An extended-body, six-seat version of Tesla’s global top seller has made its official debut, but it’s only for China – for now, at least.
The 2026 Tesla Model Y L – a six-seat, long-wheelbase version of the popular SUV – has been revealed in China, but there is no word on if it will be sold in Australia.
Outed in Chinese government documents in recent weeks, Tesla has now confirmed further details of the Model Y L, which stretches the five-seat version’s body to fit a third row of seats.
While buyers only get one extra seat over existing versions – due to ‘captain’s chairs’ in the second row – the longer bodywork promises more room for passengers and cargo, especially in the Chinese market, where buyers value rear-seat space.
A seven-seat Model Y – based on the regular-sized vehicle – has been offered in overseas markets in recent years, but it has offered a cramped experience for the rear-most occupants, which has not been deemed suitable for Chinese customers.
Tesla is yet to confirm the vehicle for sale in markets outside China, or if it will be built in right-hand drive.
“Model Y L is a China-specific product for now, we will continue to assess new products for our market as they become available,” a Tesla Australia representative told Drive.
If sold in Australia, it would become the first three-row Tesla in local showrooms since the final local deliveries of the even-larger Model X – no longer made in right-hand drive – in 2020.
Measuring 4976mm long, 1920mm wide and 1668mm tall, the Model Y L is 179mm longer overall and 44mm taller, but no wider, than the standard Model Y, riding on a 150mm-longer wheelbase.
It appears to share the regular version’s front end and doors, but adds longer rear doors, a lengthened roof, and increased rear overhang to fit the third row of seats.
Other styling changes include a black rear spoiler on the tailgate, 'Model YYY' badging, a unique 19-inch ‘rotating mecha’ alloy wheel design, and the option of a new Starlight Gold exterior colour.
Inside, the second-row ‘captain’s chairs’ are heated and ventilated with power-folding armrests, while the third row seats are also heated.
Air vents have been added to the pillars for second- and third-row occupants, joining those already included under the 8.0-inch rear touchscreen shared with the regular Model Y.
Both rear rows can power-fold flat for a 2539-litre quoted load area, up from a claimed 2138L in the standard Model Y. The curtain airbags extend to the third row of seats.
Up front, the infotainment touchscreen has been enlarged from 15.4 to 16 inches, while new front seats akin to the Model 3 Performance, with single-piece backrests onto which the headrests are affixed.
The L gains a 18-speaker sound system, plus a subwoofer, up from 14 speakers plus subwoofer in a Model Y Long Range.
The Model Y L is offered exclusively in long-range all-wheel-drive trim, with dual electric motors – 142kW front and 198kW rear, according to Chinese government data – good for 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.5 seconds, 0.2sec slower than a five-seat version.
Despite its longer body and higher weight – 2088kg vs 1992kg – the Model Y L is rated with 751km of claimed driving range in lenient CLTC lab testing, compared to 750km for its regular equivalent, from the same 82kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack.
It is thanks to “aerodynamic design and new wheels,” Tesla says, with the rear spoiler claimed to “increase downforce and enhance performance.”
Tesla highlights “upgraded suspension” for the long-wheelbase model, including “continuously variable damping shock absorbers that adapt to road conditions, can effectively filter vibrations, improve grip and stability, and give you more precise control,” it says on its Chinese website.
It is unclear how this differs from the frequency-selective dampers in the regular, 2025-onwards Model Y.
The 2026 Tesla Model Y L is on sale now in China, priced from 339,000 Chinese yuan ($AU72,700) – up from 313,500 yuan ($AU67,200) for the standard Long Range AWD.
If the 8 per cent premium applies in Australia, the Model Y L would start from $74,500 plus on-road costs locally, up from $68,900.
Images posted on social media show the first Model Y L examples are rolling into Chinese dealers.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
