- It’s finally here: the revised 2026 Tesla Model Y, codename “Juniper,” has appeared online in China
- Official photos from that market show off new Cybertruck-inspired exterior lighting motifs
- Meanwhile, some, but not all, interior changes mimic those that have shown up on the Model 3
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That didn’t take long. Just a short while after we reported on the presence of spy photos taken by an alert gearhead who spotted the next Model Y enduring cold-weather testing, official images of the popular EV appeared on Tesla’s website for the Chinese market.
It appears the un-endorsed snaps from earlier this week were spot-on — mostly. The refreshed unofficially-2026-model-year Model Y, codenamed “Juniper” during pre-production, bears all the exterior changes as foretold by that cold-weather mule, including the Cybertruck-esque headlamp bar and a rear lighting signature which is quite distinctive. In fact, the latter manages to incorporate a full-width red illumination spear whilst retaining a pair of bookends that are a similar shape to the existing model’s.
This likely saves a fortune on retooling costs, since changing the shape and/or cutouts of a rear three-quarter panel tends to be expensive. Body and shutlines appear all but identical, so it would not surprise us if a few custom shops start offering the option of slapping this new rear end on older Model Ys. If the Google translation tools are correct, overall measures are identical this year, save for length, which increases by 46 mm to 4,797 mm (188.9 inches) — all of which may be accounted for in the new fascias.
Elsewhere, its interior mirrors some of the changes first seen on the refreshed Model 3 sedan, though the “squaring wheel” that was spotted on the test mule is not shown in these official photos. It could be an option, just as the so-called “yoke” has been an option on some other Tesla machines. A large screen sprouts from the centre console as it always has, though rear-seat urchins will now also get a screen of their own, at least as an option in most markets.
Online discourse is divided on whether this Model Y will have any stalks sprouting from its steering column for duties like turn signals, with some outlets adamant they exist and others saying they’ve vanished. These images show no such device, suggesting the Y will make like the 3 and force drivers to indicate turns using buttons on the steering wheel. However, a screenshot we took of a repeating video on the China-market website shows headlight and wiper controls where turn signal buttons are currently on the steering wheel in our market. We shall see.
Information listed on the foreign-market site suggests the refreshed Model Y will begin appearing there some time in the month of March. We’re sure we’ll be getting this refreshed Y in Canada, too, though it’s not clear when that may be.
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