Model Y Standard lands as the cheapest Tesla SUV with shorter range and textile seats

The long-awaited cheapest Tesla Model 2 that was supposed to look like a shrunken Model Y morphed into a driverless Cybercab, while Tesla decided to release its cheapest SUV to date in the form of a Model Y Standard instead.

There are a lot of specs, features, and design options removed or downgraded in the Model Y Standard so that Tesla can reach lower manufacturing costs, though, so its market success ultimately hinges on the pricing and the promos that Tesla launches.

Model Y Standard price

• $39,990

Unfortunately, Tesla couldn't price the Model Y Standard below the pricing of its heretofore base RWD trim with the federal tax credit discount.

That was an expected move, since just a week or so ago people were able to get a much better vehicle in the form of the Long Range RWD Model Y version, now called Premium, when the $7,500 federal tax credit was extracted from the price at the point of sale.

At just $5,000 less than the Premium Model Y RWD, though, the Standard trim may be a hard sell given all the features that it is missing, and the downgraded specs. At least the Model Y Standard is ready for FSD 14 as it comes with all the HW4 bells and whistles that are now needed for it, including the front bumper cam with washer.

Model Y Standard range and features

• 321 miles

Just as rumored, the Model Y Standard offers a much shorter range on a charge due to the smaller 68 kWh battery pack. At 321 miles on a charge, the Model Y Standard falls way short of the 357 miles that the Premium RWD version is capable of, indicating that Tesla may have skimped on the battery capacity indeed. Even the Model Y AWD now comes with a longer range on a charge than the Standard trim.

Besides a smaller, cheaper battery, the Model Y Standard comes with a weaker, 300 HP motor, and its 0-60 mph acceleration time is 6.8 seconds, against the 5.4 seconds of the LR RWD Model Y.

The Model Y Standard actually eschews many features that have come standard on Tesla's bestselling SUV, such as the central console storage area or the ambient lighting. All the folding actions are now manual - from the side mirrors and the steering wheel adjustments, to the rear seats - and the interior is rather plain.

The Model Y Standard comes with textile seats and faux leather accents, but only the front ones are heated and none are vented. One has to adjust the seats from the touchscreen as there are no buttons on them, too. There is no screen on the back and the rear vents are also manual, but there is no HEPA filter for Bioweapon Defense Mode anymore, just a regular particulate one.

The A/C unit may be more frugal, however, as the Model Y Standard comes with what Tesla calls a closed glass roof. It does have the tempered glass on top, but the inside is covered with a headliner that provides better insulation. The windows are also regular, no multi-layer acoustic glass as on the Premium trims, but Tesla swears that noise levels will be similar, which is important since the stereo system has also been downgraded to seven speakers without a woofer.

Outside, Tesla removed the front light bar and put single-piece headlights for a rather distinctive look when paired with the new 18-inch Aperture wheels which also look, well, cheaper. The headlights don't have a matrix LED system, so Tesla only offers the automatic but not adaptive high beams function with them.

Just as the Model 3 Standard, the cheapest Model Y only offers three colors to choose from, with the Stealth Gray as default and the Pearl White Multi-Coat and Diamond Black colors, as well as the 19-inch Crossflow wheels being all paid options.

Model Y Standard release date

• December 2025

Adding insult to injury, Tesla won't release the Model Y Standard straight away, as it usually does upon announcement. This might explain why it just released the Model Y Standard on the hush-hush without much fanfare, as it is listing a December 2025-January 2026 launch date for the actual deliveries.

In short, it remains to be seen if the Model Y Standard will fare well for only $5,000 less than the Long-Range RWD version with all its specs and features shortcomings. Tesla can surely advertise it as its only sub-$40,000 SUV, though, now that the tax credit is gone.

Get the 80A Tesla Gen 2 Wall Connector with 24' cable on Amazon