Alfa Romeo Junior vs Tesla Model Y
What's the difference?

Alfa Romeo Junior

$45,900 - $58,990

2026 price

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Tesla Model Y

$58,900 - $89,400

2026 price

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Renault Megane E-Tech

Renault Scenic E-Tech

Summary

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior

2026 Tesla Model Y

By Jack Quick

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.2L

Not Applicable, 0.0L

Fuel Type

Electric

Fuel Efficiency

4.1L/100km (combined)

0.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Keen driving dynamics
Surprisingly quiet
Can be very frugal

Seriously practical
A seating layout that makes perfect sense
Long-distance driving range

Dislikes

Double the price of Chinese rivals
Lots of plain black finishes
No standard spare wheel

Ride might be too firm for some
Compromised vision from driver's seat
Lack of Apple CarPlay a turn-off

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior Summary

Alfa Romeo’s new entry-level model has finally arrived in Australia.

Pitched as a spiritual successor to the MiTo and Giulietta hatchbacks, the Junior is a tiny SUV with plenty of hatchback design cues.

It was originally set to be called the Milano, however members of the Italian government complained, claiming it’s illegal to sell products with an Italian place name that aren’t actually made there.

The Junior is actually built in Tychy, Poland alongside the related Jeep Avenger at a Stellantis production plant.

We’ve driven the Junior a few times now overseas, but now it’s time to see how it holds up on local soil.

First up is the Ibrida, or hybrid. The fully electric version is also on sale but will have to wait for a future review.

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2026 Tesla Model Y Summary

This is the new Tesla Model Y L, of course, but before we even start I need to ask you a very important question.

How often, honestly, do you use all seven seats in your seven-seater? Or if you only have five seats, how often is there a human in every single one?

Rarely, if ever?

Yep, me too. So stick around, because this is, by far, the best family SUV seating layout. And one where there’ll finally be no fighting over who gets stuck with the dodgy seat.

And as a result, the six-seat Tesla Model Y L might just be among the best all-electric SUV offerings around.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior 2026 Tesla Model Y

Verdict

The Alfa Romeo Junior is a cute car that’s charming and smile-inducing. It deserves to sell well but ultimately this will come down to whether the Australian public is receptive.

There is plenty of competition out there and if you're wanting something design-led, it's hard to look past this without spending much more money.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Verdict

If you like the five-seat Model Y, then you'll like the six-seat L version even more. I think this the best example of Tesla's electric SUV to date, and the cabin layout just makes a lot of sense, and would suit plenty of families who don't need to squeeze someone into a compromised middle seat.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Alfa Romeo Junior vs Tesla Model Y What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Alfa Romeo Junior vs Tesla Model Y
What's the difference?