Which Tesla Model Y Is Actually Worth Buying? We Break Down Every Trim and Make Our Pick.

When the Tesla Model Y electric SUV first launched in 2020, your choices were take it or leave it—only a long-range, all-wheel drive version was offered. Shortly thereafter, a Performance variant was added. By 2023, when global Model Y sales surpassed those of the Toyota Corolla and RAV4, grabbing the title of world’s bestselling passenger vehicle (the first EV to do so), there were several more choices. Now the fully fleshed out, nicely revamped Juniper generation of the Model Y includes both rear- and all-wheel-drive models powered by a shorter-range (cheaper) battery and a rear-drive version of the Long Range battery.

Starting in September 2026, U.S. customers will also get the option of a long-wheelbase Model Y L variant that makes a third row of seating much more viable. That model went on sale in China in August 2025, and North American versions are expected to be offered in AWD long-range guise only. Let’s dig into everything we know about all the variants, comparing the various trim levels and offerings to help determine which one best suits your needs and budget.

The point of entry to the Model Y line features a single rear-mounted motor and a lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack good for 321 miles of EPA range on the smaller 18-inch wheels, or 321 miles on the optional 19-inch rolling stock. It features a 60.0-kWh battery pack with 57.5 kWh of usable energy. The rear motor is thought to produce between 295 and 300 hp, and 310–320 lb-ft of torque, but Tesla has no PR department and is coy about reporting such details (just like Rolls-Royce used to be). We’ve never managed to rent or buy any base Model Y, so we can’t tell you how it performs. At this trim level, options are sparse. The only free color is Stealth Gray; Pearl White adds $1,000, and Diamond Black adds $1,500—as do the 19-inch Crossflow wheels. A tow hitch good for 3,500 pounds adds another $1,000 to base and Premium models. (It’s included on L and Performance.)

An extra $2K buys an AC induction motor (the kind Nikola Tesla invented) at the front to help the rear permanent-magnet rear motor with acceleration duties, bringing total output to 397 hp and 389 lb-ft of torque. It shares the rear-wheel-drive model’s standard equipment, which includes a hands-free liftgate, heated front seats, textile and “vegan leather” upholstery, a seven-speaker audio system, a 16-inch infotainment touchscreen, three USB-C ports, and a wireless phone charger. For some, this model’s opaque textile headliner may be preferable to the glass roof that’s standard on all others, as no built-in factory sunshade is offered. The roof panel itself is still glass, concealing your penury to outside observers, but they’ll still know you’re driving a base model by its lack of front and rear cross-car light-bars.

Long-range batteries are expensive, so much of the $6,000 premium you pay for this model’s 357-mile range goes straight into the pricier nickel-manganese-cobalt or nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NMC/NCA) battery cathode chemistry that helps squeeze 82.0 kWh (79.0 usable) into a pack that’s probably less than 100 pounds heavier (Tesla-published curb weight cite a 123-pound difference, only some of which is attributable to equipment upgrades). MotorTrend has tested a Premium rear-drive Model Y, which produces 304 hp and 307 lb-ft, recording a 5.0-second run to 60 mph and a 13.4-second, 108.9-mph quarter-mile run. Note that this trim level unlocks another $1,000 paint option (Marine Blue), plus Ultra Red and Quicksilver for $2K. And the white interior is offered at $1,000. The 20-inch Helix wheels will set you back another $2K.

Keen-eyed observers will note that the Dual Motor price bump at the Premium trim level is exactly double that charged with the smaller battery. Now, it’s possible that the bigger battery enables higher inverter current limits, allowing slightly different motor calibration and other performance enhancements to justify this. Or maybe the market will simply bear a higher profit margin. Performance-wise, the 397 hp and 389 lb-ft combined output shaves 0.7 second off the rear-driver’s 0–60-mph run and 0.8 off its quarter mile.

Premium models get front and rear cross-car light bars, a see-through glass roof, power-folding and auto-dimming side mirrors, ventilation for the front seats, power-folding rear seats, and full vegan leather. The rear seat gets its own 8.0-inch touchscreen, audio is upgraded to 15 speakers plus a subwoofer, there’s interior ambient lighting, and it has a HEPA filter. Premium models also get frequency-dependent shock absorbers and extra sound deadening.

This model, already on sale in China, features a 5.9-inch wheelbase stretch and a recontoured roof to better accommodate three rows of seats. According to the configurator, it features second-row captain’s chairs with inboard armrests that motor up and down. There’s more headroom throughout, and the audio adds three more speakers (18 total plus subwoofer). Adaptive suspension is also added, along with more sound insulation. Launch Series equipment includes puddle lights, a swath of suede on the dash, special floormats, and badging inside, outside, and on the sill plates. All colors are offered gratis, as is the light Zen Gray interior and two choices of 20-inch wheels. Note Tesla has repurposed the former Plaid style badge to signify launch models of late. Expect a lower-spec Model Y L to follow priced in the mid-$50Ks.

The Performance model shares its powertrain with the Highland-generation Model 3 Performance, including a more powerful rear permanent-magnet motor, an inverter capable of delivering more energy, calibration changes, and revised battery power limits. Output is said to be 510 hp and 550 lb-ft, with Tesla estimating 3.3 seconds to 60 mph (0.3 second quicker than our first-gen Model Y Performance managed).

In addition to the acceleration-enhancing equipment, your $8,000 premium buys an adaptive suspension with variable damping, revised stability controls, and performance drive modes. Outside, the facias are more aerodynamic, the rear deck gets a carbon-fiber rear spoiler, and the 21-inch “Arachnid” aero wheels now frame higher-performance red brake calipers. Inside are ventilated front performance bucket seats with special upholstery and power thigh-extenders, heated power-folding rear seats, carbon-fiber inserts, and special badging.

We’d naturally gravitate toward the standard-range Dual Motor model to get an opaque roof, nearly 300 miles of range (Superchargers are practically everywhere nowadays), and that sub-5-second EV rail-gun acceleration. If the black textile seats are too depressing, $1,600 worth of Katzkin leather in a snazzier color will dress the interior right up, there are affordable graphics packages to liven up the Stealth Gray, and you can plow what’s left of the $8K savings into six-plus years of Tesla’s Full Self Driving subscription service.