US man compares a 2026 Tesla Model Y with its premium upgrade to see if the extra $5,000 is worth it

This US YouTuber tried comparing the 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard to the RWD model to see whether the extra cost was justified.

The Standard is basically Tesla’s long-awaited ‘budget’ EV, and there’s a lot missing compared to the RWD model.

In theory, the ‘downgrade’ seems minor.

But the YouTuber came to an interesting conclusion.

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Technically this is the long-awaited ‘budget’ Tesla

For years, we heard rumors about the upcoming ‘budget’ Tesla.

Some said it’d cost less than $25,000, others said it’d be called the Model Q.

For now, all we’re getting is a Tesla Model Y with ‘less stuff’ and a reduced price tag.

Simply called Tesla Model Y Standard, it comes with a few changes that seem quite small.

The frunk is smaller and it isn’t waterproof, it uses simpler headlights and turn signals, fewer speakers, thinner glass for the windows, less premium material for the interior and so on.

The Tesla Model Y Standard also lacks the HEPA air filter, a glass roof, an AM/FM radio antenna, and ventilated seats.

On top of that, it has a slightly worse range (321 miles versus 357 miles), and it’s slower to 60.

But the thing is, if you take a very long list of minor improvements with the RWD, what you get in return is an overall huge improvement.

And the YouTuber seems to agree.

According to Everyday Chris, the US YouTuber who compared these two cars, the RWD is definitely worth the extra $5,000.

In his opinion, the lack of seat controls and the reduced range alone are a deal-breaker.

“I hate [the absence of this feature] and I would gladly pay more for the premiums because of this feature alone. [And you get] 357 miles, which is a lot of miles,” he said.

One of the best-selling cars in the world

The Model Y was the best-selling car in the world – of any kind – in 2023 and 2024.

It lost to the title to Toyota in 2025, but it was still in the top three.

Month in, month out, the Model Y remains one of the best-selling EVs globally.

Unfortunately for Tesla, they’re no longer the best-selling EV brand.

BYD caught up to them, and then surpassed them.

There are a couple of reasons for that.

For starters, Tesla still doesn’t have a truly cheap EV.

BYD does: the Seagull starts at less than $10,000 in some countries.

But the other reason has to do with Tesla’s strategy.

After discontinuing the Model S and Model X, Tesla basically only sells three models: Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck.

And the Cybertruck is only available in the US, which means that the American EV brand has to rely on just two vehicles globally.

Then again, Musk has often repeated that Tesla’s goal is to advance robotics and AI, not necessarily cars.