the world’s best-selling car in 2023, and now the US firm is looking to give its electric SUV even more appeal in 2025 with a mid-life facelift.
We’ve seen leaked images of the new Tesla Model Y already, but this marks the first time we’ve clocked the closely guarded updated car testing on the road, suggesting a full unveil is imminent.
Tesla gave its popular Model 3 saloon a much needed facelift in late 2023 to help it compete with a growing batch of newer rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6, BMW i4 and BYD Seal. The Model 3’s revamp introduced a sleeker, more modern look and a controversial interior refresh that saw the maker swap out the indicator stalks for buttons on the steering wheel.
Whatever you think of this tech, it’s all but certain to make an appearance on the updated Tesla Model Y, dubbed Juniper.
Our spy shots of the new Model Y show it riding on familiar 20-inch ‘Induction’ wheels, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. It’s clear from the tyre size that this is the standard Model Y rather than the hot Performance model, which wears wider rubber at the rear.
The front sports some cleverly styled camouflage designed to mimic the current Model Y’s headlights. Peer beneath this, however, and you’ll notice a new headlight arrangement – possibly a thinner LED light bar inspired by the wild Cybertruck – and a new front bumper, all with the aim of reducing the Model Y’s 0.23 drag coefficient.
The body, meanwhile, is unchanged until we get to the rear, where we expect to see a restyled bumper and new light design.
A pair of leaked images surfaced last year and gave us a good idea what to expect from Tesla’s BMW iX3 rival. CEO Elon Musk confirmed on social media in 2024 that “no Model Y ‘refresh’ is coming out this year”, although he went on to reiterate that small improvements are made gradually to all of the maker’s models – particularly via over-the-air (OTA) updates: “Tesla continuously improves its cars,” he said. “So even a car that is six months newer will be a little better.”
The main point of differentiation between the Model 3 and forthcoming Model Y will be at the rear. One of the leaked pictures showed a shadowy angle of the tailgate, but it revealed that the SUV is set to get a full-width light bar with embedded Tesla lettering, and a small camera hidden within a section of gloss-black trim. The light clusters themselves should closely resemble those on the Model 3, with a sharper LED signature and hidden indicator turn signals.
The overall shape is not expected to change, due to the typical and well documented restrictions placed on designers when facelifting a car. As such, the tall bootlid and steeply-raked rear screen will be carried over, along with the relatively long wheelbase and short overhangs. New aero-optimised alloy wheel designs and a bit more body-coloured trim may feature, however.
We can expect to see a Model 3-inspired front-end design, as shown in our exclusive image. The first-generation Model Y looked much like an early Model 3 that had been stretched skywards, and given the aforementioned limitations of any mid-life update, we don’t expect that to change. Slimmer lights and smoother surfacing should give the car a much needed nip and tuck, freshening the design to see it through the next few years.
Unfortunately, the single leaked interior image also shown on social media doesn’t give much away. But given how likely it is that the Model Y will lift its cabin near-wholesale from the Model 3, there are few secrets left to uncover. That means a carbon copy of the saloon’s minimalist dashboard with a large central screen and no gauge cluster. The vast majority of the car’s functions will be embedded within that main display, while the indicators, as mentioned, will be moved to the steering wheel.
The Model Y’s doors will be button-operated, as before, but new seats should feature alongside more extensive, multi-colour ambient lighting. The usual Tesla-style Easter Eggs – like a whoopee cushion and built-in games – will be carried over.
Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive and Performance models are expected to be offered, with the latter boasting more than 500bhp. There’s a chance we may see Tesla offer multiple battery sizes, but as the name suggests, the Long Range version is expected to be the car best suited to those wanting to extract maximum mileage from their electric SUV. Currently this tops out at 373 miles in the Long Range RWD, although a new front end could improve this figure.
Elsewhere, Tesla will look to maintain its class-leading charging speeds of up to 250kW, made all the easier by its wide-reaching Supercharger network. This not only offers owners the ability to plug and charge (with no faffing over payment methods), but also gives them access to reduced rates. Tesla’s network is one of the most affordable rapid charging systems in the UK, while some stations are now open to owners of non-Tesla electric cars.
Prices for the Model 3 actually dropped with the facelift’s arrival, which could also be the case for the Model Y. If we do see cheaper pricing, expect to pay from around £42,000 for the new SUV.
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