Tesla Model Y Facelift Makes A Surprise Appearance On Chinese Consumer Site

The Tesla Model Y facelift, codenamed “Juniper,” was leaked earlier today almost completely uncovered, but if that teaser weren’t enough, the automaker has fully revealed the electric crossover on its Chinese-market consumer site. Likely to roll out in the US within the next few months, the Model Y Juniper follows in its Model 3 Highland sibling’s by adopting the look of one of the company’s other products – in this case the Cybertruck and the Robotaxi.

Pointy Nose, Rounded Back

The Juniper steals its pointy, angular front end light signature from the divisive Cybertruck, although it’s not immediately obvious if the headlights are contained within the lower bumper nacelles as they are on the pickup. Blacked-out taillight inserts provide the Model Y with a revised rear look, although in this case it resembles the Toyota Prius a bit. One interesting detail is the full-width LED light bar, which shines down on the liftgate sheetmetal rather than directly outward. It’s a neat, futuristic look for the facelifted EV.

Related

Model 3 Vs. Model Y: 10 Differences Between Tesla’s Big-Selling EVs

One is a sedan and one is a crossover, but there are many other differences between these two Tesla EVs.

That said, most of the changes don’t make a ton of sense when balanced against the Model Y’s unchanged turtle-shell profile. The sharp nose and crisp hood lines don’t really match the rounded shape, especially since the Juniper retains aero-style wheel covers rather than the lunar lander rollers of the Cybertruck. Hopefully the build quality for the tweaked crossover is improved, as it is for the Model 3 Highland.

Your changes have been saved

Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.

A Sleek Interior Remains

The cabin of the Tesla Model Y Juniper is largely unchanged, at least on the Chinese consumer site’s configurator. There’s still a centrally located, 15.4-inch infotainment display on a sparsely decorated dashboard, and the interior once again comes in a black or white motif. The door panels have been sculpted just a bit so that the trim panels wrap around the driver and front passenger a bit more, but otherwise, the look is very similar.

Tesla did add an 8.0-inch rear touchscreen display on the center console, which has gaming capability á la “Mario Kart.” The rear seat occupants can choose their favorite Tesla and race on a cartoonish little track. Road trip sibling rivalry is clearly not a concern for Tesla designers. The company also added noise and thermal insulation to quell some of the Model Y’s documented NVH issues.

Related

There’s Good News And Bad News About The Cheapest Tesla Cybertruck

You may soon be able to buy the rear-drive Cybertruck. Just in time for the tax credit to go away.

China-Spec Technical Details

The Tesla Model Y Juniper is currently available to order in China in two variants: the Launch Series RWD and the Launch Series Dual-Motor. The former has a 347-mile range rating on the China Light Duty Test Cycle (CLTC), while the latter achieves 411 miles. However, the CLTC is a bit more generous than the EPA test scale, so it’s hard to guess how the Juniper will do when the US-market version arrives. Expect a slight increase over the existing figures.

Pricing is also in question. In China, the Model Y Juniper starts at 263,500 Chinese yuan, which converts to around $35,000 in US currency. Such a price would represent a $7,000 discount from the current Model Y, which consumers would undoubtedly love. There’s no word when we’ll find out more official details, especially as it pertains to our market, but we’ll keep you posted when that information comes out.