Feast Your Eyes On The New Tesla Model Y Juniper Refresh

Nearly a year after releasing the new Tesla Model 3 Highland, Tesla has followed it up with the refreshed Tesla Model Y Juniper, with the new model appearing on the brand’s Asian-Pacific region website the other night and giving the world its first look at the long-awaited, updated version of Tesla’s best-selling vehicle.

Given that the Model Y is one of the best-selling nameplates worldwide, this refresh is a pretty big deal, and Tesla can’t afford to get it wrong. After all, Tesla’s worldwide deliveries dropped last year from 1.81 million units to 1.79 million—marking the automaker’s first annual drop in sales in over a decade. But with a new Y, that could turn things around.

We’re not going to go into specifics on the vehicle (range, features, etc), as it’s unclear if the updated Y we’ll get here in the United States will differ at all from this one for the Chinese market. But it’s safe to say that the styling will probably remain consistent across markets.

The redesign features a more angular front end like the Cybertruck, new wheels, and improved suspension for better efficiency and a smoother and quieter ride. The interior gets a similar update to the one seen in the Model 3 Highland, and it’s been confirmed that the Model Y will be sold with a traditional steering wheel, along with a turn signal stalk, so clearly Tesla has been listening to your complaints.

Personally, I’m a little torn on the new styling, specifically the headlights and lightbar. They look a little generic, very similar to the Hyundai Kona (and that’s not a good thing). Maybe it will look better in person, only time will tell.

In the meantime, take a look at these photos from tesla.cn, and let us know what you think of the Tesla Model Y Juniper in the comments section below.