Tesla has quietly upgraded the interior of the Model Y in China by adding features to the Standard and Premium models that were previously reserved for the higher-end Model Y L and Performance variants.
Tesla is standardizing parts of the interior across all Model Y variants, including the Standard, Premium, Performance, and extended-wheelbase models.
Luxury for Everyone
This move appears to be a direct effort to unify the fleet following the launch of the Model Y L earlier last year. When the long-wheelbase variant arrived, it set a new standard for Tesla, featuring upgraded materials and functionality. Now, Tesla is bringing the standard-wheelbase models up to that same standard.
By trickling these features down to the cheaper variants, Tesla effectively eliminates some of the differences in their economy tier of the Model Y in China. A buyer purchasing a base RWD model now gets an interior experience that is visually identical to that of the most expensive trim, reinforcing Tesla’s premium feel and design.
Upgraded Display
Tesla is also upgrading the vehicle’s center display to match the Model Y L and Performance models. The screen size of the Standard and Premium models will now go from 15.4 inches to 16 inches.
While 0.6 inches may seem minor on paper, it adds about 3 square inches to the screen, an increase of 2.63% in area.
However, that’s only part of the story. The new display also has thinner bezels, higher contrast, and higher resolution than the previous display.
The thinner bezels and larger display make the vehicle feel more modern and lets all Model Ys, and likely future Model 3s, share the same display.
Old Display | New Display | |
|---|---|---|
Size | 15.4” | 16” |
Resolution | 1920×1200 | 2560×1440 |
Resolution name | Slightly higher than 1080P resolution | QHD |
Screen Ratio | 16:10 | 16:9 |
Display Width | 13.06” | 13.95” |
Display Height | 8.16” | 7.84” |
Screen Area | 106.59 inches² | 109.39 inches² |
Black Headliner
Perhaps the most noticeable visual change is the replacement of the gray headliner. For years, the lighter gray fabric was the standard fit for entry-level trims and was often cited by owners as a feature that made the cabin significantly less premium. The black Alcantara-style fabric found in the Performance variants was considerably more popular, to the point that people would often upfit their Long Range variants with similar materials.
Now, black is replacing the light gray headliner in all Model Ys. The gray headliner is officially gone, simplifying the aesthetic and manufacturing process and creating a more premium feeling cabin.
Coming Soon to Europe & North America?
While these changes are currently specific to vehicles manufactured at Giga Shanghai, they likely won’t remain so for long.
Tesla typically introduces manufacturing changes at Giga Shanghai first, given the factory’s newness and agile local supply chains, before exporting these processes to Giga Berlin and Giga Texas.
Given Tesla’s relentless focus on supply chain efficiency, as well as the recent registration of the Model Y L with European type registration authorities, it makes sense that Tesla would slowly wind down the old parts chain in favor of the newer design. As Tesla runs out of stock of the older headliners and screens, these upgrades become the standard everywhere to maximize volume pricing and supply chain efficiencies.
It’ll just be a matter of time.
