Which Tesla should I buy? Every UK model and trim compared

For most UK buyers the best Tesla is the Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD at £44,990, which gives the most range per pound of any Tesla. Buy a Model Y only if you need the bigger boot, and skip the entry Model Y RWD unless your budget stops at £44,990 and you need an SUV.

Tesla sells two models new in the UK, the Model 3 saloon and the Model Y SUV, each in four trims. Below are the list prices from 1 October 2026 (reported by EV Industry News and matched by EV Database in November 2026), the range and charging figures for each, and our own running cost and value calculations.

What Teslas can you buy in the UK?

You can buy eight versions: four Model 3 trims from £37,990 and four Model Y trims from £44,990. The Model S and Model X are no longer sold new here. Ranges are official WLTP figures alongside EV Database’s real-world estimates, which are lower and closer to what owners see in everyday driving.

Trim	List price (Nov 2026)	WLTP range	Real-world range	Usable battery	Peak DC charging
Model 3 RWD	£37,990	332 miles	275 miles	60 kWh	175 kW
Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD	£44,990	429 to 466 miles	360 miles	79 kWh	250 kW
Model 3 Premium Long Range AWD	£49,990	410 miles	340 miles	79 kWh	250 kW
Model 3 Performance	£59,990	373 miles	325 miles	79 kWh	250 kW
Model Y RWD	£44,990	309 to 326 miles	235 miles	60 kWh	175 kW
Model Y Premium Long Range RWD	£49,990	375 miles	285 miles	74 kWh	250 kW
Model Y Premium Long Range AWD	£52,990	373 to 386 miles	295 miles	79 kWh	250 kW
Model Y Performance	£61,990	360 miles	285 miles	79 kWh	250 kW

Where a WLTP range is shown as a span, the lower figure applies to the heaviest specification, such as larger wheels. For the full price history, including the £3,000 rise on the entry Model Y in October, see our Tesla UK prices page.

Which Tesla is the best value for money?

The Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD is the best value, because it has the longest range of any Tesla for the same price as the entry Model Y. To compare trims fairly we divided each list price by its real-world range.

Method: list price ÷ EV Database real-world range = £ per mile of range. Running cost: Wh per mile ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh = pence per mile.

Trim	Efficiency (Wh/mile)	Home, 8p/kWh	Price cap, 26.32p/kWh	Public rapid, 79p/kWh	£ per mile of real range
Model 3 RWD	218	1.7p	5.7p	17.2p	£138
Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD	219	1.8p	5.8p	17.3p	£125
Model 3 Premium Long Range AWD	232	1.9p	6.1p	18.3p	£147
Model 3 Performance	243	1.9p	6.4p	19.2p	£185
Model Y RWD	255	2.0p	6.7p	20.1p	£191
Model Y Premium Long Range RWD	260	2.1p	6.8p	20.5p	£175
Model Y Premium Long Range AWD	268	2.1p	7.1p	21.2p	£180
Model Y Performance	277	2.2p	7.3p	21.9p	£218

The efficiency figures are EV Database’s real-world estimates. The 8p/kWh home rate is our standard smart EV tariff input; Octopus Energy now lists Intelligent Octopus Go at 6.5p/kWh, which would bring the home column down to 1.4p to 1.8p a mile. The rapid figure is Zapmap’s September 2026 average of 79p/kWh.

Three things stand out. First, the two £44,990 cars are very different deals: the Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD costs £125 per mile of range and the Model Y RWD £191, because the Model Y has a 60 kWh battery and a heavier, taller body. Second, home charging costs barely change between trims: over 10,000 miles a year the Model 3 RWD costs about £174 and the Model Y Performance about £222. Third, if you rely on public rapid charging, the gap widens to about £470 a year over the same mileage, so efficiency matters more. Our guide to the cost of charging a Tesla covers Supercharger rates in detail.

Should I buy a Model 3 or a Model Y?

Buy the Model 3 if range and running costs come first, and the Model Y if you need space. EV Database lists the Model 3 boot at 594 litres plus an 88 litre front boot, against 835 litres in the Model Y RWD and 854 litres in the Model Y Performance, plus a 117 litre front boot. The Model Y also folds to more than 2,100 litres, against 977 litres in the Model 3.

The trade-off is range and efficiency. At every price point the Model 3 goes further and costs less per mile. Our full Model 3 vs Model Y comparison covers the cabin, ride and rear seat space.

Which Model 3 should I buy?

Model 3 RWD (£37,990): the cheapest Tesla, with 332 miles WLTP and the lowest running cost in the range at 1.7p a mile at home. It suits drivers who mostly do local trips and charge at home. Its 175 kW peak charging is slower than the other trims.

Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD (£44,990): the pick of the range. You pay £7,000 more than the RWD for 85 more miles of real-world range, a 79 kWh battery and 250 kW charging, and efficiency is almost identical at 219 Wh per mile. For anyone doing regular motorway trips, this is the one to buy.

Model 3 Premium Long Range AWD (£49,990): buy it for all-wheel-drive traction in winter or extra pace. It gives up 20 miles of real range against the RWD and costs £5,000 more, though it stays under the £50,000 supplement threshold.

Model 3 Performance (£59,990): Tesla claims 0 to 62 mph in 3.1 seconds. At £185 per mile of real range it is the third dearest Tesla on our value measure, and it pays the expensive car supplement.

Which Model Y should I buy?

Model Y RWD (£44,990): the cheapest way into a Model Y, but the weakest value in the line-up after the Performance. Its 235 mile real-world range is the shortest of any Tesla, and in winter you should expect less (see how much range EVs lose in winter). Buy it only if you need the boot and charge at home most of the time.

Model Y Premium Long Range RWD (£49,990): the best Model Y for most families. £5,000 over the RWD buys 50 more miles of real range, 250 kW charging and a 74 kWh battery, and it sits £10 below the £50,000 supplement threshold before options.

Model Y Premium Long Range AWD (£52,990): adds all-wheel drive and 10 more miles of real range than the Premium RWD, but its price takes it over £50,000, so it pays the supplement.

Model Y Performance (£61,990): the dearest Tesla, with a claimed 3.5 seconds to 62 mph. It costs £218 per mile of real range, the most of any trim.

Which Teslas pay the expensive car supplement?

Three trims pay it: the Model Y Premium AWD, Model 3 Performance and Model Y Performance. GOV.UK says electric cars listed above £50,000 pay an extra £440 a year for five years from the second year of tax, on top of the £200 standard rate. That is £640 a year in years two to six, or £2,200 extra in total. The other five trims pay £10 in year one and £200 a year after that.

What does each Tesla cost as a company car?

All Teslas are taxed at 4% benefit-in-kind in 2026/27, so list price decides the bill. Method: list price × 4% × your tax rate ÷ 12. For a 40% taxpayer that is about:

• £51 a month for the Model 3 RWD (£37,990)
• £60 a month for the Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD or Model Y RWD (£44,990)
• £67 a month for the Model 3 Premium AWD or Model Y Premium RWD (£49,990)
• £71 a month for the Model Y Premium AWD (£52,990)
• £80 a month for the Model 3 Performance (£59,990)
• £83 a month for the Model Y Performance (£61,990)

Our Tesla company car tax guide shows the 20% and 45% figures and the rates for later years.

Do any Teslas get the Electric Car Grant?

No. No Tesla appears on the government’s list of eligible cars, which offers up to £3,750 on Band 1 models and £1,500 on Band 2. Every price here is the full list price.

What about Autopilot and assisted driving?

Every new Tesla comes with Autopilot, which includes Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer, and the driver must supervise at all times. In Europe Tesla has renamed Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as Tesla Assisted Driving, and UK support pages now describe the old Full Self-Driving Capability package as Tesla Assisted Driving Basic, according to TechTorque. The advanced supervised system is not approved in the UK. Our Autopilot vs FSD guide explains what each package does here.

The bottom line

If you can stretch to £44,990, the Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD gives you the most Tesla for the money. Families who need a bigger boot should look at the Model Y Premium Long Range RWD at £49,990 rather than the entry Model Y. If your budget is lower, the Model 3 RWD at £37,990 is still a strong car for home chargers, and our guide to the best used Tesla models covers cheaper options.