Tesla Model 3 or Tesla Model Y, which one should you buy? Before we go any further, if Track mode is a must-have for you, then the Model 3 Performance is your only choice. According to Tesla, there are no plans to introduce it for Model Y Performance, so if that's a deal breaker for you, you can stop reading right now and go order yourself a Model 3 Performance. According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, you could order it online in 90 seconds (if you went really fast). But for those of you who aren't into Track mode, this author extensively drove and experienced both Tesla entry-level models side by side in order properly gauge their similarities and differences.
Tesla is a swift moving automaker and doesn't follow the usual model year cycle with their products. (It sometimes even rolls out tweaks in stages with a mix of old and new parts.) Since we first published this article in June of 2020, Tesla has made a few minor upgrades to both models. While the attached photos do not fully reflect the current actual vehicles, we've added some helpful contextual updates to our original story below.
So which one is right for you? Read on find out what we observed so you can make a more informed choice between the Model 3 and Model Y.
UPDATE: In late 2020/early 2021, Tesla changed the Model 3's exterior trims from chrome to black like on the Model Y, along with a new outer lens for the front headlights. In early 2022, Tesla started fitting Model 3 and Model Y with new matrix LED headlights. However, due to supply constraints, Tesla has been switching back and forth on the decision.
"Morph a Model 3 into a Choro-Q (aka Penny Racers) in real size." That was my first impression when I saw a Model Y in person. It looks like a chubbier Model 3, which makes it a little cute to my eyes. Overall, the two Teslas share a very similar look, especially from head-on, where you really have to see which one is taller to tell that one is the Model Y. Looking from the side and rear, you start to realize, "Ahh… it's a crossover." The Model Y has taller doors, a rear hatch, and has more of an egg shape similar to Tesla's bigger SUV, the Model X. The Model 3 obviously has a typical sedan profile and also distinguishes itself noticeably with chrome trim on the door handles, front fender side camera, and surrounding the greenhouse. These are all black on the Model Y with additional black wheel arches.
Following its darker trim theme, the Model Y also comes standard with darker (way darker) rear windows and rear windshield than those on Model 3. A reason is that the Model Y doesn't have any shade or cover for the trunk area, so the tint provides some cargo privacy. The Model 3 has a rear deck, so the trunk area is not visible from the outside. Dimension wise, the Model Y is 2.2 inches longer, 2.8 inches wider, and at least 6.5 inches taller; it also has 1.1 inches more ground clearance.
READ MORE: Which Tesla Model 3 Trim Is Best? Here's Our Guide
UPDATE: In late 2020/early 2021, Tesla updated the Model 3's center console to the same style as Model Y's, along with a standard wireless charging pad and the same amount of USB-C and USB-A ports. The Model 3's trunk is now a power trunk and its front doors also received a minor styling tweak during the interior refresh. Now they have trim pieces which visually look like an extension from the front dash's trim piece.
In early 2022, Tesla started making Model Y with a standard cargo cover. However, the change has not yet spread to all Model Ys and only limited to vehicles made in certain factories. We expect it will take Tesla a while to update all of their Model Y production lines.
Tesla says the Model 3 and Model Y share about 70 percent of their parts. I would say that about the interior layout design, too. They both share the same minimalist interior. There is a long piece of wood trim across the front dash (a white trim for the optional black and white interior). Just like the Model 3, the Model Y does not have a speedo in front of the steering wheel. Every bit of driving information is integrated into the horizontally mounted 15.0-inch center touchscreen. Below the screen is the center console with storage in the exact same layout in both, four USB ports (two for front and two for rear) and docking for two phones.
READ MORE: How Much Is a Tesla? Here's a Price Breakdown
The Model Y comes standard with a wireless charging pad in the phone docking area (which also occupies one of the front USB ports). The same can be had on the Model 3, but it does not come standard nor as an order option. It is only available as an accessory from the Tesla Shop for $125. Speaking of USB ports, the Model Y is the first Tesla that makes the switch to a USB-C port. There is one USB-C and one USB-A for the front and two USB-C ports for the rear. Currently the Model 3 comes with only USB-A ports, but it may eventually adapt to the new port, as has already happened to Model 3s built in China. With the switch to USB-C, the charging power also improves from 10 watts to about 26W. Now the rear passengers can keep on playing Animal Crossing on their Nintendo Switch without worrying about running out of power.
When the Model 3 morphed into a SUV, it gained higher seating position and more interior space. The 12-way power adjustable front heated seats on the Model Y are the same as the Model 3. However, they are on seat risers to allow a higher seating position, which most SUV buyers want. The second row consists of three independently folding seats, which give it more utility, fitting the U of SUV. The Model 3 has a 60/40 arrangement without a trunk pass-through. In terms of roominess, the Model 3 and Model Y both are about the same in the front. The second row is where you see a noticeable difference. The Model Y has 1.7 inches more headroom and a vast 5.3 inches of legroom compared to the Model 3.
According to owner's manuals from both EVs, the Model 3 has 15 cubic feet of trunk space, while the Model Y can swallow 68 cubes of total cargo space. Tesla hasn't announced cargo volume behind the front seats of the Model Y (it's likely more than 15 cubic feet) and there's no official rating for max volume in a sedan with the seats folded, so to find out what that number might be, I drove a Model Y to the warehouse of a friend who owns a Model 3 to help him move some cargo. Typically, with its rear seats folded down, the Model 3 can hold 24 27x11x6-inch boxes. The volume of each box is about 1 cubic foot.
We spent about 15 minutes fitting as many boxes as possible into the Model Y with rear seats folded down, and a couple minutes to make sure the hatch could close properly. The very darkly tinted rear windshield was rather difficult to see through and made it a little challenging to judge where the box preventing the hatch from closing was. Eventually, we were able to put in 29 boxes. Proven! The Model Y can hold more stuff than the Model 3. However, the Model 3 with rear seats has almost comparable cargo capacity, not as bad as those numbers from the owner's manuals suggest. That being said, thanks to the taller doors, higher height, and hatchback layout, loading stuff into the Model Y is an easier task than doing the same to the Model 3. (Note, we did not put any boxes into the hidden trunk compartment in either vehicle. We reserved the space for personal items. We did notice the Model Y's frunk was deeper than the Model 3's.)
Tesla's Supercharger network and Autopilot make Tesla a rather ideal EV to take on road trip and camping. Sleeping/camping in a Tesla has become a small cult among Tesla owners. There is a company that makes mattress kit specifically to fit in Teslas. Per owner demands, Tesla has also implemented a Camp mode to allow the car to maintain A/C, interior lighting, entertainment system, and USB port power while the in Park. This cheap-ass author has also spent some nights in a Motel 3.
When sleeping in the back (with rear seats down) in a sleeping bag, I position myself diagonally in order to fully stretch my legs. I'm about 5-foot-8. It is a completely different world in the Model Y. Not only there is room to fully lie down but also enough extra room to snuggle with another person. Without the rear deck like in the Motel 3, it is also a lot easier to move around in there. It's also worth mentioning that while both the Model 3 and the Model Y have a glass roof, the one in the Model Y is a one-piece glass without any mid-section bar, which allows a rather stunning full sky view. From room to view, the Model Y seems to be a star higher than the Model 3.
In terms of on-road performance, the Model 3 and Model Y drive very similar. The extra 344 pounds from the chubbier Model Y is only noticeable pushing on curvy roads. But even then, the most noticeable difference comes from the higher SUV seating position where the driver can feel the lean and swing slightly more. It seems Tesla had the intention to tune the Model Y to drive as agile as the Model 3, like a sedan instead of an SUV. The two vehicles' acceleration also share a close resemblance. And given that they share the same powertrain, you get the same instantaneous Tesla experience in day-to-day driving.
Back to the original question, which one should you buy? Unless you hate a higher seating position or cannot have a taller vehicle or are on a tight budget, go with the Model Y. It offers almost everything the Model 3 can provide along with more usable space and utility. Not to mention you can lie down in the back to snuggle with the person you like while viewing the sky through the seamless panoramic glass roof. Oh, and don't forget to activate Romance mode. (It's the fireplace logo in the Easter egg tray.) For more budget minded buyers, the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive is still the cheapest Tesla vehicle you can buy.
*The Performance Upgrade Package is a no-cost option that lowers the suspension, adds 21-inch wheels and summer tires, and performance brakes and increases top speed to 155 mph (note: Tesla acknowledges that the PUP reduces range from 315 to 280 but does not provide revised EPA numbers for this package).