2027 Tesla Model Y L In-Depth: A Bigger DealAmir Saidi - MotorTrendWhen Tesla ended production of the Model S and X earlier this year, not only did it say goodbye to its OG flagship sedan in the S, but it also bid farewell to its only true three-row SUV in America, with seats for up to seven adults. The first-generation Model Y had a three-row option packed into its tidy 188.6-inch overall length, which is still, oddly, available for purchase in the second-generation Model Y—but only in Premium AWD trim—for an additional $2,500. But the third row in that model is exceptionally tight on leg and headroom, and really only meant for children. All of this is why the new long-wheelbase, three-row, six-seat 2027 Model Y L makes a lot of sense in theory. But in reality? Let's find out.The L Stands for LongboiAt 195.6 inches long, the Model Y L is a full seven inches longer than the Model Y. All but 1.1 inches of that stretch is between the wheels, as the Model Y L's 119.7-inch wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than the standard Model Y. The roof gains 1.7 inches of height, which should be welcome news for the occupants, particularly in the third row. The Y L comes in only one seating configuration; driver and front passenger seat, twin captain's chairs separated by an aisle in the middle row, and a bench seat for two in the very back.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendCompared to the outgoing Model X, which is 199.1 inches long, 78.7 inches wide and 66.1 inches tall, the Y L is 3.5 inches shorter in length, 3.1 inches narrower, with a roof height that is 0.4 inches lower. But interestingly, the Y L's wheelbase is 3 inches longer than the Model X, which doesn't seem possible when looking at both from the side.AdvertisementAdvertisementModel Y L first debuted in China in June of 2025. According to Tesla's Lars Moravy, the only differences between U.S. and Chinese models are the source of the battery, suspension tuning, and higher power, ventilated mobile phone charging pads available in China.Power and PerformanceAn 83-kWh nickel, manganese, cobalt, and aluminum (NMCA) battery pack powers the Model Y L's dual motor all-wheel drive system. The battery is made in Tesla's battery plant in Reno, Nevada, and is only slightly larger than the one found in the Model Y. Per Tesla engineers, it should have similar charge and discharge performance. Tesla also claims the 496-horsepower Model Y L will hit 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, which seems reasonable given our prior testing of various Model Ys.Three Rows Of New SeatsWhile the biggest changes in the Y L take advantage of the increased volume in the back of the vehicle, the driver and front passenger get fancy new 16-way power adjustable seats, with a powered thigh bolster that extends to support longer legs, and four-way adjustable lumbar support. The seats are very comfortable, thanks to customizable heating and ventilation settings, and manually adjustable headrests that slide up and down. Other than that, the front cabin of the Y L feels like a direct port over from the Model Y, with the very familiar, centrally mounted 16.0-inch touchscreen display and minimalist design.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendSimilarly, the second row carries over the 8.0-inch touchscreen found in the current Model Y, but adds individual air vents, a new pop-out cupholder, and the two captain's chairs that at first appear identical to the front seats, but lack adjustable height, lumbar, and thigh support. The second-row seats are heated and ventilated and have a deep recline feature perfect for napping. The second-row seats are fully powered, with inboard armrests that raise and lower at the touch of a button at the seat base.AdvertisementAdvertisementTesla claims the Y L's third row has 38 inches of headroom and 31 inches of legroom, an improvement of 3.5 and 5.2 inches, respectively over the present Model Y available with the third row. We haven't verified these measurements, but we can tell you that after sitting in both third rows, one after the other, the Y L's third row is a massive improvement. A 5-foot 11-inch adult can sit correctly and quite comfortably in the third row, without his head touching the glass or rear hatch trim, or knees hitting the second-row seat back or twisted to the side to find toe room.The Y L's third row has a cup holder, an air vent, and a USB-C port for each seat, which are also heated, but not ventilated. To keep things cool and quiet, the large rear hatch now has the same heat-reflecting and acoustic damping glass that was used in the Model Y roof and side windows.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendOne criticism: the only way to access the otherwise lovely third row is through the aisle between the second-row seats, facilitated by the drop-down armrests. The captain's chairs do not tilt and slide forward to create a space large enough for an adult to enter or exit from the side. Perhaps Tesla will decide to add a budget 7-seat version of the Model Y L, using the spring-loaded tilt and slide bench seat from the existing Model Y three-row model.Safety And Cargo CapacityRather than extending the coverage of the Model Y's second row curtain airbag to cover the third-row occupants in the Model Y L, Tesla developed a completely new type of airbag, mounted into the outer edge of both third-row seats. In a crash, this airbag deploys upward to protect the torso and head from contacting the inside of the vehicle. As there is no safety standard or requirement for third-row airbags, Tesla designed and built this new system to its own specifications and believes it to be an industry first.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe four seats in the second and third row all have LATCH / ISOFIX attachment points for children's car seats. To help facilitate drop-off and pickup at school time, all four seats can be controlled from the dashboard touchscreen. That's right, parents, you can control the position, heating, and cooling of all the seats in the car, from the driver's seat.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendTo facilitate loading cargo from the back, the second and third row seats can be folded (and unfolded), at the touch of four buttons, mounted to the left wall of the cargo area. With all four seats folded down, the Model Y L can hold up to 89 cubic feet of cargo (vs 75.5 cubic feet in the five-seat Model Y).How Does It Drive?We spent a couple hours driving the Model Y L around our office in Los Angeles, but those impressions are under embargo until Monday, August 3, at noon eastern time, so come back then for an update to this section. We'll tell you how the new Y L handles, a new chassis setting that prioritizes ride comfort for the rear passengers, and how it stacks up against the current and previous generation Model Ys.Mobile Power BankTo put the U in SUV, the Model Y L supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) energy delivery. V2L leverages the 83-kWh battery and a special adapter that connects to the charging port, to power everything from your lights at the campsite, to refrigerators, microwaves, heaters, and power tools with up to 2.4 kW of power. Similarly, V2H capability allows the Model Y L to be connected to properly equipped homes, as a backup power source.How Much to Take the L?The first production run of the Model Y L arrives in Premium trim as a special Launch Series. This package includes floor mats, puddle lights, a suede dashboard panel, "Launch Series" sill plates, interior and exterior badging, as well as 12 months of free access to Tesla's Supercharger network, Full-Self Driving (Supervised), which is usually a $99/month subscription, and Tesla's premium connectivity package, which is usually $9.99/month or $99/year. Model Y L also launches with an exclusive warm metallic Cosmic Silver paint color and a new "Zen Grey" interior color that replaces the optional white interior.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendThe Model Y L also comes standard with Tesla's "immersive sound system" that features 19 speakers, including four overhead and a dedicated rear center channel speaker. In our brief drive, the system sounded great, especially given the overall quietness of the Y L interior.AdvertisementAdvertisementProduction of the Model Y L has already begun at Tesla's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, with Launch Series deliveries expected in September. The Model Y L Premium Launch Series price is $63,630, including destination and order fees, but not including taxes. Want to take the L? Launch Series vehicles are still available to order for a $250 nonrefundable fee.Be sure to come back on Monday, August 3, at noon Eastern for the rest of our review, including driving impressions.Photo credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Amir Saidi - MotorTrend