According to the first Model Y Standard reviews, Tesla has made a lot of compromises to hit the sub-$40,000 price point of its cheapest SUV, down to the petty move to remove the Autopilot with Autosteer function, and only leave the basic traffic-aware cruise control.

One of the oddest decisions, however, must be to keep a “closed” glass roof on the Model Y Standard that is no longer transparent, and cover it with a textile headliner. Tesla says this was done to “streamline” production costs instead of developing a new metal piece, and the headliner serves for better HVAC isolation and noise absorption.

In a side-by-side Tesla Model Y Standard vs Model Y Premium comparison, the cheaper trim doesn’t even have a drain plug in the frunk or hooks to hang one’s jacket on, raising some eyebrows whether a mere $5,000 difference is worth it.

Besides the smaller battery and weaker motor, the Model Y Standard comes with regular passive shock absorbers and particulate instead of a HEPA filter, although HEPA replacements are easily available at $20 apiece in an Amazon deal. There are no adaptive high beams, too, as the headlights are not of the matrix LED type.

A seven, instead of 15-speaker sound system without a woofer rounds up the dubious offering that is only available in three colors and a single textile interior. Some of the interior redesigns are actually welcome, though, such as the removal of the central console storage area, leaving a larger space that can fit a backpack.

According to teardown experts, Tesla has removed about $2,000 worth of stuff at OEM prices, plus the larger savings from the smaller battery and cheaper motor, in order to offer the Model Y Standard for $5,000 less. That’s probably the best it can do to keep some minimal margin and have some room for price or APR financing rate promos in Q4, but the success of this cost-cutting strategy is yet to be determined.

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Daniel Zlatev – Senior Tech Writer – 1907 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021

Wooed by tech since the industrial espionage of Apple computers and the times of pixelized Nintendos, Daniel went and opened a gaming club when personal computers and consoles were still an expensive rarity. Nowadays, fascination is not with specs and speed but rather the lifestyle that computers in our pocket, house, and car have shoehorned us in, from the infinite scroll and the privacy hazards to authenticating every bit and move of our existence.