Anyone who braves the cold in a northern state knows how important winter features can be—heated seats, remote cabin heat, heated steering wheels, defrosters—the list goes on. But what does Tesla offer cold climate users? On older Model S and Model X vehicles, one of the big answers was the Subzero Weather Package.
What’s included in the Subzero Weather Package? Which Teslas had it? Is there a way to get similar cold-weather features on the Model 3 or Model Y? These are important things to know if you’re one of the hearty souls braving the winter who also happens to be shopping for a used Tesla.
Continuing with our Tesla Features Explained blog series, we’re going to take an in-depth look at the Subzero Weather Package, what changed over time, and how to think about it in the used Tesla market today. Ready? Let’s go!
Quick used-buyer note: Tesla feature names, menus, and standard equipment have changed a lot over the years. The Subzero Weather Package is mostly a used Model S/X topic now, not a current add-on package you can simply order on a new Tesla. Always verify the actual car by checking the touchscreen, window sticker/build sheet if available, and listing photos before assuming a used Tesla has specific cold-weather hardware.
What Is the Tesla Subzero Weather Package? How it Works and What’s Included
The Tesla Subzero Weather Package, sometimes casually referred to as the Cold Weather Package, was a feature bundle available on certain Model S and Model X vehicles. It included a variety of cold climate creature comforts and winter-driving goodies to make driving a Tesla in the snow and cold easier and less painful.
While the specifics of what’s included have shifted over time, the full range of features associated with the package generally includes:
- Heated rear seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Heated washer nozzles
- Heated windshield wipers / wiper blade defrosters
- Heated side mirrors
- Camera heaters on some newer vehicles/configurations
In order to get these features on many pre-2017 Model S and Model X Teslas, you had to buy this package—these features were not usually available a la carte or individually. The pricing for the package fluctuated between roughly $750-$1,000, depending on the year in which it was ordered. This package was a factory option and was not generally available as a clean later upgrade.
To use these kinds of cold-weather features, open the climate controls from the touchscreen or the Tesla app. On older cars, Tesla often grouped these under a “Cold Weather” menu, which is one reason many owners and sellers refer to the package as the “Cold Weather Package.” The factory option name, however, was generally Subzero Weather Package.
On newer Teslas, the exact menu layout is different. Tesla now lets owners access seat heaters, defrosters, and heated steering wheel controls through the climate menu, app, shortcuts, or automatic climate behavior depending on model, software version, and equipment. So if you’re comparing an older Model S/X with the original Subzero Weather Package to a newer Model 3/Y, don’t get hung up only on the old package name. Look for the actual features.
The heaters actually work quite well, and a YouTuber named Joe Rose made a very informative video using an infrared heat camera to test many of the Subzero Weather Package features that can be seen here:
(click here to see the full video)
Is the Tesla Subzero Weather Package Only Available on Model S/X? What About Model 3 or Model Y?
The original Subzero Weather Package was only available on Model S and Model X. By around mid-2017, many of these cold-weather features became standard or were folded into other trim/equipment setups, so the package name itself became less important on later Model S/X vehicles.
For Model 3 and Model Y, the story is different. Tesla did not offer the original Model S/X-style “Subzero Weather Package” on Model 3 or Model Y. Instead, cold-weather features arrived through a mix of standard equipment, paid software unlocks, hardware changes, and trim-level changes over time.
For example, Tesla offered a paid over-the-air upgrade on some Model 3 vehicles to enable rear heated seats, and later some cars also received or could unlock a broader “Cold Weather Feature” package that included rear heated seats and/or a heated steering wheel if the hardware was present. On many newer Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, heated front seats, heated rear seats, and heated steering wheels became common or standard depending on trim and year.
That said, Tesla changes this stuff. In 2026, some lower-cost Model 3/Y configurations have fewer comfort features than higher trims, and rear heated seats may not be included on every configuration. So the old 2021 answer of “sorry 3/Y owners, you’re stuck without it” is no longer accurate—but neither is it safe to say every Model 3/Y has every cold-weather feature.
The practical advice: if you’re shopping used, check the specific car. Look at the touchscreen climate controls, the Tesla app if the seller can show it, the Monroney/window sticker if available, and the listing photos. Don’t assume based only on model year.
How Does the Subzero Weather Package Affect Resale Value?
In terms of resale value, the Subzero Weather Package can still be a dealmaker or dealbreaker for someone living in a cold climate.
This might seem a bit silly if you live someplace where you don’t have to shovel snow, but for us hearty winter folk—this package is a must.
Generally speaking, options other than Autopilot/FSD, major trim-level differences, performance variants, battery/range, and condition don’t usually have a huge direct monetary impact on resale. Yes, cold-weather features are nice to have, but most buyers will not pay anywhere near the original option cost as a clean add-on value.
When you’re talking about a used Tesla, condition, mileage, battery/range, service history, title status, hardware, and software features tend to weigh more heavily. A heated steering wheel is not going to magically make a rough used Model S worth thousands more.
But winter features can absolutely affect buyer interest. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, New York, Canada, or anywhere else where winter is a real personality trait, a used Model S/X with heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated wipers, and heated washer nozzles may be easier to sell than one without them. The value impact may be more about desirability and speed of sale than a giant line-item price bump.
Are There Any Aftermarket Options That Add Similar Functionality to the Subzero Weather Package?
There are some important things to note about the Subzero Weather Package and aftermarket options, as well as retrofitting the package itself.
First of all, the Subzero Weather Package was a factory-installed option only. This means if the car did not originally have the right hardware and software configuration, it was not a simple “just add it later” upgrade.
Could a clever specialist retrofit some of these features? Maybe, depending on the specific feature, vehicle, parts availability, and software access. But that does not mean it is easy, cheap, factory-clean, or worth doing. Heated seats, heated steering components, washer nozzle heaters, wiper heaters, wiring, switches, software recognition, and serviceability all matter.
There are some companies that do offer aftermarket interiors for Teslas, like T Sportline, but that is not the same as adding the original factory Subzero Weather Package. A custom shop may be able to add certain heated-seat or interior comfort upgrades, but the solution probably won’t be as elegant as the factory-installed option and may include aftermarket controls, extra wiring, or functionality that doesn’t integrate cleanly with Tesla’s touchscreen.
For most used buyers, the better move is simple: buy the Tesla that already has the winter features you want.
Tesla Subzero Weather Package—Is It Worth It?
At Find My Electric, we’re headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota (AKA, Minne-SNOW-ta), so you could say we know a thing or two about cold weather.
And in our opinion, it is absolutely worth it if you’re buying an older used Model S or Model X and live in a cold climate. Everyone who has to deal with winter knows that a “remote start” is one of the most important winter features to have—which is already covered on Teslas through app-based climate preconditioning. But having heated wipers, a heated steering wheel, heated mirrors, and heated rear seats just plain makes winter life easier.
For newer Tesla shoppers, the question is less about the old “Subzero Weather Package” name and more about actual equipment. Does the car have heated rear seats? Heated steering wheel? Good defrost performance? Heated mirrors? Heat pump? Does the Tesla app show the controls you expect? Those are the details that matter.
If you’re shopping for a used Model S or Model X with the Subzero Weather Package, be sure to take a look at our used Tesla listings. We’ve built some killer features into our listings page, making it easier than ever to find a used Tesla with the Subzero Weather Package or any other feature that you’re looking for!