Shopping for a Tesla in 2026 looks different than it did even a year ago. Model S and Model X production ended this spring, and Tesla now sells only what’s left in inventory rather than building new ones to order. That leaves three model lines for anyone ordering new: Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck. Here’s what each actually costs and who it fits.
Model 3: the cheapest way in
The Model 3 starts at $36,990 for the base RWD (about $38,630 with destination and fees), moving up to $42,490 for Premium RWD, $47,490 for Premium AWD, and $54,490 for the Performance, according to pricing tracked by EV Charging Stations. It’s the right call if you mainly drive one or two people around and want the lowest price of entry into a new Tesla.
Model Y: the default family choice
Model Y pricing runs from $41,380 for the base RWD up through $43,380 (base AWD), $47,380 (Premium RWD), $51,380 (Premium AWD), and $59,380 for the Performance AWD, per Cars.com’s 2026 pricing breakdown. It’s the practical pick for most households: more cargo and passenger room than the Model 3, still priced under $50,000 in most trims.
Model Y L: the six-seat option
If five seats genuinely isn’t enough, Tesla now sells a stretched Model Y L with a 2+2+2 six-seat layout across three rows. It’s currently offered only as a Premium AWD Launch Series at $61,990 plus a $1,390 destination fee — $63,380 out the door — with a Tesla-estimated 325-mile range, according to Tesla North America Guide. That’s roughly $12,000 more than a standard Model Y Premium AWD, so it only makes sense if you actually need the third row regularly.
Cybertruck: the truck, at truck prices
Cybertruck now starts at $71,985 for the dual-motor AWD, $81,985 for Premium AWD, and $101,985 for the tri-motor Cyberbeast, all including a $1,995 destination charge, per Cars.com. The single-motor rear-wheel-drive version that once anchored the lineup at a lower price point has been discontinued, so there’s no longer a cheap way into a Cybertruck — it’s a truck-buyer’s Tesla, not a budget one.
The bottom line
For most new-to-Tesla buyers, it still comes down to Model 3 versus Model Y: pick the Model 3 for the lowest price and best efficiency, or the Model Y for more room. Reach for the Model Y L only if you specifically need six seats, and the Cybertruck only if you need what a truck does that a Model Y can’t.
Photo by Makara Heng.