The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are both designed to cater to the mass market. Both vehicles share 75% of their parts since they’re optimized for quick production. But even vehicles that are three-quarters similar have key differences, some of which were revealed in the recently-released Tesla Model Y Owner’s Manual.
From their tow eye hooks to their speakers to their wheel configuration, the Model Y and Model 3 feature subtle differences that make them distinct from each other. Here are 12 of these key differences, as outlined by Tesla owner-enthusiast Tesla Raj in a recent video.
We’ve highlighted some of the key differentiators below.
Tow Eye Hook
Tesla has added a second tow eye hook to the back of the Model Y for added convenience when towing the vehicle from either end.
In times when a Tesla Model Y may need to be transported on a flatbed truck, the vehicle can be placed in Transport Mode and winched by way of a tow eye hook and onto the back of a flatbed truck while its wheels remain free-rolling.
Compared to the Tesla Model 3, which is equipped with a tow eye hook only in the front of the vehicle, Model Y has a cover on the right side of the rear bumper to conceal the second tow eye. This can be seen in the vehicle’s diagram in the Model Y Owner’s Manual.
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- Tesla Model Y frunk tow eye (Credit: Ben Sullins)
Emergency Door Release Handles
The Tesla Model 3 met some criticism when it was produced with emergency release handles only available on the front doors. Tesla addressed the issue in Model Y by adding emergency release handles on all doors. The Model Y rear emergency release handle is located under a flap inside the bottom of the rear door pocket.
Emergency release handles are only required in situations where the vehicle does not have power. “In the unlikely situation that Model Y has no power, these electrically-powered buttons at the top of the door handles no longer work. However, the doors are equipped with mechanical releases so that you can still open them,” notes Tesla in its Model Y Owner’s Manual.
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- Tesla Model Y emergency door release (Credit: Tesla)
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- Tesla Model Y rear door emergency release (Source image: Eweaver1983271 via Reddit)
Trunk Space, Rear Seats, and Legroom
No surprises, but the trunk space for Model Y is drastically larger than that of the Model 3. Factoring in Model Y’s taller hatchback design versus Model 3’s traditional trunk and the difference in cargo space becomes obvious. Model Y boasts a massive 68 cubic feet of cargo volume compared to 15 cubic feet for Model 3.
The rear seats of the Model 3 and Model Y are also quite different in the way that the all-electric sedan’s fold 60/40. Model Y, on the other hand, has three seats, all of which could be folded down individually. The Model 3’s rear seats can also be folded down only through the rear, while the Model Y provides two ways to fold down its second-row seats and includes a center passthrough when the middle seat is folded down.
Model Y has two switches on the left side of the trunk that gives owners ease of access to the second-row seats directly from the trunk. Activating the switch will fold-down each corresponding rear seat.
The Model Y seats appear to be the same design as the Model 3, however, are mounted on risers for better legroom and overall comfort than Model 3. Rear seat legroom in the Model Y is improved over Model 3 by roughly 15%, although it looks like some of it was borrowed from the 2% reduction in front legroom when compared to Model 3. The headroom between Model Y and Model 3 is relatively the same and differ only by 1-2%.
Tesla Model Y vs Model 3 Leg Room
- Front: Model Y – 41.8 in (1,063 mm) vs Model 3 – 42.7 in. (1,085 mm)
- Rear: Model Y – 40.5 in (1,029) vs Model 3 – 35.2 in (894 mm)
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- Tesla Model Y trunk (Credit: Eweaver1983271 via Reddit)
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- Tesla Model Y rear seat fold down levers (Credit: Tesla)
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- Tesla Model Y rear door emergency release (Source image: Eweaver1983271 via Reddit)
Wiring System and Heat Pump
Arguably the most notable difference between the Model Y and Model 3 in terms of core design improvement is the wiring system and heat management. Tesla added a heat pump to the Model Y, which could help the all-electric crossover maximize its range during winters. In addition and as pointed out by TeslaRaj in his video, the diagram for Model Y appears to show a single track for wiring as opposed to Model 3 which has two.
Teslarati will explore both of these points in detail in an upcoming story.
Wheel Size and Specifications
The Tesla Model Y’s wheels are 9.5 inches wide, which are slightly larger than the Model 3’s 8.5-inch wheels. It should be noted that the Model Y Performance comes with a staggered wheel setup, with the front wheels being 9.5 inches and the rear wheels being 10.5 inches wide.
See more: Tesla Model Y with Performance Upgrade Uberturbine Wheels
Tesla Model Y wheel specifications (Credit: Tesla)
Rear Speakers
Both the Tesla Model 3 and the Tesla Model Y are fitted with a suite of premium speakers that provide a great listening experience for owners. They do have differences in the way that the Model 3’s rear speakers are located on a shelf behind the rear seats, while the Model Y has its rear speakers on the trunk hatch.
Coat Hooks
Both the Tesla Model 3 and the Model Y come with coat hangers, though the all-electric sedan’s is located on the crossbar that goes between the B pillars. The Model Y, with its seamless glass roof, has its coat hangers in the second row.
Inductive Phone Charger
The Tesla Model Y is equipped with a wireless charging pad, as well as USB-A and USB-C slots. On the other hand, the Model 3 is fitted with wired charging options and a dual USB-A slot. Owners would likely appreciate the Model Y’s wireless charging features, as most flagship and midrange mobile devices today come standard with wireless charging. See Tesla Model Y wireless phone charger.
Rear USB ports
The USB ports of the Model 3 and Model Y in the second row are also different. The Model 3 is fitted with two USB-A ports, while the Model Y is equipped with two USB-C ports. Considering that the two vehicles share 75% of their parts, it would not be surprising if Tesla ends up equipping the Model 3 with USB-C ports in the future.
Tesla notes in the Model Y Owner’s Manual that the rear USB ports are for charging devices and do not communicate with the vehicle like the front USB ports that can be used for recording via TeslaCam.
Power Liftgate
The Model Y is equipped with a power liftgate, which provides owners an automatic and convenient way to open and close the vehicle’s rear hatch by way of the center touchscreen or Tesla mobile app. This feature is not present in the Model 3, which is one of the reasons why aftermarket power truck mods became quite popular in the Tesla community.
See Tesla Model Y’s power liftgate in action.
A big thanks to Tesla Raj for compiling this info. Check out this video below.
Investor's Corner
Cantor Fitzgerald maintains Tesla (TSLA) ‘Overweight’ rating amid Q2 2025 deliveries
Cantor Fitzgerald is holding firm on its bullish stance for the electric vehicle maker.
Cantor Fitzgerald is holding firm on its bullish stance for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), reiterating its “Overweight” rating and $355 price target amidst the company’s release of its Q2 2025 vehicle delivery and production report.
Tesla delivered 384,122 vehicles in Q2 2025, falling below last year’s Q2 figure of 443,956 units. Despite softer demand in some countries in Europe and ongoing controversies surrounding CEO Elon Musk, the firm maintained its view that Tesla is a long-term growth story in the EV sector.
Tesla’s Q2 results
Among the 384,122 vehicles that Tesla delivered in the second quarter, 373,728 were Model 3 and Model Y. The remaining 10,394 units were attributed to the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. Production was largely flat year-over-year at 410,244 units.
In the energy division, Tesla deployed 9.6 GWh of energy storage in Q2, which was above last year’s 9.4 GWh. Overall, Tesla continues to hold a strong position with $95.7 billion in trailing twelve-month revenue and a 17.7% gross margin, as noted in a report from Investing.com.
Tesla’s stock is still volatile
Tesla’s market cap fell to $941 billion on Monday amid volatility that was likely caused in no small part by CEO Elon Musk’s political posts on X over the weekend. Musk has announced that he is forming the America Party to serve as a third option for voters in the United States, a decision that has earned the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite Musk’s controversial nature, some analysts remain bullish on TSLA stock. Apart from Cantor Fitzgerald, Canaccord Genuity also reiterated its “Buy” rating on Tesla shares, with the firm highlighting the company’s positive Q2 vehicle deliveries, which exceeded its expectations by 24,000 units. Cannacord also noted that Tesla remains strong in several markets despite its year-over-year decline in deliveries.
News
Tesla Sweden responds to car magazine’s claims that Model 3 has deficient brakes
The company stated that it would be examining the two Model 3s that were used in the magazine’s test.
Tesla Sweden has responded to a car magazine’s claims that the new Model 3 sedan has “deficient” brakes. The all-electric sedan was subjected to the publication’s tests, and its braking distance was reportedly found to be lacking.
The car magazine’s tests
As noted in a report from Swedish car magazine Teknikens Värld, the new Model 3 Long Range’s braking distance proved subpar when it was tested, with the vehicle reportedly having a braking distance of a whopping 133.2 feet (40.6 meters). The magazine claimed that it repeated the test with another Model 3, and its results were only 5 feet (1.5 meters) better.
The magazine noted that this was unacceptable since an acceptable braking distance is 124 feet (28 meters), which also happens to be the Model 3’s braking distance when it was tested by Edmunds in the United States. The publication also stated that the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, which is equipped with drum brakes at the rear, had a braking distance that’s 16 feet (5 meters) shorter in its tests.
Tesla Sweden’s response
Tesla Sweden responded to the car magazine’s claims, stating that the all-electric sedan’s alleged braking performance was not consistent with the company’s data, nor does it align with the Model 3’s safety ratings. The company also noted that it would be examining the two Model 3s that were used in the magazine’s test.
“In the latest braking tests with Model 3, which were conducted by Teknikens Värld 2021, a braking distance of 36.5 meters was measured for Model 3 RWD and 36.7 meters for Model 3 Long Range AWD, so these results are not recognized or consistent with our internal tests.
“We are examining the two specimens to find out why the braking distances differ. Safety is number one at Tesla. Model 3 comes with all safety features as standard. Independent crash safety organization Euro NCAP recently announced new crash results for cars tested in May 2025. Euro NCAP gives the upgraded Model 3 a 5 out of 5-star safety rating and an overall score of 90%, making Model 3 one of the safest vehicles tested under the latest and most stringent testing protocol ever,” Tesla Sweden stated.
Teknikens Värld digs its heels
While Tesla Sweden has responded to its allegations, the car magazine noted that it will nonetheless stand firm on its claim that the new Model 3 has deficient brakes.
“The fact that the Model 3 previously passed the brake test is not relevant because today’s generation of the Model 3 is to be considered a new generation, as Tesla themselves often point out. Nor is the result in Euro NCAP relevant because they are different tests. We can therefore conclude that Tesla has deficient brakes on the new Model 3. It is good for everyone to know,” the car magazine wrote.
News
Trump pushes back on Elon Musk’s America Party, calls third-party move ‘ridiculous’
The clash marks a notable shift in the relationship between the two former allies.
United States President Donald Trump sharply criticized Elon Musk’s decision to launch a new political party, calling the move “ridiculous” and dismissing it as a distraction from the two-party system. The rebuke came shortly after Musk announced the formation of the “America Party,” aimed at disrupting what he calls the entrenched Republican-Democrat “Uniparty.”
Tensions escalate between Trump and Musk
The clash marks a notable shift in the relationship between the two former allies. Musk previously headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s administration, a position aimed at cutting federal spending. The alliance, however, appears to have fractured over policy differences, particularly Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which Musk notes will increase the country’s debt by $5 trillion.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday before boarding Air Force One, Trump said, “It’s always been a two-party system and I think starting a third party just adds to the confusion.” Hours later, he posted on Truth Social that Musk had gone “off the rails,” accusing him of promoting an “Electric Vehicle Mandate” that would have required all Americans to switch to EVs in a short timeframe.
Trump emphasized that his latest tax bill deliberately excluded incentives for electric vehicles, saying Americans should be free to choose gasoline-powered, hybrid, or other new technologies without federal mandates, according to a report from the BBC.
Musk outlines goals for America Party
Musk has been open about his support for ending the EV tax credit, as long as the incentives for other industries like oil and gas are removed as well.. The CEO has adopted this stance for several years. He has also not supported the idea of a mandate that forces consumers to purchase electric cars.
Musk also stated that the newly formed America Party will focus on congressional races in 2025 and 2026, rather than fielding a presidential candidate in the near term. In his post on X, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO criticized both major parties for contributing to the national debt. He also noted that the Department of Government Efficiency’s work will be rendered useless if the US’ debt increases due to Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.
Cantor Fitzgerald maintains Tesla (TSLA) ‘Overweight’ rating amid Q2 2025 deliveries
Tesla Sweden responds to car magazine’s claims that Model 3 has deficient brakes
Trump pushes back on Elon Musk’s America Party, calls third-party move ‘ridiculous’
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