Tesla upgrades the Model Y
Tesla has announced that all inbound Model Y vehicles will now come with a bigger screen and a black headliner in the Australia and New Zealand markets.
All entry-level Tesla Model Y RWD and Long Range AWD variants will now receive a larger 16-inch touchscreen as well as a darker headliner.
On the company’s local X account, a post said: “Model Y now comes with black headliner + larger 16″ centre touchscreen in AU & NZ. Available on RWD and LR AWD trims.”
Several existing order holders also received an email, updating them of the change and that no further action is required from their end.
This was overall well received by the community, with one owner saying, “Black headliner is a massive upgrade. The light gray always felt a bit unfinished.”
The update comes weeks after it was first announced in China for vehicles for the domestic market that are being built at GigaShanghai factory.
It’s also worth noting that the recently launched Model Y Performance already features the larger screen and is likely to continue to arrive with the lighter headliner until the change is made at Tesla’s GigaBerlin factory, where that variant is built for our market.
In Australia, Tesla currently offers the Model Y in three variants, including RWD Standard Range, AWD Long Range and the most recent addition, the AWD Long Range Performance.
Pricing of the RWD single-motor starts at $58,900 and delivers up to 520 km of range. The Long Range AWD variant starts at $68,900 before on-road costs. Both these models are made at Tesla’s most productive factory in China, GigaShanghai.
In recent months, Tesla has also launched the Performance variant, with quite a few upgrades starting at $89,900 before on-roads.
These include a more aggressive exterior design, new performance powertrain, adaptive suspension and unique drive modes, 21″ Arachnid 2.0 wheels, carbon fibre interior trims, 16-inch touchscreen, performance sport seats, heating and ventilation, to name a few.
Earlier this month, Tesla announced a “global first” for any Tesla market, right here in Australia, where new Tesla owners who take deliveries of their cars after 1 January 2026 will be eligible to receive the upgraded 5-year unlimited warranty, which is up from the standard 4-year or 80,000 km coverage previously provided.
This new 5-year warranty covers many parts of the vehicle, including corrosion protection, paint durability and multimedia systems.
This of course, now will include the new 16-inch screen on all RWD and Long Range AWD Model Y variants too.
With more competition in our market, Tesla will need to ensure they make changes and upgrade their lineup regularly if it is to maintain the lead as the best-selling EV brand in the country.
We look forward to seeing the updated model arrive on our shores in the coming months, and for now, customers appear to be quite pleased with this update to Australia’s most popular EV model. seen
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