Model Y L review shows how all rear seats in the 3-row SUV fold flat automatically to fit cargo

The first Model Y L reviews are out, and Tesla has apparently done a much better job with passenger seating and cargo space with what can now be considered its first 3-row SUV.

The two captain seats with armrests in the second row recline 125 degrees and are not only heated, but ventilated, too. The third row of seats in the Model Y L is only heated, but the head and knee spacing is much larger than in the 7-seat Model Y where Tesla simply threw a couple of child seats in the trunk and called it a day.

The Model Y L is seven inches longer, with a flatter back that leaves way more headspace for the adults sitting in the four rear seats. Unlike the Model X version with six seats, however, the third row of the Model Y L folds flat like the second with the touch of two buttons, as all seats can bend individually, depending on the combination of passengers and cargo that has to be transported.

Speaking of cargo, the trunk left after all six seats of the Model Y L are standing up is enough for a few small suitcases. The first Model Y L review of the passenger and cargo space measures the exact dimensions of the trunk with the four rear seats folded, or the knee space left to those who are in the third row. Besides way more personal space than in any of Tesla's previous such solutions, they get a reading light, A/C vent, cupholder, and phone holder with USB-C charging port.

There are individual control buttons in the trunk wall on the left side for each of the four rear seats. The Model Y L seats fold automatically, but the system is different for the third row compared to the autofolding function in the 2026 Model Y refresh. The two captain chairs in the second row fold completely flat with the help of the front seats that automatically move a tad forward to fit the headrests.

The third row of seats in the Model Y L also folds automatically, but instead of moving the captain seats forward to fit, the headrests drop and the two seats lie completely flat. As shown in the Model Y L review video below, this leaves ample cargo space in the back that can fit a larger air mattress than the inflatable one sold for the Model Y on Amazon.

That is perhaps even more important than the fact that the two seats in the third row can sit adults now, since the pet peeve of all Tesla fans clamoring for a 3-row SUV was that the rear seats of the comparable Model X can't fold to open enough cargo space like those in the new Model Y L.

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