The term moon roof has commonly been spoken in place of the word sunroof.

A sunroof is an opening in a motor vehicle roof that can either be fixed in position, or be manipulated from inside the vehicle to pop up or slide along. Often, sunroofs are unable to let light through when closed but can be opened to the air to allow the sun to shine directly into the vehicle. Moon roofs, on the other hand, are generally designed to be transparent or semi-transparent, and they are usually designed to remain closed while allowing the muted light into the vehicle’s cabin. What mixes people up is when the term moonroof has also been applied to sunroofs that can only tilt to provide additional ventilation.

The term “moon roof” was probably coined because although you can open a sunroof right up and let the sunshine in, it would be chilly to do this at night. You want to let the moonlight in and the chilly (or frosty) night air out, hence the name “moon-roof”. A model that is capable of complete retraction of the glass is generally accepted as the true sunroof (where the sun shines right on in).

Modern applications of a moon roof often include a sliding shade that usually matches the internal roof upholstery and provides a way of essentially hiding the moon roof behind it.

Whichever the term is that you like to use, you will agree with me on this one thing; a vehicle with a moon roof or wide-open sunroof has a lot more potential than a totally enclosed cabin when on a romantic drive with your beloved.We hope that helps answer the question ‘What is What is a Moon Roof?’!

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