Tesla introduced lower-priced rear-wheel-drive Standard versions of Model 3 and Model Y in October 2025. They were more accessible variants of existing models rather than the separate $25,000 car that had been widely anticipated.
The US starting prices discussed were $36,990 for Model 3 Standard and $39,990 for Model Y Standard. The article’s rough €34,000 and €37,000 conversions were not European prices and did not account for tax or specification differences. Official Italian prices had not been announced in this 8 October account.
The revised US lineup
Tesla used Premium naming to distinguish more highly equipped versions from Standard. Lower prices came with changes to comfort, materials and some assistance functions; equipment needed to be checked by model and market.
The table records the US prices and approximate converted figures cited in the original report. A converted EPA distance is not a WLTP rating, and a 0–60 mph specification cannot simply be relabelled 0–100 km/h:
| Vehicle | US starting price | Reported approximate range* | Acceleration quoted in original* | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 3 Standard RWD | $36,990 | About 515 km; US-derived figure | 5.8 s; metric basis not verified | Rear-wheel drive |
| Model Y Standard RWD | $39,990 | About 515 km; US-derived figure | 6.8 s; metric basis not verified | Rear-wheel drive |
Model Y Standard: a lower price with equipment changes
The article cited a reported 69 kWh battery and peak DC charging up to 225 kW, compared with 250 kW on relevant Premium versions. Battery capacity was not presented with a clear usable/gross basis. Its approximately 515 km figure should not be called WLTP merely because it was converted from US material, and the quoted 6.8-second metric acceleration needed a matched test specification.
The cabin changes described included:
- No rear passenger display.
- A more open centre-console design, with fewer enclosed compartments.
- More textile trim in place of some other finishes.
- Mixed textile and synthetic-leather seating, with heating limited to the front seats in the version described.
- Seat adjustment through the touchscreen rather than conventional side switches.
- Manual steering-column adjustment and manually folding mirrors as described for that launch configuration.
- A reduced seven-speaker audio system without a subwoofer, compared with the reference Premium equipment.
- No HEPA filtration and Bioweapon Defense Mode on the configuration described.
The report said Traffic-Aware Cruise Control remained included but Autosteer was not standard, with FSD Supervised separately offered at the then-quoted US $8,000 price. That was a launch-market package distinction, not proof that basic safety lane interventions were absent or that FSD made the car autonomous. Fitted hardware did not guarantee future free feature activation.
Exterior differences
The Model Y Standard retained glass above the cabin but used an interior headliner covering the panoramic view. The report also described removal or changes to:
- The front and rear light-bar treatment.
- The adaptive matrix-lighting specification.
- The laminated-glass specification compared with the Premium version. The exact windows and acoustic treatment needed the relevant equipment list.
The article described a smaller, textile-lined front luggage area and no weatherproof seal of the type it expected. That should not be read as a certified waterproofing claim for either version. It also highlighted 18-inch aerodynamic wheel covers as an efficiency measure.
Model 3 Standard: different compromises
The Model 3 shared several Standard cost-saving measures, but the report highlighted these differences from Model Y Standard:
- An uncovered panoramic glass roof.
- Acoustic front glass as described in the launch specification.
- Exterior styling closer to the corresponding Premium car.
The rear screen, rear-seat heating and standard Autosteer were among the omissions discussed. The author considered the Model 3 trade-off more appealing, an editorial judgment rather than an objective result for every buyer.
The article also said some useful equipment was retained:
- A heat pump, relevant to cold-weather efficiency.
- A Mobile Connector included with the particular offer described. Inclusion depended on the market and order terms; it should not be assumed for every delivery.
Were the savings worthwhile?
The report compared a roughly $5,000–6,000 gap with Premium versions and questioned whether that saving justified the lost equipment. Its €4,500–5,500 conversion was illustrative, not a European price difference. The answer depended on which features a buyer valued.
The author favoured Model 3 Standard’s balance and speculated that Model Y Standard might appeal to a narrower audience, drawing a comparison with the short-lived Cybertruck RWD. That was an opinion and forecast, not sales evidence establishing the new Model Y’s eventual reception.
What the Standard models signalled
Tesla was pursuing a lower entry price through simplification of established products, potentially helping affordability and production economics. The European and Italian outcome still depended on the local price, equipment and launch decisions, which this October 2025 US announcement did not settle.
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