Tesla’s New $41,630 Model Y: What You Give Up to Save $5,000

Tesla has officially rolled out a cheaper version of its popular Model Y, and the price cut comes with some real trade-offs. Starting at $41,630, this new entry-level model, briefly called the Standard before Tesla dropped that name, saves buyers $5,000 compared to the former base model, now renamed the Model Y Premium RWD.

But as with any deal that sounds too good to be true, the devil is in the details.

The most obvious changes are on the outside. The sleek light bars that once stretched across the front and rear are gone, replaced by slim headlights that handle everything from running lights to high beams. The standard wheels shrink to 18 inches, and paint choices are limited to gray, black, or white.

Inside, the cost-cutting becomes even more apparent. 0-inch display, and the speaker system drops from 15 to seven speakers with no subwoofer. The panoramic glass roof is still there, but it’s hidden behind a headliner, Tesla found it cheaper to cover it up than to install a metal roof.

Under the hood, the battery drops to 70 kWh, with EPA-estimated range at 321 miles for the rear-drive version on 18-inch wheels. Peak charging speed slips from 250 kW to 225 kW. 4 seconds. The ride quality, surprisingly, is excellent, even without adaptive dampers, and the car feels light at just over 4,000 pounds.

Tesla kept the Full Self-Driving hardware, but you’ll need a $99 monthly subscription to unlock autosteer. For the price, it’s a solid electric SUV, as long as you’re okay with fewer frills.