2025 Tesla Model Y: the last original-shape car, and how it compares with the refresh

The 2025 Tesla Model Y is the final year of the original design in the US, not the refreshed "Juniper" car. Tesla delivered the refresh from March 2025, but badged it a 2026, so a true 2025 is a carryover: Long Range RWD, Long Range AWD or Performance, all with Hardware 4 and 48 A home charging.

That mix-up is the first thing to sort out, because it changes what you are paying for.

2025 or 2026? Read the VIN, not the delivery date

Both model years were delivered during 2025. The Juniper Launch Series went on sale in January 2025 at $59,990 with FSD (Supervised) included, and the regular refreshed cars followed from April. Meanwhile Tesla was still selling the outgoing design. NHTSA files recalls for the refreshed car under model year 2026, which confirms the split.

The quick check is the tenth character of the VIN: S is a 2025 and T is a 2026. The 2025 also has no full-width light bar across the nose or tail. If a listing says "2025 Juniper", one of those two words is wrong.

What you give up against the refresh

The refresh brought full-width front and rear light bars, a quieter cabin with acoustic glass and revised suspension, an 8-inch rear touchscreen, ventilated front seats and a power-folding second row. Its rear-drive version, now called Premium RWD, is rated at 357 miles against 337 for the 2025 Long Range RWD.

The 2025 counters with a known track record. It is the fifth year of a design whose early faults have been worked through by recalls on earlier cars, and its own list is three campaigns long. The 2026 has eight so far, most for early-build assembly problems. For a buyer who wants the least surprise, that matters more than a rear screen. For a buyer who drives long distances in a noisy cabin, it may not.

Both charge at the same 48 A at home, so your Wall Connector plan is identical either way.

Trims and range

Edmunds lists the 2025 as unchanged from the 2024 apart from slightly different EPA numbers.

The Long Range RWD gained 17 miles of rating over its 2024 figure (320) and is the most efficient car here at about 27 kWh per 100 miles. All three have HW4, the AMD Ryzen screen computer, and no radar or ultrasonic sensors. Battery capacity for the 2025 is not published by Tesla, so we leave it out.

Three recalls and 101 complaints

• 24V935000December 17, 2024Tires, pressure monitoring and regulating systemsSoftware update
  Tire pressure warning light may not stay lit between drive cycles
• 25V002000January 7, 2025Back over prevention, softwareSoftware update
  Computer circuit board may short and cause loss of the rearview camera image; OTA update plus computer replacement at service where needed
• 26V315000May 19, 2026Equipment, other, labelsService visit
  Vehicle certification label (weight information) may not have been installed

Source: NHTSA recalls API. A recall only applies if your VIN is listed.

• 24V935000: tire pressure warning light may not stay on between drive cycles. Over the air.
• 25V002000: a computer circuit board short can cut the rearview camera image. Over the air, with the computer replaced at service where the fault or stress is found.
• 26V315000 (May 2026): the vehicle certification label with weight information may not have been fitted. A service visit installs it.

None involves the structure, suspension or battery. Ask whether 25V002000 led to a computer replacement, and confirm 26V315000 is done by entering the VIN at nhtsa.gov.

101 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2025 Model Y. Most frequent areas (approximate order): forward collision avoidance; unknown or other; lane departure; service brakes; electrical system; vehicle speed control. Source: NHTSA complaints database.

NHTSA had 101 complaints on file in October 2026. From a partial tally of about 73 of them, forward collision avoidance, lane departure and service brakes are among the most common areas, the same areas that led NHTSA's phantom-braking probe into earlier Model Y. A highway test drive with cruise control on is the way to judge a particular car.

Crash ratings are five stars overall and in every category for both versions. NHTSA puts the rollover risk at 7.9% for the AWD and 9.7% for the RWD.

Home charging for a 2025

Every 2025 trim has the 11.5 kW onboard charger, so a current-generation Wall Connector on a 60 A breaker charges at the full 48 A, up to 44 miles of range per hour. Battery size is not confirmed for this year, so we will not give a precise full-charge time; if it is near the 75 to 79 kWh of other Model Y years, expect roughly seven to eight hours from empty.

Rates scale Tesla's published Wall Connector table for this model; older cars and cold batteries charge slower. Times are estimates.

A new 2025 did not come with a Mobile Connector, only a J1772 adapter. If you have a 240 V dryer or RV outlet already, plugging into a 14-50 at 32 A covers most daily driving. Otherwise, Tesla puts the cost of a hardwired install at $750 to $1,500 plus the $585 unit (as of October 2026). A licensed electrician should size the wire and pull the permit.

At about 27 kWh per 100 miles, a Long Range RWD driven 1,000 miles a month uses roughly 270 kWh, about $49 at the July 2026 US average of 18.31 cents per kWh reported by the EIA. Off-peak rates can cut that a lot; our page on cutting your Tesla charging bill shows how.

Who should pick a 2025

• Pick a 2025 if you want a nearly new, low-recall Model Y and do not care about the rear screen, light bars or ventilated seats. The Long Range RWD is the sweet spot.
• Pick a 2026 Tesla Model Y if cabin noise and comfort matter to you, or you want the 357-mile Premium RWD.
• Pick a 2024 Model Y if price is the main factor; it is the same design with a slightly lower range rating.

The battery and drive unit warranty runs 8 years or 120,000 miles from first delivery, so a 2025 keeps that cover into 2033.

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