Tesla fans hoping for a major refresh to the Model S and Model X may want to temper their expectations — at least for now, according to a report from Teslarati.
Photos recently surfaced showing updated versions of the electric vehicles spotted in California, stirring speculation about changes.
While Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy said both vehicles are getting "some love," the updates appear to be mostly minor, with no major exterior redesigns.
Moravy explained: "Just give it a minute. We'll get there. The upgrade a couple of years ago was bigger than most people thought in terms of architecture and structure of the car got a lot better, too. But, we'll give it some love later this year. … Obviously, with 3 and Y, the higher volume stuff, you've gotta focus there."
So far, the changes on the Model X seem to include new 20-inch wheels, ambient lighting, and a front bumper camera. Meanwhile, the Model S has a rear diffuser on the Plaid version, as Teslarati detailed.
These additions bring the S and X more in line with the newer Model 3 and Model Y. While Tesla has reported more sluggish than usual sales for 2025 — with CEO Elon Musk's polarizing political activities at least partially to blame, given that he turned some consumers away from the brand — the company suggested that the Model S and X are not a big part of its long-term goals.
"They're very expensive, made in low volume," Musk said in 2021, per Teslarati. "We're continuing to make them more for sentimental reasons than anything else."
From a consumer's perspective, while the tweaks may improve functionality, they're unlikely to reignite widespread interest in two of the company's lowest-selling models.
"For the price that Tesla wants, they desperately need to upgrade the interior," one Teslarati commenter said. Another wrote, "Everyone has surpassed Tesla's interiors, it has been that way for years now."
Tesla bundled the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck together in its first-quarter 2025 delivery report, and only 12,881 units of the three combined were sold. Analysts suggest the Cybertruck made up the majority of that figure, with some estimates around 50%.
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On the environmental front, updating older EVs can be a good way to extend their relevance and entice people to keep their earlier models, perhaps reducing waste.
"Model S is expensive but it is excellent and these cars last!" a third commenter wrote of their more eco-friendly vehicle, which also provides the benefit of not spewing asthma-linked pollution when operated and being more cost-effective to own in the long run due to reduced maintenance and energy costs compared with gas-powered vehicles.
But minimal refreshes still require raw materials, energy, and manufacturing effort, which adds to resource use and pollution (e.g., from mining) without a big payoff in terms of boosted sales or widespread adoption.
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