Canberra's favourite EV scores an update ... and where have we seen that face before?

Canberra’s favourite EV has scored a long-awaited update, and thoughts are … mixed.

It’s been nearly two years since Tesla’s facelifted Model 3 sedan arrived, and ever since, attention has turned to when its SUV sibling, the Model Y, might receive the same treatment. Tesla even gave the project a codename – ”Juniper”.

Well, this week – a few hours after spy photos began circulating online – Tesla finally pulled the wraps off … a Cybertruck?

There’s no unseeing the similarity between the front end of the new-look Model Y and Tesla’s controversially wedge-shaped Cybertruck (briefly on show here in Canberra at the Bunda Street showroom last year).

But the SUV is said to be sleeker, offer more range and – perhaps best of all – come with more indicator stalk than before (the current model has buttons to operate the indicators, for some reason).

The range opens at $63,400 for the rear-wheel-drive, single-motor version – or a good $7500 more than the current Model Y – and goes up to $73,400 for the all-wheel-drive, dual-motor ”Long Range”.

The headlights are squintier and connected by a light bar stretching across the front, while a similarly styled light bar graces the rear … and that’s about it for the external changes.

But all up, Tesla claims they make the body more aerodynamic and increase the car’s range by between 11 and 18 km, depending on the model. The RWD is now good for a claimed 466 km between charges, and the AWD Long Range for 551 km.

The 0-100 km/h acceleration figures have also improved ever so slightly, now standing at 5.9 seconds and 4.3 seconds respectively.

Both models will initially be sold in what Tesla has dubbed a “Launch Series”, which includes new 20-inch wheels and special badges on the boot and door sills.

Inside, the new Model Y decides against going down the path of its sedan sibling and sticks with a traditional indicator stalk – rather than the frustrating buttons on the Model 3’s steering wheel.

However, selecting Drive, Reverse and Park must be done through a slider on the now even bigger touchscreen (15.4 inches, up from 15).

Tesla has also updated the suspension to make it softer and fix another major bugbear with the current model.

Elsewhere, a ”self-cleaning” camera – which squirts itself with a small water jet – has been added under the front bumper to help with parking and low-speed manoeuvres.

The current Model Y – which could really only be separated from the Model 3 sedan by its higher ride and roof – was Canberra’s best-selling car of 2023, with 1041 sold.

It’s hard to conclusively prove what happened to it in 2024, as the brand stopped reporting its sales figures to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) midway through the year, but up to 30 June, the Model Y had racked up 487 sales.

Including figures from the EV Council, the Model Y remained the best-selling EV in the country for 2024, with 21,253 sales across the year. This also makes it the seventh-best-selling SUV in the country.

So, will the update keep it on top?

In a straw poll of the Canberra Tesla Owners Group, we gleaned somewhat mixed feedback from owners of the current Model Y.

Some thought the styling “a bit plain Jane” and the indicator stalk a downgrade, while others judged it “very futuristic and sleek”.

“Looks a very good update – nicer styling than the previous model and some good improvements,” one wrote.

Another said: “Fixes a lot of the quirks and small gripes of the old Y without messing with it so much they cause teething issues of releasing a totally new model.”

“The trick for Tesla now there is more competition in the market is to convince new owners of the pluses of Tesla ownership which, for me, are the charging network, regular software updates and simplicity of ownership,” another wrote.

The new Model Y is available to order on the Tesla Australia website now.