Stripping down cars to lower the asking price is a decades-old practice. Tesla’s new Model Y Standard cuts plenty of features to bring the sticker price down to $41,630, a full $5,000 less than the Premium. You lose the ventilated front seats, power-adjustable steering wheel, heated rear seats, and the eight-inch rear passenger display.
The entry-level trim also does without the light bars, FM/AM radio, and perforated vegan leather surfaces. It comes with a downgraded battery, a weaker rear motor, and smaller wheels. But what about the glass roof? Well, that’s where things get odd. The Model Y Standard still has a panoramic glass roof like the pricier versions, but you can’t see it from inside.
That’s because Tesla covered it with a headliner. Confused? So are we. Apparently, it’s cheaper to do this than to reengineer the Model Y for a steel roof. Avoiding the need to design and install such a major body panel does make sense, at least up to a certain point. Both Edmunds and Car and Driver, who got early access to the Standard model, confirm the glass panel is still there; it’s just hidden behind fabric.
What’s puzzling is that adding a component like a roof liner usually increases production costs. While I’m no engineer, leaving the ceiling as-is seems more cost-effective. Especially since the Model 3 Standard keeps its glass roof exposed. Apparently not.
Photo by: Tesla
According to Edmunds, a Tesla engineer admitted it was indeed cheaper to cover the glass roof with a headliner. Car and Driver also reports that Tesla saved money this way rather than switching to metal. Motor Trend confirms that the glass is still there, but not the see-through section.
Motor1 has reached out to Tesla for comment and will update this story if we receive a response. In the meantime, one plausible explanation is that Tesla wants to encourage buyers to opt for the more expensive Premium trim. Another possibility is that it’s simply cheaper to produce a headliner without a cutout for the glass. The attached screenshot from the configurator suggests it’s a basic one-piece part. Then again, making a single type of component in higher volume usually leads to economies of scale.
Maybe we’re missing something, but this still seems like a strange move, even for Tesla. Whatever the case, we wouldn’t be surprised if Model Y Standard owners end up tearing off the headliner. I know I’d be tempted. You can see it for a brief moment at the 0:26 mark in the official video below.
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