2026 Tesla Model Y Performance Review: More aggro and a heck of a lot more pace, but is this EV hero worth the extra bucks?
Tesla to some extent defined electric performance and now it’s trying to redefine it with the latest Model Y Performance.
The recent arrival is the third model in the ‘Juniper’ Model Y lineup, sitting above the Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range. As the name alludes to, it’s the fastest you can go in a Model Y.
Whereas all Australian-delivered Teslas over the last few years have come from China, the MY Performance comes from Germany.
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While it uses the same body, there are some key styling differences that help it stand out from garden variety Model Ys.
The lower airblades on the outer edges of the front bumper and the bumper itself are unique to the Performance, as is the carbon fibre lip spoiler and black wing mirrors. There are also a unique rear bumper and black diffuser, each looking more aggressive than on the regular models.
There are also unique 21-inch Arachnid wheels and larger, red brake callipers.
Inside, the Model Y Performance gets sports seats up front with the Performance badge that’s also on the bootlid integrated into them.
There are also carbon fibre trim elements on the doors and dash.
Plus there’s a new screen that steps up in size from 15.4 inches to 16 inches.
While the size difference isn’t really noticeable the screen is a new QHD design (higher definition) with more pixels (2560 x 1440 versus 1920 x 1200) for a crisper appearance.
2026 Tesla Model Y Performance price and equipment
The Performance sits at the top of the Model Y family.
Whereas the Rear-Wheel Drive sells from $58,900 and the Long Range $68,900 the Performance is $89,400, each before on-road costs.
Its equipment levels broadly match what all Model Ys get, including a panoramic glass roof, electrically adjustable front seats, electrically reclining back seats, powered tailgate, heated steering wheel, heated outer seats, ventilated front seats, dual wireless phone chargers and matrix LED headlights.
And, of course, there are the aforementioned aesthetic upgrades that give it more on-road aggro – and hint to the aggro beneath the skin.
Whereas Tesla usually charges extra for any colour other than white, with the Performance all hues are the same price.
But if you want a white interior it’s another $1500.
Too bad if you’re wedded to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, though, because Tesla insists you use embedded apps and its own systems.
To be fair, the included nav (which uses Google Maps) is great, but not all apps are included to cover all bases covered by those smartphone systems.
There’s also still no head-up display or separate instrument cluster.
And the four-year, 80,000km warranty remains undernourished; at least there’s a decent eight-year, 192,000km warranty for the NMC battery pack.
2026 Tesla Model Y Performance: What we think
Teslas have redefined how we view fast (vaguely affordable) cars. Or, at least, how we expect them to launch off the line.
The latest Model Y is among the quickest SUVs on the road to blast to 100km/h, beautifully leveraging its all-wheel drive grip and prodigious torque.
There’s at least 343kW of power, which Tesla says is enough to hit 100km/h in 3.5 seconds (paperwork supplied to the government to certify the car for sale suggests it can produce 461kW).
And while Tesla claims can be optimistic, it feels brutally quick. Certainly quicker than most people will ever need – or any police officer will let you get away with!
Ultimately that off-the-line thrill is one of the best attributes of the MY Performance.
It backs it up with an impressive ability to build pace out of corners.
In short, it’s quick – and feels it anywhere.
Additional modes hidden within the touchscreen are aimed at maximising the pace and grin factor for the Performance package.
You can dial back the usually pronounced brake regeneration at the tap of a virtual button, for example, and Insane mode is designed to unleash everything in one hit, in turn tightening the steering and suspension for more enthusiastic tilts.
Think of it as adding some real world gaming DNA to the virtual gaming options – and tech focus – of the Model Y.
Rest assured, there’s substance too.
Pirelli tyres deliver on traction for impressive cornering pace and precision, reasserting the five-door as a competent and capable EV.
But there’s also something missing – mostly in the X-factor.
It doesn’t ooze the tactility some may expect in a car built for excitement.
The Performance can feel digital and reactive in the way it deals with bends and bumps, without the effortless flow and feedback some driver-focussed cars do so well.
Yet it’s easy to live with. There’s an impressively liveable ride for a car with so much near-silent ferocity.
The suspension doesn’t quite have the suppleness of lesser Model Ys, but for a car with so much speed it’s thoroughly acceptable.
Even in Insane mode – with its stiffer setup courtesy of adaptive dampers – it deals admirably with bumps and thumps. Sure, it’s firm, but it’s not uncomfortable.
Like the Model Y Long Range, the Performance gets an NMC battery rather than the cheaper-to-manufacture LFP chemistry used in Rear-Wheel Drive Teslas.
That means it’s recommended not to charge it to 100 per cent regularly, instead leaving that full top-up for road trips.
The claimed range is 580km and we found something like 500km closer to what you can expect in the real world; less if you’re regularly enjoying the full 343kW.
Charging at a public DC fast charger can be done at up to 250kW, for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in as little as 14 minutes.
And like all Teslas it benefits from having access to the best charging network in the business (for now, at least), especially for destination and home chargers of up to 11kW.
Like the app – which allows you to use a smartphone as a key – the charging experience is easy, too: plug it in and the phone talks to the charger without you having to intervene.
Elsewhere the Performance is trademark Model Y.
That includes its deceptive space and practicality. As well as a 116-litre frunk there’s a 822-litre boot with a cavernous underfloor compartment.
Rear seat room is thoroughly acceptable, albeit with low-slung seats making it trickier to see around the front seats.
And blazing sun can be frustrating without a cover for the panoramic glass roof.
Up front there’s an airy, open feel with ample storage.
More aggressive sports seats hug snugly around your ribs, helping keep you in place if you’re enjoying all the car has to offer.
Those in the rear get a small touchscreen with the same infotainment functionality as the larger screen up front. Occupants can stream Netflix or YouTube, for example, and even pair wireless headphones.
There’s one thing that takes some of the shine off the Model Y Performance: it no longer has the market effectively to itself.
There are viable go-fast options from IM, Zeekr and BYD that will destroy plenty of highly fancied European SUVs in the traffic light grand prix.
And the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N continues to set the benchmark for performance EVs, not only nailing the straight-line bit but backing it with excellent dynamics and driving excitement.
The recent improvements to the garden variety Model Y also make it a more convincing proposition with plenty of fun factor, making the premium of up to $30K tougher to digest.
One final point around the country of origin.
Whereas there was a big difference in build quality between US-made Teslas versus those sourced from China (the Chinese ones are far better for fit and finish) I struggled to find any difference between Germany and China.
The only really difference is the first few digits of the VIN, which are now XP7 instead of LRW (for the Shanghai plant); Teslas from the brand’s Californian factory start with 5YJ).
2026 Tesla Model Y Performance: Verdict
The Tesla Model Y Performance does a terrific job of rearranging your hair when you floor the throttle but is less adept at raising the hairs on your neck.
That’s long been a criticism of Performance Teslas, although to be fair the latest iteration is narrowing the gap.
While it’s clinical in the way it slices and dices a corner, there’s still a void when it comes to the subtleties of performance cars that the likes of BMW and Porsche do so well – and the Ioniq 5 N sets the benchmark for.
The Model Y Performance is also a long way from the pioneer it once was.
Whereas once it was a loner in the sub-$100K fast EV market, Performance models from Tesla have been swamped by competitors.
So, yes, the Model Y Performance should absolutely be on your shortlist, particularly if you value tech, trinkets, space and charging smarts.
But it’s no longer a slam dunk.
Score: 4/5
2026 Tesla Model Y Performance price and specifications
Price: $89,400 plus on-road costs
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, AWD
Range: 580km (WLTP)
Battery capacity: about 82kWh
Battery warranty: 8 years/192,000km
Energy consumption: 16.2kWh/100km
Motors: 1 front and 1 rear, 343kW combined
AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 250kWkW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 3.5 seconds
