Tesla’s most popular model globally has just received its most comprehensive overhaul yet. Known internally as the Juniper update, the 2025 Model Y brings in more than just new styling. It lands with revised suspension, a completely reimagined cabin, and notable improvements in efficiency and refinement.
While the previous Model Y was already a sales success in Australia, sales have dropped since its record year in 2023. Globally, Tesla sales were down 1 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and production dropped by 4 per cent. And then recently in Australia, the Model Y was overtaken by the BYD Sealion 7 as the best-selling EV (for April).
The brand has no doubt lost some friends over the past few months, ever since Trump got back in and pulled a few moves, and with his sidekick, Tesla boss, Elon Musk, also getting mixed up in controversial gestures. But anyway, we’re here to review a car.
2025 Tesla Model Y RWD: Specifications
Electrical: 60kWh battery, 400V, 1x electric motor
Output: 255kW / 450Nm
Gearbox: Single-speed auto
Drive type: Rear-wheel drive
ANCAP: Not testedWeight: 1921kg
Power-to-weight: 7.40:1 (kg:kW)
Official range (WLTP): 466km
Max charging AC/DC: 11kW/175kW
0-100km/h: 6.08 seconds*
Starting price: $58,900
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2025 Tesla Model Y RWD: How much does it cost?
For Australian buyers, it’s still available in Standard Range RWD and Long Range AWD formats, with deliveries starting from May 2025. Prices start from $58,900 and $68,900, respectively (excluding on-roads).
Those figures have moved around compared with the outgoing model, up about $3000 for the base model yet down about $1000 for the flagship. But it does come with more kit now and more power. For this test we’re only looking at the RWD base model.
2025 Tesla Model Y RWD: Interior & packaging
The interior has taken a big step forward in material quality, tech integration, and overall ambience. Tesla’s minimalist ethos remains, but the 2025 Model Y feels more considered and polished inside.
One of the most noticeable improvements is the redesigned dash and ambient lighting system, which can be customised with up to one million colours. It finally gives the cabin a premium personality, and it actually feels like a car rather than a sterile spaceship.
The front seats are now both heated and ventilated, and redesigned for improved support over long distances. The rear seats also get an upgrade, not just in comfort and cushioning, but in functionality. They’re now power-reclining, heated, and still fold completely flat, making the already-generous cargo space even more versatile.
Boot space is listed at 938L, expanding to 2022L with the seats folded. There is a storage bucket under the bonnet as well which might be included in those figures. A removable boot floor exposes a deep bucket of storage. There’s also a new magnetic cargo cover in the boot, which can be removed and stowed when not in use. However, it is a bit cumbersome compared with a roller-shutter blind.
Rear passengers also get a new 8.0-inch touch-screen, offering climate and media control, and it supports dual Bluetooth headset pairing – ideal for long drives with kids in the back. Legroom is excellent for this class, and headroom shapes up quite good as well.
Cabin insulation has improved markedly thanks to new acoustic glass, with measures made to reduce road and wind noise. Tesla claims a 20–22 per cent drop in overall cabin noise, which seems about right in our opinion. The result is a much more refined drive, bringing it more in line with the common expectations of a premium SUV.
Up front, the familiar 15-inch touch-screen remains the main command centre, now running on an updated version of Tesla’s operating system. Controls are quick to respond, and while the lack of physical buttons may not suit everyone, Tesla’s software-first approach remains impressively fluid and it can be updated thanks to over-the-air functionality.
Tesla offers one of the shortest vehicle warranties in the industry, for a mainstream vehicle, with 4 years or just 80,000km. Most premium brands now offer 5 years and either unlimited kilometres or 100,000km. The battery is covered by an 8-year/160,000km warranty, provided the battery doesn’t drop below 70% capacity in that period after inevitable degradation.
2025 Tesla Model Y RWD: Powertrain & handling
Tesla hasn’t reinvented the powertrains here. Both variants carry forward the same propulsion philosophy, with some efficiency tweaks across the board and morepower. While local WLTP figures haven’t yet been finalised, Tesla estimates an 18km range gain for the Long Range AWD model thanks to aerodynamic, rolling resistance and drivetrain enhancements. For reference, the old RWD model was rated 455km and this new model is rated 466km on the overseas WLTP cycle.
A 60kWh battery remains for this RWD version but power output for the rear-mounted electric motor is up from 220kW to 255kW. That has slashed the 0-100km/h claim from 6.9 seconds to 5.9 seconds. During testing with a Vbox, we clocked the sprint in 6.08 seconds with the battery at around 70 per cent charge.
Speaking of charging, the new Model Y supports both AC and DC power of course, at a maximum of 175kW (250kW for the AWD). It can take in up to 11kW using an AC home charger.
An aspect that has changed dramatically is how the new Model Y rides. Tesla has overhauled the suspension, giving it new dampers and geometry, resulting in a noticeably smoother, quieter, and more composed experience.
Where the previous model could feel firm and jittery over broken roads, the Juniper update glides along with a newfound compliance, while still maintaining composure through corners. Tesla hasn’t fitted adaptive dampers, but the re-engineered passive setup strikes a decent balance between sportiness and comfort.
The steering feel has also been sharpened, offering more response and improved feedback at higher speeds. With a low centre of gravity thanks to the floor-mounted battery, body control is excellent for a vehicle weighing 1921kg (RWD model).
New 19-inch ‘Crossflow’ fan-style wheels come standard, wrapped in 255/45 Hankook tyres which contribute to the smoother ride, while optional 20-inch ‘Helix 2.0’ alloys bring a sportier look and come wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. Optioning up requires a very minor sacrifice to the initial ride quality.
2025 Tesla Model Y RWD: Video
2025 Tesla Model Y RWD: First impressions
The 2025 Tesla Model Y Juniper refresh is exactly what the Model Y needed from the start. It adds polish in key areas like comfort, noise suppression, and cabin refinement. But is it too late? Have the brand’s fans already moved on? We’ll have to wait and see how the sales figures go throughout the year.
