There was once a time when Tesla was the new kid on the block, but these days it’s starting to age, with other companies like Rivian and Lucid taking that title. Perhaps that’s most proven by the fact that Tesla is now on its second generation of its so-called affordable EVs: the Tesla Model Y and the Tesla Model 3.
The big refresh of the Model 3, codenamed the Tesla Model 3 Highland, was launched early in 2024, with the Model Y’s refresh, codenamed the Tesla Model Y Juniper, having now been announced.
But which of the two cars is actually better? Or, if neither is better, which is right for your needs? We put the two head-to-head. Note, as you might have gathered by now, we’re comparing the refreshed iterations of these vehicles — however, at the time of this writing, the Model Y Juniper wasn’t available just yet in the U.S.
Design
Tesla uses a relatively uniform design language across its lineup of vehicles, and now that the Model Y has been refreshed, it looks a lot more like the current-generation Model 3. That said, there are some differences between the two vehicles, even apart from their sizes.
Sizes first though. The Model 3 is a sedan-sized vehicle measuring 185.8 inches long, 73 inches wide, and 56.7 inches high. It has an enclosed trunk like other sedans and is a bit lower to the ground than any crossover or SUV. The Model Y Juniper is a little larger than that in pretty much every direction. It measures 188.9 inches long, 75.6 inches wide, and 63.9 inches tall. On top of that, it ditches the enclosed trunk for a hatchback-style trunk, and it’s much more of a crossover-sized vehicle compared to the Model 3 sedan.
There are some other design differences, though. With the Highland refresh, Tesla gave the Model 3 much slimmer and slicker headlights, which aren’t quite as bulbous as they were before. That said, Tesla is taking a different approach for the Model Y Juniper. In place of two distinct headlights, the Model Y now has a long light bar that’s split into three sections, similar to that on the previously announced Tesla Cybercab.
That trend continues on the back too. The Model 3 Highland has two separated tail lights, and while they have a new design compared to the previous generation Model 3, they’re not as revamped as the Model Y Juniper, which switches out distinct tail lights for a long light bar on the back. Regardless, both vehicles look pretty good, especially in their new, sleeker, and more modern lineups.
Ultimately, it’s hard to award one of these a “win” in the design category; it’s strictly a matter of preference.
Winner: Tie
Interior and tech
The interiors of the cars are also very similar. As you might expect, the Model Y, including the Model Y Juniper, has more interior space than the Model 3, which translates directly to more cargo space. Previous generations of the Model Y have offered another advantage to all that space: an option for seven seats. To be clear, the Model Y Juniper has only been announced as a five-seater for now, but we’re expecting a seven-seater configuration at some point in 2025, especially as the Model Y nears a U.S. release. In the previous-gen Model Y, that third row was a little cramped — but at least it was big enough to put a few kids.
At the front of both cars, you’ll find a large tablet-style infotainment display, and the experience is the same regardless of the car you get. You’ll get Tesla’s reasonably well-designed infotainment system, which can show feeds from the numerous cameras around the car, mapping information, and more. Neither of the cars support Android Auto or CarPlay, unfortunately.
Both the Model 3 Highland and Model Y Juniper have some interior upgrades compared to their previous-generation models. Notably, they both offer more ambient lighting and a more seamless design that blends the dashboard into the door panels. They also provide a display for the second row passengers to control climate and even play games, though it is a smaller display.
The cars have the same overall interior experience, but the Model Y scores a win here by offering more space on the inside — plus hopefully at some point soon the Model Y Juniper will come as a three-row vehicle.
Winner: Tesla Model Y
Performance
The level of performance offered by the two vehicles is similar, though there are some details about the Model Y Juniper’s performance that we don’t know just yet. The base Model 3 is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, though there are two all-wheel drive variants in the form of the Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive and the Model 3 Performance All-Wheel Drive. The base Model 3 can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds, while the Model 3 Performance gets up to speed in an incredibly impressive 2.9 seconds.
The Model Y Juniper will be available in RWD and AWD variants too. However, only two models have been announced so far. We are expecting a Model Y Performance to join the Juniper lineup down the line, but we don’t yet have details of what that might look like or even confirmation that it’s actually happening.
The numbers related to the Model Y performance are also a little off compared to the Model 3’s performance. This considers how fast it can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour, or 62 mph. The base Model Y Juniper can get to 62mph in 6.6 seconds, while the AWD Model Y Juniper does so in 4.3 seconds.
Things might be a little different once a Model Y Performance is released, but for now, the Tesla Model 3 is a little quicker, likely due to its lighter weight.
Winner: Tesla Model 3
Range and charging
The range offered by the two vehicles is slightly different, and we don’t yet have EPA estimates for the Model Y Juniper.
The base version of the Model 3 Highland has the highest range, at 363 miles. The all-wheel drive version offers 346 miles, while the Model 3 Performance has a range of 298 miles.
As mentioned, we don’t yet have exact numbers for the Model Y when it comes to EPA estimates. Instead, we have numbers as tested by the China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle, or CLTC. Typically, CLTC numbers are higher than Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, numbers in the U.S., as the CLTC tests are a little less strict. According to the CLTC, the Model Y Juniper offers between 368 miles and 447 miles of range, depending on the battery size you get. Again, however, once the vehicle launches in the U.S., range estimates will likely be lower.
While we can’t compare EPA estimates, we can at least compare CLTC estimates. In China, the base Model 3 has a 634 km (394 mile) range, while the Model 3 Long Range has a 713 km (443 mile) range. In other words, while the long-range variants of these two vehicles offer a similar range, the base variants are a little different, with the Model 3 having a better range. Of course, there’s no Model Y Performance to compare the Model 3 Performance to yet.
Both vehicles charge at 250kW, which is reasonably quick but not the fastest charging speed you can get right now, which is 350kW.
Given the fact that the base Model 3 has a better range than the base Model Y, it’s the winner here.
Winner: Tesla Model 3
Pricing and availability
Electric cars are still relatively expensive, but the Model 3 and Model Y are on the lower end of electric cars that are actually high-quality. The Model 3 starts at $42,490 for the base model, ranging up to $54,990 for the Model 3 Performance. We don’t yet have prices for the Model Y Juniper in the U.S., but we’re expecting it to come at a similar price to the previous generation Model Y, which is currently available at a base price of $44,990.
Technically, both a Model 3 and a Model Y are available in the U.S. right now, but if you want the Model Y Juniper, you’ll have to wait a little. That said, given that the Model 3 is cheaper than the Model Y, we’re giving it the win in this category.
Winner: Tesla Model 3
Overall winner: Tesla Model 3
There are a few things that make the Model 3 better in some ways than the Model Y, like the fact that it’s faster and has a higher range in the base model. That said, those differences are relatively minor for most buyers. The fact is that most customers should make their decision based on the size of the vehicle they want and, if they want a larger one, whether they can afford the higher price of the Model Y. In other words, most customers are deciding between smaller and cheaper, or bigger and more expensive. Unfortunately, that’s a subjective decision to make.
