SPY PICS: 2025 Tesla Model Y facelift spotted for the first time

A camouflaged Tesla Model Y has been spotted on the side of the road in California, reigniting the hype surrounding a comprehensive Tesla Model 3-style facelift – reportedly codenamed Juniper – for Australia’s most popular EV.

Ever since the reveal of the upgraded 2024 Tesla Model 3 sedan, there’s been debate around when – and even if – the closely related mid-size electric SUV would be treated to the same makeover, which gifted the battery-powered medium sedan a new look, refreshed interior, longer range and more tech.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk poured cold water on the prospects of a major Model Y facelift emerging this year via his own X social media platform last month.

“No Model Y ‘refresh’ is coming out this year,” he said in a reply to a social media commenter.

Now, the single image of the masked prototype posted to Reddit on the weekend essentially confirms there will indeed be an overhauled Model Y… almost certainly in 2025.

User ‘JacklJack’, who captured and posted the image, pointed out that some of the last local (Californian) sightings of the facelifted Model 3 tool place roughly six or seven months before the updated model’s public debut, pointing to an early 2025 reveal for the revised Model Y if history repeats.

The spied vehicle has its entire front (bonnet, bumper and front quarter guards) and rear ends covered by dense camouflage, suggesting the Model Y will get similar cosmetic enhancements to the latest Model 3.

If that’s the case it will be a much more handsome mid-sized SUV that retains visual ties with the related sedan.

At this stage there’s only been the one image posted online, but we have little doubt there’ll be more to come over the next few days and weeks.

The Model Y has been Australia’s favourite EV for several years now and claimed back-to-back carsales Best Electric Car titles in 2023 and 2022, following the Model 3 in 2021.

Prices of both Tesla models have been plummeting recently as the American EV giant tries to compete with the growing number of Chinese rivals coming to market at increasingly accessible prices.

The facelifted Model Y’s global reveal will be followed by the debut of the highly-anticipated Tesla Model 2 and Model Q compact EVs, which should open up the pioneering battery-electric brand to an entirely new and younger customer base.

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