14

The tag here states:

The opening in the roof of a car. Usually a glass panel that opens by sliding down and back.

However, the owner's manual of my 2006 Mazda 6 refers to the opening only as a moonroof, and never mentions a sunroof. I've never heard the term moonroof before. To the best of my knowledge, everyone here in Australia refers to it as a sunroof. Are they synonyms, or is there some difference?

For what it's worth, the opening in my Mazda is electronic, and both slides and tilts.

Is there a difference between a sunroof and a moonroof?

Tas
  • 403
  • 1
  • 5
  • 11

2 Answers2

17

After a little digging, I have found pretty much what Ben said in the comments above: A moonroof is a sunroof, but a sunroof is not a moonroof.

The difference is not in how the mechanism moves, but what it holds. A sunroof consists of a metal panel that can either tilt up, and/or slide back into or above the roof of the car. A moonroof, on the other hand, consists of a glass panel with the same movement functions, The difference being that a moonroof can be closed while still permitting light to come through.

I assume they were named this way because a sunroof was a logical name for the device when it was first invented in 1937 (according to this Wikipedia article). The moonroof, invented in 1973 ('37 and '73 - coincidence!?!?), was named as a play on the word 'sun'roof.

MooseLucifer
  • 6,027
  • 4
  • 28
  • 55
4

In UK usage, an opening glass panel over the front seats is a sunroof whether it tilts, slides or both. A second such opening over the back seats was sometimes called a moonroof (this was common when the Espace first came out, so late 80s).

Chris H
  • 819
  • 3
  • 7
  • 14