LED light bar spands the width of the front end
Images circulated on social media show a prototype winter testing without any camouflage
The overhauled Tesla Model Y has dropped its camouflage in a series of new images circulated on social media ahead of its imminent launch.
They confirm previous reports that the electric SUV will wear a radically different design to that of the outgoing model, with LED light bars at its front and rear end.
It also gets more prominent air intakes at the front end, giving it a look distinct from the closely-related Tesla Model 3 that was updated last year.
The publication of images comes after the EV, which was the world’s best-selling car in 2023, was recently spotted testing in Europe.
New #Tesla Model Y pic.twitter.com/8pAOxNeQFU
— ThinkerCar (@thinkercar) January 9, 2025
The SUV’s immense commercial success makes it Tesla’s most important asset and the American EV maker will look to leverage it in an attempt to move out of a prolonged dip in sales.
Because the car has not been updated in almost five years, it no longer so obviously offers a usability and performance advantage over its rivals. The SUV’s maximum 331-mile range, for example – seen as a headline attribute at its launch – has now been surpassed by cheaper rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq and Peugeot e-3008.
Addressing that shortcoming will be a focus of the Model Y’s facelift, as it was for the Model 3, which can now travel up to 8% farther on a charge than it did previously, thanks to extensive revisions to its aerodynamics and electronics.
Although it is not immediately apparent from the heavily camouflaged test mules, the Model Y’s revised front end will follow the updated Model 3 in featuring a bumper that has been reshaped to cut through the air more efficiently and boost range while also reducing wind noise at a cruise.
This treatment lowered the Model 3’s drag coefficient from 0.23 to 0.219, making it one of the slipperiest cars on sale.
A similar treatment for the SUV could contribute to a range of more than 350 miles in its most efficient form. Another focus of the refresh will be to improve the Model Y’s usability and quality credentials. To that end, the Model 3’s redesigned centre console, new upmarket textiles and 8.0in rear touchscreen are expected to be carried over to the revised Model Y.
One of the more controversial elements of the Model 3’s facelift was the migration of the indicator controls from a stalk to the steering wheel and it remains to be seen whether Tesla will react to criticism of that by retaining the Model Y’s traditional controls.
Tesla is not expected to make drastic changes to the powertrain and charging system – the Model Y’s 250kW maximum charge speed is still one of its strong suits – but the top-rung Performance version is likely to receive a significant increase in power to take the fight to the new electric Porsche Macan Turbo.
As an indication, the 453bhp Model 3 Performance cracks 0-62mph in just 3.1sec and achieves a top speed of 163mph. Assuming the Model Y gets close to those figures, it will be one of the fastest crossovers on the market.