Tesla Model 3 and Model Y "Rahmah": Fabric seats, manual-adjustable steering, no auto steer and no rear display

Tesla has finally unveiled its cheaper EV options which aims at the more budget conscious buyer. It isn’t a new smaller model but a new base-spec Standard variant for its popular Model 3 and Model Y.

Currently available in the US, the new Standard models are said to offer ultra low cost of ownership while it is still engineered for safety and offers the best Tesla features people love.

With the new variant, the existing RWD and AWD models are now labeled as “Premium”, while the range topping model with the most performance retains its “Performance” name.

Between the Model Y and Model 3 Standard, the Model Y gets the most downgrade in terms of features.

The Tesla Model Y is the company’s most popular model and the new Standard Model priced at USD39,990 (about RM168,700) is USD5,000 cheaper then the Premium RWD model.

The biggest change is on the exterior as it loses the full width lightbar for both the front and the rear, making it obvious that you are driving the cheapest variant of the lineup. The LED headlamps support auto high beam but there’s no adaptive high beam support. The wheels are smaller too starting at 18″ Aperture wheels but users can opt for 19″ Crossflow wheels at extra cost.

While the Tesla Model Y still gets a glass roof however, it is closed by a headlining. This means passengers won’t get to enjoy the view of the sky. However, this should keep the cabin cooler which translates to lower energy consumption for climate control.

In terms of performance, the Standard RWD is slightly slower with a 0-60mph time of 6.8 seconds versus 5.4 seconds on the Premium RWD. The range is also shorter too with an EPA-rated 321 miles (516km) versus 357 miles (574km) on the Premium RWD.

On the interior, the biggest change are the seats where it gets fabric material and the rear seats are no longer powered. The centre storage bin in front of the cupholders have been removed which leaves an open space for storage.

The Standard Model Y still retains a 15.4″ central display that’s mated to a basic 7-speaker setup. It supports cellular data, WiFi, UWB and Bluetooth, but it lacks FM radio connectivity.

Other things that have been taken out include the lack of ambient lighting, manual steering adjustment, no HEPA filter and Bioweapon defense mode, no rear 8″ display for rear passengers, no ventilated seats for the front, no powered side mirror folding and dimming.

The suspension has been downgraded too from frequency dependent shock absorbers to passive shock absorbers. Meanwhile, its Auto-pilot feature also lacks auto steer out of the box.

Tesla has also made several cost cutting measures in terms of materials which also include a different frunk container design which doesn’t come with a drain plug.

However, it still comes with 2 wireless phone chargers, USB-C ports with 65W output, 8 exterior cameras and hands-free powered boot.

The Tesla Model 3 Standard is currently the cheapest new Tesla available priced at USD 36,990 (about RM156,000). It’s USD5,500 cheaper than the Model 3 Premium RWD.

In terms of performance, it is also slightly slower with a 0-60mph time of 5.8 seconds versus 4.9 seconds on the Premium RWD. The range is also shorter too at 321 miles (516km) EPA versus 363 miles (584km) EPA on the Premium variant.

From the exterior, it looks identical to the Model 3 Premium except for the wheels which is configured with 18″ Prismata wheels. Unlike the Tesla Model Y Standard, the sedan still retains a Panoramic glass roof.

To keep the price down, it also gets several cost reduction downgrades which include the lack of 8″ second-row screen, no FM radio, no ambient lighting, manual adjustable steering wheel, manual-folding side mirror, fabric seats, passive shock absorbers and no autosteer. However, it still gets LED headlights with auto and adaptive high beam, 8 exterior cameras and hands-free powered boot.

In terms of colours, both Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Standard are offered in Stealth Grey, and users can opt for Pearl White or Diamond Black at extra cost. In terms of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) upgrades, users are only given one single option for Full-Self Driving (FSD) which costs USD8,000.