Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance?

Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance?

by Celine Nolan

Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance?

Which Tesla Mannequin Y presents the longest range? Which grade involves the precise parts? Which is the quickest model? And which Mannequin Y delivers the precise mark for cash?

This Chasing Autos manual provides those answers — and extra — for what is one in all the area’s largest-selling EVs … and modified into once Australia’s most standard electrical automobile in 2024.

Tesla Model Y Performance action
Pictured: Tesla Mannequin Y Performance

The Tesla Mannequin Y made its debut in 2022, three years after the connected Mannequin 3 sedan, and modified into once given a critical replace and facelift in Would possibly maybe well maybe fair 2025.

A blend of issues will also be equated to the Tesla Mannequin Y’s success since its 2022 debut. It presents solid mark for cash (critically the entry and mid-spec models), industry benchmark battery effectivity complemented by the Tesla Supercharger network, and a most incessantly a effectively rounded utilizing abilities.

A longer, six-seat version of the Mannequin Y has entered production in China and is at this time below consideration for Australia. Read our coverage of the six-seated Mannequin Y here.

Tesla Model Y L 2025 1
Pictured: Chinese language market Tesla Mannequin Y six-seater

Right here is Chasing Autos entire manual on the 2026 Tesla Mannequin Y, which outlines traditional parts, pricing, variations between grades, and involves Chasing Autos experiences where on hand.

Tesla Mannequin Y Rear-Wheel Pressure

Priced from $58,900 (outdated to on-avenue costs)

The hideous Mannequin Y is completely rear-wheel force, and powered by a single rear electrical motor and 60.0kWh (usable) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. It produces 255kW/450Nm, can speed from 0-100km/hr in 5.9 seconds, and has a 466km WLTP range.

Top AC charging caps at 11kW, taking about 6 hours and Half-hour for a full-from-empty fee. Constructed on 400V structure, quick DC charging takes 24 minutes from 10-80 percent, peaking at 175kW.

Tesla Mannequin Y RWD 2025 utilizing 9
Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance? 18

Tesla’s Mannequin Y Rear-Wheel Pressure presents the precise mark in the ‘Y’ range. It is miles fiercely priced, offering a solid utilizing range and excessive level of traditional equipment. Constructed with an LFP battery, the Mannequin Y RWD is also suited to frequent battery costs up to 100-percent, whereas NMC prefers an 80-percent fee.

Key traditional equipment on the Mannequin Y Rear-Wheel Pressure involves:

  • 19-run ‘Crossflow’ alloy wheels
  • Sunless exterior clear and alloy wheel covers
  • Pixel matrix LED headlights with mild bar
  • LED tail-lights with reflective physique panel mild bar
  • Silver layer heat and UV protected, acoustic laminated fixed glass panoramic roof
  • Smartphone or keycard-primarily based keyless bag admission to and launch
  • Sunless textile and man made leather-thought inner
  • 12-procedure power-adjustable driver and entrance passenger seats (redesigned shape)
  • Heated and ventilated entrance seats
  • Heated rear seats
  • Heated leather steering wheel
  • 15.4-run central touchscreen
  • 8.0-run rear passenger touchscreen
  • Nine-speaker stereo
  • Twin wireless plot chargers
  • Dual-zone cabin climate control
  • Smartphone app with a long way-off unlocking, climate and other capabilities
  • Over-the-air application updates
  • Entrance and rear parking sensors
  • Entrance, aspect and rear parking cameras

Choices for the Mannequin Y Rear-Wheel Pressure encompass:

  • “Stout Self-Using Ability” ($10,100)
  • Enhanced Autopilot ($5100)
  • 20-run ‘Helix 2.0’ wheels ($2400)
  • White inner ($1500)
  • Glacier Blue or Diamond Sunless paint ($1500)
  • Take Gray paint ($1900)
  • Top fee Ultra Pink or Quicksilver paint ($2600)
  • Home AC charger ($800 not along side set up)
  • Transportable traditional AC charger ($500)

Read our Tesla Mannequin Y Rear-Wheel Pressure Evaluation here.

Tesla Mannequin Y Lengthy Differ All-Wheel Pressure

Priced from $68,990 (outdated to on-avenue costs)

The guts-spec Mannequin Y Lengthy Differ is completely all-wheel force, featuring two electrical motors (entrance and rear axle), and a 75.0kWh (usable) nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery. It produces 378kW/493Nm, can speed from 0-100km/hr in 4.8 seconds, and claims a utilizing range of 600km WLTP.

Top AC charging caps at 11kW, taking round 8 hours and quarter-hour for a full-from-empty fee. Constructed on 400V structure, quick DC charging takes 27 minutes from 10-80 percent, peaking at 250 kW, nevertheless averaging 124kW.

Tesla Mannequin Y 2025 utilizing 13
Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance? 19

Unsurprisingly, the Tesla Mannequin Y Lengthy Differ presents the finest utilizing range across the ‘Y’ range.

With this 600km WLTP mixed with solid performance and its bigger audio gadget, the Lengthy Differ (on traditional 19-run wheels) is Chasing Autos’ original top pick of the 2 Mannequin Y grades at this time on hand.

Stepping up to the Mannequin Y Lengthy Differ adds or replaces the next key parts:

  • 16-speaker stereo (15 audio system, one subwoofer)

Choices for the Mannequin Y Lengthy Differ encompass:

  • “Stout Self-Using Ability” ($10,100)
  • Enhanced Autopilot ($5100)
  • 20-run ‘Helix 2.0’ wheels ($2400)
  • White inner ($1500)
  • Glacier Blue or Diamond Sunless paint ($1500)
  • Take Gray paint ($1900)
  • Top fee Ultra Pink or Quicksilver paint ($2600)
  • Home AC charger ($800 not along side set up)
  • Transportable traditional AC charger ($500)

Read our Tesla Mannequin Y Lengthy Differ Evaluation here.

Tesla Mannequin Y Performance All-Wheel Pressure

Priced from $89,400 (outdated to on-avenue costs)

The range-topping Mannequin Y Performance modified into once the the leisure variant to be launched as fragment of the up to this level line-up, even supposing doesn’t reach Aussie showrooms till December.

The Performance is completely all-wheel force, featuring two electrical motors (entrance and rear axle), and a “extra vitality dense” nickel manganese cobalt battery, which is either 75kWh or 79kWh (usable) in size. (Tesla has constantly been timid about sharing some technical cramped print in terms of its autos.)

The Performance is the fastest Mannequin Y variant at this time on hand. It would possibly speed from 0-100km/hr in 3.5 seconds, and carries a 580km WLTP battery range. Energy outputs have to not but confirmed in the neighborhood, nevertheless are quoted at 461kW/741Nm by first fee online useful resource EV Database.

Tesla Model Y Performance config front side scaled
Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance? 20

Top AC charging caps at 11kW, taking round 8 hours and Half-hour for a full-from-empty fee. Constructed on 400V structure, quick DC charging takes 29 minutes from 10-80 percent, peaking at 250kW, nevertheless averaging 120kW (in a single more country charging figures confirmed).

Stepping up to the Mannequin Y Performance adds or replaces the next equipment:

  • A no-mark resolution between Pearl White Multi-Coat, Diamond Sunless, Stealth Gray, Quicksilver or Ultra Pink paint
  • Carbon fibre inner enhancements (black textile serene stays in some locations)
  • Differ-distinctive entrance and rear bumpers
  • Decrease entrance valence
  • Lager carbon fibre rear spoiler
  • Constantly variable digital-adjusting dampers
  • 21-run ‘Arachnid 2.0’ wheels
  • Increased 16.0-run ‘extremely HD’ central touchscreen
  • Performance entrance seats with adjustable thigh improve

Choices for the Mannequin Y Performance encompass:

  • “Stout Self-Using Ability” ($10,100)
  • Enhanced Autopilot ($5100)
  • White inner ($1500)
  • Home AC charger ($800 not along side set up)
  • Transportable traditional AC charger ($500)
Tesla Model Y Performance config rear quarter scaled
Tesla Model Y 2026: Which is best? Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range, or Performance? 21

Additional studying: 2026 Tesla Mannequin Y Performance detailed

Rivals to the Tesla Mannequin Y

  • Audi Q4 e-Tron: from $84,900 plus on-avenue costs
  • BMW iX3: from $91,000 + ORC
  • BYD Sealion 7: from $54,990 + ORC
  • Chery Omoda E5: from $42,990 + ORC
  • Cupra Tavascan: from $60,990 + ORC
  • Deepal S07: from $Fifty three,900 + ORC
  • Ford Mustang Mach-E: from $64,990 + ORC
  • Geely EX5: from $40,990 + ORC
  • Hyundai Ioniq 5: from $69,800 + ORC
  • Kia EV5: from $56,770 + ORC
  • Kia EV6: from $72,590 + ORC
  • Leapmotor C10: from $43,888 + ORC
  • Mercedes-Benz EQA: from $80,700 + ORC
  • Skoda Enyaq: from $69,990 + ORC
  • Skyworth BE11: from $48,990 + ORC
  • Neat #3: from $57,900 + ORC
  • Toyota bZ4x: from $66,000 + ORC
  • Volkswagen ID.4: from $59,990 + ORC
  • XPeng G6: from $54,800 + ORC

Gift: Prices lawful on the time of publishing

Source credit : chasingcars.com.au

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