Tesla is giving the Model Y and Model 3 lineup a fresh visual shake-up in the U.S. by retiring one of its longest-running paint choices. Deep Blue Metallic, a fan-favorite paid color that’s been sitting in Tesla’s configurator since 2017, is officially gone for American buyers. In its place, Tesla is rolling out two different blue shades depending on which trim you choose—an approach that makes the color decision feel more tied to performance and positioning than ever.
Deep Blue Metallic exits, two new blues take over
With Deep Blue Metallic discontinued, shoppers will now see two distinct “blue” directions when building a Model Y or Model 3.
For the more mainstream trims, Tesla is introducing Marine Blue, a darker, moodier metallic shade that can read nearly black in certain lighting. This color has been offered in other global markets for some time, but its arrival in North America is a notable first for U.S. and Canadian buyers. It’s positioned as a paid option priced at $1,000, and it’s arguably a deeper, more intense replacement for the outgoing Deep Blue.
On the other end of the spectrum is Frost Blue Metallic, a lighter and icier blue tone that’s now being reserved for the Performance versions of the Model Y and Model 3 only. This isn’t a brand-new shade created solely for these vehicles; it’s essentially being “handed down” from Tesla’s flagship models after that color was removed from those top-tier lines. The result is a new visual cue in Tesla’s lineup: Performance models now get a color that helps them stand out immediately, signaling their top-of-the-range status.
The move also changes the value story for Performance buyers. While Marine Blue is treated as a paid upgrade on AWD and RWD variants, Frost Blue Metallic becomes the exclusive badge for the quickest trims—effectively giving Performance customers a standout signature look without an added charge. Not everyone is thrilled, though. Some Tesla fans argue that Marine Blue should be offered on Performance models too, since Frost Blue is seen as brighter and less aggressive compared to the darker Marine tone.
Model Y earns a major win in updated NHTSA driver-assistance testing
Color changes may catch your eye first, but the bigger headline for many drivers is safety and driver assistance. Tesla says Model Y vehicles produced after November 12, 2025, became the first to successfully meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s newly expanded Advanced Driver Assistance Systems benchmark under the agency’s updated New Car Assessment Program.
The Model Y reportedly cleared all eight criteria, including four newly added categories:
1) Pedestrian automatic emergency braking
2) Lane keeping assistance
3) Blind spot warning
4) Blind spot intervention
These were added on top of four existing ADAS tests the vehicle had already passed previously, making this a sweeping result under the expanded program.
It’s also a notable moment given Tesla’s often complicated relationship with the agency. Regardless of past friction, this is being framed as a landmark achievement—and one competitors will now be expected to match as the updated standards become a bigger part of how shoppers evaluate new vehicles.
NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison called the result a sign of the “lifesaving potential” of driver assistance technology and said the agency hopes more automakers will build vehicles capable of meeting the new requirements.
For shoppers weighing a 2026 Tesla Model Y or Model 3, the message is clear: Tesla is sharpening how its trims look and what they stand for, while also pushing hard to prove its driver-assistance tech can meet tougher, more detailed safety benchmarks.
