Many sunroofs are operated manually, but some are electrically powered. Sunroofs are more common in older, used cars and are mostly phased out of current models (moonroofs became more popular in the 80s and 90s). “Sunroof” often gets applied to any roof panel, even if it’s technically a moonroof. If you’re car shopping, inspect the roof yourself or ask whether the panel is opaque or glass to verify which it is.
Moonroofs are more popular in current car models and are nearly always electrically powered, making them a little easier to use than sunroofs.
Cars with inbuilt moonroofs have thicker roofs so the glass panel has somewhere to slide into. This can limit headroom in the back seats.
Spoiler sunroofs are sometimes also called tilt-and-slides.
Few cars feature a Lamella sunroof. The most notable was the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class SUV in the early 2000s.
Consider how frequently you would use a sunroof or if the weather in your area makes it appealing before shelling out the extra dollars when you buy a car.
It’s usually inexpensive to install a sunroof. A standard pop-up or spoiler sunroof typically costs between $400 and $900.
The views of the sky, tall buildings, or treetops makes for a more adventurous ride, too!
This only works well when the roof panel retracts or lifts out completely. In spoiler or pop-up styles, you’d have to break the panel off to get out. Electric sunroofs or moonroofs can be stuck shut if the wiring is damaged in an accident.
The extra sunlight can cause the interior colors and materials to fade more quickly, too.
And let’s not gloss over the possible water damage from forgetting to close your sunroof or moonroof before a storm, either!
