Every Tesla Compared: Model 3 vs. Model Y vs. Model S vs. Model X vs. Cybertruck — Which Trim Is Right?
Every current Tesla trim compared for 2026: verified prices, EPA ranges, the Model Y L, the end of the S and X, plus value picks and the trims to skip.
Tesla's showroom looks very different in mid-2026 than it did a year ago. The Model S and Model X are out of production, cheaper Standard versions of the Model 3 and Model Y have joined the lineup, the Cybertruck has shuffled its trims twice, and a long-wheelbase, six-seat Model Y L has just opened for US orders. Prices have moved around, too — Tesla raised Model Y prices in May 2026 for the first time in two years.
This guide covers every Tesla you can order (or still find) in the US as of July 2026, trim by trim, with prices and ranges checked against Tesla's current configurator and EPA figures. All prices below exclude Tesla's $1,390 destination fee and $250 order fee unless noted. One more thing worth stating plainly: the federal EV purchase tax credit expired on September 30, 2025, so no vehicle on this page gets a federal purchase credit. The sticker price is the real price.
Tesla Model 3: four trims, $36,990 to $54,990
The Model 3 is Tesla's least expensive car and, on a dollars-per-mile-of-range basis, its most efficient offering. The 2026 lineup has four versions: Standard, Premium Rear-Wheel Drive, Premium All-Wheel Drive, and Performance.
| Trim | Price (before dest.) | EPA range | 0–60 mph | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 3 Standard | $36,990 | 321 mi | 5.8 sec | RWD, single motor |
| Model 3 Premium RWD | $42,490 | 363 mi | 4.9 sec | RWD, single motor |
| Model 3 Premium AWD | $47,490 | 346 mi | 4.2 sec | AWD, dual motor |
| Model 3 Performance | $54,990 | 309 mi | 2.9 sec | AWD, dual motor |
What the Standard trim gives up
The $36,990 Standard, introduced in October 2025, is not just a smaller battery. Tesla removed content to hit the price: textile seats instead of vegan leather, a simpler audio system, no rear touchscreen, and a slower 7.7-kW onboard AC charger versus the 11.5-kW unit in Premium trims (Tesla). That last one matters if you charge at home on a 240-volt circuit — the Standard adds miles only about two-thirds as fast overnight. Still, 321 miles of EPA-estimated range at this price is genuinely competitive with anything in the segment.
Which Model 3 to buy
- Best value: Premium RWD ($42,490). The $5,500 step up from Standard buys 42 more miles of range (363 total, the longest of any Tesla currently on sale), the nicer interior, faster home charging, and a quicker motor. This is the trim we'd point most shoppers to.
- Buy the Standard if your budget is firm and you mostly charge at home overnight anyway — the core driving experience is intact.
- Premium AWD ($47,490) makes sense in snow states; otherwise the extra $5,000 over Premium RWD buys traction you may not need and costs you 17 miles of range.
- Performance ($54,990) is a legitimate 2.9-second sports sedan, but it's a want, not a need, and range drops to 309 miles.
Tesla Model Y: six versions, $39,990 to $61,990
The Model Y remains the best-selling EV in America, and its 2026 lineup is the broadest it has ever been. Note the recent price movement: in May 2026, Premium RWD and Premium AWD each rose $1,000 and Performance rose $500 (Tesla). In July 2026, Tesla also opened US orders for the Model Y L, a stretched six-seater that begins deliveries this fall.
| Trim | Price (before dest.) | EPA range | 0–60 mph | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model Y Standard RWD | $39,990 | 321 mi | 6.8 sec | 5 |
| Model Y Standard AWD | $41,990 | 294 mi | 4.6 sec | 5 |
| Model Y Premium RWD | $45,990 | 357 mi | 5.4 sec | 5 |
| Model Y Premium AWD | $49,990 | 327 mi | 4.6 sec | 5 (7 optional) |
| Model Y Performance | $57,990 | 306 mi | 3.3 sec | 5 |
| Model Y L (Launch Series) | $61,990 | 325 mi | ~4.5 sec (est.) | 6 |
Standard vs. Premium Model Y
As with the Model 3, the Standard trims trade content for price: cloth-and-synthetic seats, 18-inch wheels, and a seven-speaker stereo, versus the Premium's 19-inch wheels, ventilated front seats, 15-speaker audio, 8-inch rear touchscreen, panoramic roof treatment, and power-reclining heated second row (Tesla). Premium trims also charge faster both at home (11.5 kW vs. a slower onboard unit) and at Superchargers (250 kW peak vs. 225 kW).
About the Model Y L
The Model Y L adds 5.9 inches of wheelbase and about 7 inches of overall length, and swaps the bench for second-row captain's chairs plus a usable two-seat third row — a genuine 2+2+2 layout with 325 miles of EPA-estimated range (Tesla). At $61,990 for the initial Launch Series, it arrived roughly $8,000 above what most analysts expected, with first US deliveries slated for September. If you regularly carry six people, it's the first Tesla short of a now-discontinued Model X that actually does the job; the optional third row in the Premium AWD is best treated as a kids-only jump seat.
Which Model Y to buy
- Best value: Premium RWD ($45,990). 357 miles of range and the full-fat interior. Most families should start here.
- Standard RWD ($39,990) is the value play if the budget stops at $40k — 321 miles of range undercuts most similarly priced rivals.
- Skip the Standard AWD ($41,990) unless you truly need all-wheel drive at the lowest possible price; 294 miles is the shortest range in the lineup and you still get the decontented interior.
- Performance ($57,990) is quick and adds adaptive suspension, but at that price you're within reach of the Model Y L — decide whether speed or space matters more.
Model S and Model X: effectively gone
This is the biggest change of 2026. Tesla announced in late January that it would end Model S and Model X production, and by April custom orders were closed with only about 600 vehicles left in inventory worldwide. Rather than discounting the leftovers, Tesla raised the price of remaining new and demo units by $15,000, bundling in Full Self-Driving (Supervised), lifetime Supercharging, and other perks on final inventory cars (Tesla).
| Model (final inventory) | Final price | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Model S AWD | $109,990 | Inventory/demo units only, nearly sold out |
| Model S Plaid | $124,990 | Inventory/demo units only, nearly sold out |
| Model X AWD | $114,990 | Inventory/demo units only, nearly sold out |
| Model X Plaid | $129,990 | Inventory/demo units only, nearly sold out |
Our honest advice: unless last-of-the-line status and the lifetime-Supercharging bundle genuinely matter to you, don't pay a $15,000 markup for a discontinued platform. The used market is well stocked with recent Model S and Model X examples at far lower prices, and Tesla has said it will keep supporting parts and service. If you need three rows and towing, cross-shop the Model Y L or a Rivian R1S — see our R1S vs. Model X comparison for how the used X stacks up.
Cybertruck: three trims, $69,990 to $99,990
The Cybertruck lineup has been restructured twice in about a year. The single-motor RWD Long Range that appeared in 2025 was discontinued after roughly five months on sale. In February 2026 Tesla introduced a decontented dual-motor AWD base trim at $59,990, then raised it $10,000 on March 1. Meanwhile the tri-motor Cyberbeast was cut roughly $15,000 to $99,990.
| Trim | Price (before dest.) | EPA range | 0–60 mph | Max towing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cybertruck AWD (base) | $69,990 | 325 mi | 4.1 sec | 7,500 lb |
| Cybertruck Premium AWD | $79,990 | 325 mi | 4.1 sec | 11,000 lb |
| Cyberbeast | $99,990 | 320 mi | 2.6 sec | 11,000 lb |
Base AWD vs. Premium AWD
The $10,000 gap is mostly comfort and capability trimming, not powertrain. The base truck gets coil-spring suspension instead of adaptive air suspension, a simpler audio system, no ventilated front seats, no rear touchscreen, and towing drops from 11,000 to 7,500 pounds (Tesla). It keeps the parts that make a Cybertruck a Cybertruck: steer-by-wire, four-wheel steering, the powered tonneau over a six-foot composite bed, 120V and 240V bed outlets, and Powershare home backup capability.
Which Cybertruck to buy
- Base AWD ($69,990) if you don't tow heavy. Same 325-mile range and 4.1-second sprint as the Premium for $10,000 less.
- Premium AWD ($79,990) if you tow: the adaptive air suspension and 11,000-pound rating earn their keep with a trailer attached.
- Cyberbeast ($99,990) is the halo. At its new lower price it's easier to defend than it was at $115k, but it's still $30,000 over the base truck for acceleration you'll rarely use. Serious electric-truck shoppers should also cross-shop the Rivian R1T, which offers up to 420 miles of EPA range.
Cross-lineup value picks and trims to skip
- Best overall value in the lineup: Model 3 Premium RWD ($42,490, 363 miles). Nothing else Tesla sells beats its range per dollar.
- Best family pick: Model Y Premium RWD ($45,990, 357 miles) — or the Model Y L ($61,990) if you genuinely need six seats.
- Best under $40k: Model Y Standard RWD ($39,990) if you need the crossover shape; Model 3 Standard ($36,990) if you don't.
- Trims to skip: Model Y Standard AWD (shortest range in the family, still the base interior), and final-inventory Model S/X at their marked-up prices unless the perk bundle truly pencils out for you.
- Sedan or crossover? A Model 3 Premium costs about $3,500 less than the equivalent Model Y, goes farther per charge, and is more efficient. Buy the Y for the hatch, ride height, and cargo space — not by default.
With the federal purchase credit gone since September 2025, real transaction prices matter more than ever. Tesla rotates financing promotions quarterly — a 3.99% APR offer can be worth thousands over a loan term — so compare offers, not just MSRPs. You can track current manufacturer offers on our EV deals page.
Ready to narrow it down? Use EV Decoder's Find My EV tool to match a trim to your budget and driving needs, estimate real-world home and Supercharger costs for any trim with our charging calculator, and dig into full specs on our Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck pages.
