Here’s a detailed look at the paint palette available on the Tesla Model Y 5-seater electric SUV, which we hope will help you choose your perfect new car colour.
There are 5 main paint options for the Tesla Model Y, comprising 1 solid paint, 2 metallic paints and 2 multi-coat paints. All colours are available on both specifications of the Model Y (Long Range and Performance) and, besides the exterior hues, we also outline the interior upholstery choices for the Tesla SUV that go with these body colours/trim grades.
Paint Types
Solid = A simple body colour with no additives in the paint. Usually comprises 3 coats, these being a primer, then the paint, then a clear, protective lacquer. Solid paints aren’t particularly shiny and are normally the only standard/no-cost colours offered by manufacturers.
Metallic = Same application process as above but the paint now has powdered metal mixed into it, which reflects more light to give the car a shinier appearance. Metallic finishes usually cost more than solid paints.
Pearlescent/Mica = As above, only instead of metal, ceramic crystals (known as ‘mica’) are added to the paint. These not only reflect light but refract it too, giving one colour different appearances in different levels of light. They’re normally as expensive as or pricier than metallic paints.
Matte = Uses special ‘flattening’ agents in the paint/layering make-up to give the car a non-reflective appearance, and sometimes an unusual texture too. These are normally the most expensive and rarest of paint options, and are not offered on many new car models.
Exterior
Pearl White
Type: Multi-coat
Cost: No cost (default colour)
Available On: All models
The reason you see most Teslas in this colour is because the American company charges 4 figures for any other paint choice. Hence, Pearl White is the most common finish for these electric vehicles, but luckily it’s a doozy. For starters, it’s a multi-coat paint – just like the most expensive option (see below) – and it has a glossy finish to it that gives it greater depth than the usual flat, solid whites that are offered free-of-charge by other manufacturers. Of course, Pearl White will still need plenty of cleaning, especially in winter, but that doesn’t detract from its popularity on the Model Y.
Solid Black
Type: Metallic
Cost: £1100
Available On: All models
The first step up the ladder is a solid paint, but once again Tesla gives this a lustrous depth that makes Solid Black look suitably expensive. Which it is – this finish is £1100. As ever with black, in the middle of winter it will show up encrusted-on road salt quite badly, so Solid Black will need plenty of washing in the colder months if you want the SUV to look its best, but when it is clean it’ll look properly moody. The only thing to say about Solid is that it is the colour that least shows off the dark, contrast exterior detailing of the Model Y Performance, such as the door handles and the wheels.
Midnight Silver
Type: Metallic
Cost: £1100
Available On: All models
Another one of those modern automotive ‘silvers’ that looks more grey to our eyes, Midnight Silver is the first paint for the Model Y which is listed as a metallic. It’s a nice, deep silver-grey and will therefore require the least amount of year-round upkeep of all 5 paint options for the Tesla SUV, as it should still look decent even when coated with a layer of road grime.
Deep Blue
Type: Metallic
Cost: £1100
Available On: All models
As the old Ronseal adverts used to say, Deep Blue metallic does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a deep, rich blue that will look spectacular when polished clean and which should also hold its appeal even when dirty. The last of 3 colours all costing £1100 apiece for the Model Y, you don’t see many Teslas in this finish – but we think that’s a shame, as it’s a lovely shade of blue that can even appear purple-ish in certain light levels.
Red
Type: Multi-coat
Cost: £2100
Available On: All models
Tesla becomes even more straightforward in the naming department with the most expensive paint option of all for the Model Y. This is Red. And that’s it – not Sunset Red, or Fire Red, or Pimento Red. Just… Red. Yet, for all its nominative simplicity, this is a multi-cost paint that costs a hefty £2100 if you want it; hence why it’ll be a rare sight to see a Red Tesla Model Y on UK roads. It should be worth the outlay, though, as the Model Y looks excellent in this finish, which’ll carry off winter road filth better than Pearl White or Solid Black will.
Interior
Black
Type: Synthetic leather
Cost: No cost
Available On: All models
Available With All Body Colours?: Yes
The Model Y’s minimalistic cabin comes with black synthetic leather as standard, making for a rather monotone interior. To alleviate this, Tesla puts a natural-look strip of wood trim through the middle of the dashboard, which bleeds into the front door cards. This is the standard, no-cost interior for both the Long Range and the Performance models of the SUV.
Black and White
Type: Synthetic leather
Cost: £1100
Available On: All models
Available With All Body Colours?: Yes
For an extra £1100, you can switch the seat colour to white. It’s the same synthetic leather as the black ‘hide’, in Tesla’s move to appease vegan customers, but to complement the lighter-coloured seats, the dashboard-and-door trim is switched to white. This interior does lift the cabin ambience of the Tesla and is a popular choice at specification time, despite the extra expense it incurs.
Check out our latest Tesla Model Y lease deals here.
