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Panoramic moonroofs and sunroofs maximize natural light inside your car, courtesy of extra-large overhead openings that extend beyond the first row of seats. Below is a comprehensive list of cars that offer them either as standard or optional equipment, plus an explanation of some key differences between the examples currently on the market.
Related: Which Cars Have Panoramic Moonroofs or Sunroofs for 2020?
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Car shoppers will find several new and redesigned vehicles that offer panoramic moonroofs for 2021. Examples include the Genesis GV80, Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, GMC Yukon, and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.
Bear in mind that for any car you see on the list below, a panoramic roof might also come on related variants, such as plug-in models, hybrid or high-performance editions. Unless specifically noted, related body styles (for example, a wagon or extended-length version) may also offer the feature.
Myriad variations of the panoramic roof exist. Many cars accomplish the feature by way of two glass panels adjoined by a single, thin crossmember, where the effect makes for a continuous glass panel overhead. Examples include the Subaru Ascent and Volkswagen Atlas. Others, like the Subaru Forester, have a single, continuous glass panel — though it’s almost always smaller than the two-panel approach, making “panoramic” a charitable designation.
In other vehicles, the panels are split by a section of roof and headliner to give the effect of two distinct skylights. Finally, certain larger vehicles — from the BMW X7 to the Chrysler Pacifica — combine both approaches: conjoined panels over the first and second rows followed by an additional, separate skylight over the third row. Either way, any portions behind the front row are usually fixed; they seldom open, whereas the front portion does.
Whatever the approach, panoramic moonroofs are often called panoramic sunroofs. Although technically accurate — a moonroof is a type of sunroof — the characterization in most cases is too vague. Sunroofs generally denote a movable metal panel — though some cars have movable cloth roofs to accomplish the same thing — whereas moonroofs employ glass panels. In all likelihood, what you’re seeing is the latter.
That said, a few opaque examples remain. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, for example, offers a Sky One-Touch power cloth top that accordions back for an open-air experience over both rows. The cloth top on the recently defunct Fiat 500c can even retract the rear window, blurring the lines between a panoramic sunroof and a full convertible. We’re hesitant to throw such designs into the panoramic camp without caveats, and those certainly apply to our entries for the Wrangler and Gladiator, whose more basic soft tops can be secured in a mostly open position that grants a panoramic-sized opening. (The new Ford Bronco has a similar setup, but Ford cautions against driving with the half-open position, whereas Jeep says it’s fine.)
Associated features and complexity can vary. The simplest panoramic moonroofs have manual sunshades you have to pull shut, but most examples employ power-operated shades that deploy at the push of a button. Some have adjustable tint levels you can change in real time. Others have embedded lighting that, at night, can simulate a starlit sky.
Naturally, you should expect to spend more for feature-heavy examples. A panoramic moonroof is a stand-alone option on select trim levels of the Toyota Camry, where it runs $1,360; on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe, by contrast, a panoramic roof with Mercedes’ variable-tint Magic Sky Control runs a steeper $2,500.
Regardless of price or features, expect to lose a bit of headroom in both rows. The packaging around a panoramic roof can bump the ceiling down an inch or more and, in some cars, adults may find the remaining headroom untenable. Before you opt for a car thus equipped, hop into all rows of seats to make sure you — and your passengers — have enough clearance.
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