Tesla Model Y Juniper RWD belatedly debuts, 7-seater still absent

It's great to hear that the 2025 Tesla Model Y Juniper Long Range RWD is finally available stateside, because we can infer that Tesla took our article on the RWD version's inexcusable absence seriously.

Come on, you can't tell me it's a coincidence that we published that article on March 3rd, and now here we are, a few days later, reporting that the new Model Y Long Range RWD can be ordered on Tesla's website. It wasn't there then, and it's there now. That's just simple cause and effect.

Anyway, better late than never, and the Long Range RWD is certainly a better Model Y for most shoppers. As we'll see below, it's not dramatically slower than the Long Range AWD, its range is quite a bit better, and it's significantly cheaper.

But why the heck did Tesla make shoppers wait months for the Long Range RWD to become available?

And why is the outgoing Model Y's optional third-row seat still not available in any Model Y Juniper?

The Juniper Long Range RWD is the best compact electric SUV

I mean, personally I'd go with a Model 3 Long Range RWD, because it's as quick as, and better-handling than, the Model Y Long Range AWD, while delivering a few more miles of range than the Model Y Long Range RWD.

But if you gotta have an SUV, the Model Y Long Range RWD is the one that really underscores Tesla's advantages in engineering and value.

Just look at the numbers. It's remarkable how far ahead the Model Y RWD is compared to most competitors, especially for the money.

As you can see, a couple of rivals come within shouting distance of the Tesla, but they can't fully compete.

One of them is the Chevy Blazer EV RS RWD, which borrows the Cadillac Lyriq's powerful rear-drive motor. That's why it only trails the Model Y RWD by 23 miles of range and three-tenths of a second to 60 mph. It's in the ballpark, in other words, even if it's still a bit behind. But check the price — the Chevy costs $10,605 more. Pay more for less? That's rarely a winning proposition.

The other is the Mustang Mach-E Extended Range RWD. Ford says it'll get to 60 in a swift 5.2 seconds, and the price is less than $2k higher than that of the Tesla. But the Mach-E falls 37 miles short on range, and its 150-kW peak charge rate is dwarfed by the Model Y's 250-kW peak. All things considered, the Mach-E ER RWD comes closest to the Model Y RWD's level, but it's not quite there.

As for the others, they're not really in the game. The Hyundai/Kia cousins are way behind in the acceleration column, while the Volkswagen trails tragically in range.

And as for the Model Y Juniper AWD, well, here's how the Juniper twins compare:

It's easy to make the argument for the AWD version, because you get significantly more quickness and only lose 30 miles — which, when you're starting at 357 miles, may not seem like too much to give up.

But you're also paying $4k more if you go AWD, and that seems like a stiff fee for sacrificing nearly 10 percent of your range. Also, a 5.4-second dash to 60 mph is more quickness than most folks would ever use anyway.

Overall, the Juniper LR RWD is the winner in our book, but the Model Y Juniper is a standout value no matter how many wheels are getting power. And for the most part, its rivals simply cannot keep up, which is why the Model Y is easily our top-ranked compact electric SUV.

It took way too long for Tesla to roll out the Juniper Long Range RWD

This is really the only problem with the Juniper Long Range RWD. Imagine, for example, Kia rolling out the refreshed 2025 EV6 without including the Long Range RWD variant at the outset. What sense would that make? Naturally, that's not how Kia did it — they brought out the whole lineup at the same time.

The Volvo EX30 is an example of an AWD-only EV that still lacks a RWD variant, but that's not by design. Prohibitive import tariffs on Chinese-made EVs forced Geely-owned Volvo to shift production to Belgium, and the highly anticipated rear-drive EX30 has yet to materialize. But that's bad for business, clearly, as the EX30 RWD was slated to be about $10k cheaper. If Volvo could have launched with the RWD version in the lineup, they would have.

And that's the thing about the Juniper Model Y: there's no reason Tesla couldn't have launched with the Long Range RWD leading the way. Instead, they left a gap of a few months during which the AWD Juniper was the only Juniper you could buy, giving shoppers another reason to skip Tesla and buy a rival EV.

You still can't get a three-row Model Y Juniper

Speaking of giving shoppers reasons not to buy a Tesla, how about the Model Y's third-row seat? It's been a $2k option on the AWD model for years, but it's nowhere to be found on the Juniper AWD's options sheet.

People poke fun at the Y's tiny third row, but for many parents, it's perfect for little kids, obviating the need to get a larger SUV. And for every shopper out there of that persuasion, the Model Y Juniper continues to be a non-starter.

Again, what could the reason be for this omission, other than poor planning? Making the third row optional from the get-go was an easy win for the Model Y team, as it would have given parents who need extra seating a clear rationale for upgrading to the Juniper. Today, these parents are either standing pat or maybe buying something like a Kia EV9, which adds up to lost sales that Tesla could have clinched.

MotorDonkey says

Generally, you want to launch a refreshed product with all hands on deck, unless perhaps the variant in question is something like the Model Y Performance, which is also not yet available in Juniper form. I can understand that — it's not a product with mainstream appeal, so fine, go ahead and make it a lower priority.

But the Long Range RWD is the Model Y's price leader and range leader. It's arguably the most appealing version to the widest range of shoppers. Delaying its launch for a few months could only hurt the cause, pushing would-be Model Y RWD buyers into the arms of rival automakers. Coming hot on the heels of the Cybertruck debacle, the clumsy Juniper launch raises fresh questions about the ability of Tesla's leadership to claw back the company's shrinking market share. ⛐ md