Tesla Body Kit Guide: Front Lips, Side Skirts and Rear Diffusers for Model 3 and Model Y
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Front lips, diffusers and side skirts are one of the most popular ways to give a Model 3 or Model Y a sportier look. This guide covers what each part does, which one fits your car, how low a front lip sits, what to keep clear at the front, how the parts are fitted, and the finishes you can pick. Product claims are the sellers', and the Tesla facts come from Tesla's manuals, linked at the end.
1. What each part does
Every part in a body kit sits along the lower edges of the car, where the stock bumpers and sills end. You can buy them one at a time or as a set:
- Front lip (also called a chin spoiler): a strip along the lower edge of the front bumper. It's the part most people start with, and the one that changes your ground clearance at the front.
- Wind blades: small fins on the sides of the front bumper. Our Model Y Juniper kit sells them on their own or with the lip.
- Side skirts: long strips under the doors, between the wheels. They come in our body kit for the 2017–2023 Model 3 and the 2020–2023 Model Y.
- Rear diffuser: a panel with fins under the rear bumper.
- Corner splitters: small pieces for the lower corners of the rear bumper, for the Model Y Juniper.
- Rear spoiler: on the trunk lid or the liftgate. It comes with the 2017–2023 body kit and as an option with the Highland sport lip. We cover spoilers on their own in our spoiler guide.
On a road car these parts are mostly about looks. Tesla's manuals don't give range or handling figures for aftermarket body parts, so treat any performance claims as the seller's.
2. Which parts fit your car
The Model 3 Highland (2024+) and the Model Y Juniper (2025+) have new bumpers, so the sellers make separate parts for them, and parts for the older cars don't fit them, or the other way around. This chart shows which car each part is listed for. Not sure which version you have? Our Highland and Juniper guides explain the difference.
| Part | Options, as the seller lists them | Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Model 3 2017–2023 and Model Y up to 2024 | ||
| Front lip (chin spoiler) | A Model 3 or a Model Y version, in gloss black, matte black, gloss or matte carbon look, or unpainted so you can paint it yourself. About 2.8 kg. | Model Y 2019–2025 and Model 3 2017–2023, from the seller's photos. Not listed for the Highland. For a Juniper, ask the seller first. |
| Body kit | A single part (front lip, side skirts, rear diffuser or spoiler) or a full kit. Full kits also come in matte black or a carbon look, and there's a Model 3 kit with an LED rear diffuser. Tape and screws come with the parts. | Model 3 2017–2023 and Model Y 2020–2023. |
| Rear diffuser with fins | A Model 3 or a Model Y version with fins and a center piece, in gloss black, matte black or a carbon look. Fits with clips and tape. | Model 3 and Model Y 2016–2023. Not for the Highland or the Juniper. |
| Model 3 Highland (2024+) | ||
| Sport front lip | The lip, a matching rear spoiler, or both as a set, in gloss black, matte black, or a gloss or matte carbon look. No drilling, according to the seller. | Model 3 Highland (2024 and later). |
| Low-profile front lip | A slimmer lip in matte black, gloss black or a gloss carbon look. About 2 kg. | Model 3 Highland (2024 and later). |
| Sport rear diffuser | Gloss black, matte black or a carbon look. | Model 3 Highland (2024 and later). |
| Model Y Juniper (2025+) | ||
| Front lip kit and wind blades | A 3-piece lip, 4 wind blades, or all 7 pieces, in gloss black, matte black, or a gloss or matte carbon look. Sticks on with tape. | Model Y Juniper (2025 and later). |
| Rear diffuser | Gloss black, matte black, a gloss or matte carbon look, or matte white. The seller says it's scanned from the original bumper. | Model Y Juniper (2025 and later). |
| Rear corner splitters | 2 corner pieces, a center piece, or all 3, in gloss black or a gloss or matte carbon look. Sticks on with tape. | Model Y Juniper (2025 and later). |
None of these is listed for the Model Y L or the Model Y Standard, so if you have one of those, ask the seller before you order.
3. How low a front lip sits
A front lip sits below the stock bumper, right at the front of the car, where it meets ramps, curbs and speed bumps first. Tesla's numbers show why it's worth thinking about. The Model Y owner's manual lists the ground clearance of the current Model Y as 164 mm (6.4 in) unladen and 119 mm (4.7 in) laden, and 151 mm (6.0 in) and 117 mm (4.6 in) for the Model Y Performance. The Model 3 manual lists 138 mm (5.4 in) for the Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range and 128 mm (5.0 in) for the Performance. Tesla also notes that adding accessories can change dimensions.
So the same car sits lower with people and luggage on board, and a lip that clears a ramp when you drive alone can touch it on a family trip. A few habits help:
- Ramps and driveways: drive onto steep ramps slowly. Where it's safe, take them at a slight angle, one front wheel first.
- Parking stops and curbs: stop before the lip reaches them. Nose-in parking against a high curb is where lips get scraped.
- Speed bumps: go slow, especially with a full car.
- Lifting the car: make sure jack or lift arms don't press on side skirts or a diffuser. Our jack pad guide shows Tesla's lift points.
4. Keep the camera and sensors clear
Tesla's manuals say the Model Y has a camera mounted above the grille on the front bumper, and the Model 3 has one there if equipped. Tesla says to make sure all cameras are clean and free of obstructions before each drive, and if a camera is obstructed, the car shows a message on the touchscreen and some features may not be available.
A front lip mounts on the lower edge of the bumper, well below that camera, but check the seller's photos to see exactly where a part sits, and never stick anything over the camera. If your car has parking sensors in the bumpers, keep them uncovered too.
5. Fitting the parts
The sellers list three ways to fit them: tape (the Juniper lip kit and corner splitters), clips and tape (the 2017–2023 rear diffuser), and tape and screws (the 2017–2023 body kit). Whichever it is, the work is the same:
- Check the box first. Count the pieces and check left and right before you start. Buyers mention a box with two left-side pieces, a diffuser that arrived scratched, and side pieces that needed a heat gun to fit.
- Dry fit. Hold each part in place before you peel any backing, and mark the position with painter's tape.
- Clean, dry and warm. Tesla doesn't publish steps for aftermarket lips, but its service manual procedure for its own tape-on rear spoiler shows what tape needs: clean the surface with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes and let it dry, fit it at an air and part temperature of 15–43 °C (60–110 °F), and press it on with more than 20 lb of pressure for 10 seconds, one small section at a time. Our spoiler guide has the full steps.
- Screws: if a part comes with screws, follow the seller's instructions and check where each one goes before you drill anything. If the instructions aren't clear, ask the seller first.
- Check again. After the first few drives and washes, make sure the ends still sit flat.
Planning paint protection film on the bumpers? Decide before the parts go on, because tape-on parts are easier to fit over finished film than to work around later.
6. Finishes and care
The parts we list come in up to six finishes. Gloss black and the two carbon looks are the most common. A carbon look is a carbon pattern on ABS plastic, not real carbon fiber.
Tesla's Model Y manual has a few cleaning rules that matter for plastic parts like these:
- Car washes: use touchless car washes only.
- Pressure washers: keep the nozzle at least 30 cm (12 in) from the car and keep it moving. Don't aim it at the edges of tape-on parts.
- Cleaners: Tesla warns that some cleaners and car shampoos contain chemicals that can cause damage or discoloration, especially on plastic trim. Skip harsh solvents and polishes with harsh abrasives.
More of Tesla's advice is in our guide on how to wash a Tesla.
How we pick what we list
The products in this guide are from third-party sellers on AliExpress, not made by Tesla. We look for stores with high positive feedback and read buyer reviews for fit and quality problems. Product claims on our pages are the seller's, and facts about the car come from Tesla's manuals. When you buy through the button on a product page, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 2017–2023 Model 3 front lip fit the Highland?
No. The Highland has a different front bumper, so it needs a lip made for it. We list two: a sport lip and a low-profile lip.
Will a front lip for the 2020–2024 Model Y fit the Juniper?
Not as a rule. The Juniper has its own bumper, and our Juniper lip kit is made for it. One of our older-style lips shows 2025 in the seller's photos, so ask the seller before you order it for a Juniper.
Is a carbon look lip real carbon fiber?
No. It's ABS plastic with a carbon pattern, as the sellers list it.
Do I need to drill to fit a front lip?
Usually not. Most of the parts we list stick on with tape, and the seller of the Highland sport lip says no drilling is needed. The 2017–2023 body kit comes with screws as well as tape, so read the seller's instructions first.
Will a front lip scrape?
It can, because it sits lower than the stock bumper. Tesla's figures show a loaded Model Y sits 45 mm lower than an empty one, so drive slowly onto ramps and over speed bumps, and stop before parking stops.
Does a body kit improve range?
Tesla's manuals don't give figures for aftermarket body parts. On a road car they're mostly about looks.
Next steps
Browse our body kits, front lips and diffusers, match the look with mirror covers or a rear spoiler, or read our guides to spoilers, paint protection film and license plate frames and front brackets.
Sources
The Tesla facts in this guide come from these pages of Tesla's manuals: