I’m Not Sure If This Is An Effective Use Of Saving Money
For the moment, the Tesla Model Y carries a sticker of $39,990 before taxes and relevant fees. That nets you 321 miles of driving range and the ability to seat 5 people in comfort. As for features, that’s a different story.
See, this is the base form of the Model Y. Tesla released a less expensive version of the bestselling coupe SUV this year, carrying a shorter roster of equipment to go with its cheapened appearance.
The version that most people buy normally looks like this:
Tesla updated the Model Y for 2026, giving it a Cybertruck-esque makeover to better resemble the catastrophic failure that is the Cybertruck. To make it more affordable, it decided to apply a massive price cut to it and the Model 3, resulting in a $5k-$6k discount.
Among other things like a smaller speaker count and ditching the leather, there’s one thing I can’t help but notice. You see, this is what the base Model Y looks like:
And here it is from the inside:
What’s wrong with this picture? Well, the Tesla Model Y comes included with a glass roof. Only you have to upgrade to see through it.
Normally, the way to delete the sunroof option is to fill the gap with more metal. I’ve never seen it played the other way around where you fill the space with more ceiling carpet. What’s strange is that the Model 3 sedan gets a similar deleting effect of features, yet the glass roof remains as intended for the vehicle’s occupants to catch some Vitamin D.
Not to intend the pun, but this just feels like a waste of space. I have a hard time believing that applying a fabric sunshade is a cost-effective measure to save money if the aim was to keep the price down. From a production standpoint, I would think it would be cheaper to apply transparency access to all Model Ys rather than cover it up for the select few who actually buy it.
Anyway, the more you know, the better you can avoid buying the wrong Tesla. If this is the route you go, save a few grand for a better driving car and get a Model 3.
-TA
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