2024 Tesla Model 3 Review: Refining The Original
Tesla upset the apple cart with its Model 3 electric sedan seven years ago when there were few rivals around. The car brought EVs to the mainstream with an affordable starting price, superior performance, and range figures comparable to combustion vehicles. It became the most popular Tesla until the Model Y crossover overtook it. Now the Model 3 has come in for its first major revamp, with sleeker looks, better quality control, some semblance of refinement, and even added features - all without getting any more expensive. There are three trims in the range, with the base rear-wheel-drive trim packing 257 horsepower and the Long Range's dual motors bringing 393 hp and all-wheel drive. The 430-hp AWD Performance is waiting in the wings to join them imminently. But lots has happened in seven years, not least of which is the arrival of brand-new EV sedans such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Polestar 2, so the once-groundbreaking Tesla is now the oldest kid on the block. Have the improvements been sufficient to keep it in contention among far fresher rivals?
New for 2024
The updated 2024 Model 3 finally makes landfall in the USA in Base RWD and Long Range AWD formats. The range will be expanded with the Performance during the first quarter of 2024. Most obvious is the exterior restyle with new head- and taillights and improved aero performance, reducing the drag coefficient from 0.225 to 0.219. The cosmetic changes are accompanied by two new paint colors - Stealth Gray and Ultra Red. Tighter panel gaps, acoustic glass all around, and improved suspension bushings boost refinement and lower noise levels by 20%.
The cabin gets more upscale materials, adjustable wraparound ambient interior lighting extending to the rear cabin, ventilated front seats, and new audio systems with nine or 17 speakers. A new rear bench improves seating comfort, and second-row passengers get an eight-inch touchscreen to adjust the climate control or access the infotainment system. Other changes to the car's features and specifications include the removal of all column stalks; turn signals are controlled via touch-sensitive buttons on the redesigned steering wheel, and predictive shifting controls the transmission. The base price of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 goes unchanged over last year, at the time of writing
2024 Tesla Model 3 Price: Which One to Buy
The starting price of the new Tesla Model 3 base RWD trim is $38,990. Next in line is the AWD Long Range, which will cost you $45,990. These prices are all MSRP and they don't include Tesla's $1,390 destination fee. The price of the Performance has not been released yet.
Most people won't need anything more than the base trim. With 257 hp, it gets to 60 in under six seconds, while its range is competitive in this class. Besides the 393-hp dual motors with AWD, better performance, more range, and faster 250-kW charging ability, the only feature added to the Long Range is a 17-speaker audio system, but is that worth $7k to you? About the same amount - $6k - buys you Enhanced Autopilot with auto lane change, auto park, and Smart Summon, so you'll have to decide what's most important. The $12k required for the controversial "Full Self-Driving" might be an expensive way to become a Tesla beta tester, or make for endless hours playing with bleeding-edge tech, depending on your take.
Model 3 | Long Range |
---|---|
Lowest Price | Longest Range |
$ 38990 | $ 45990 |
Single electric motor (257 hp), 58-kWh battery, RWD | Equipped with the Model 3’s features, plus: |
18-inch alloys, LED headlights | Dual-motor (393 hp), AWD |
Leatherette upholstery, ventilated front seats, four heated seats | 82-kWh battery |
15.4- & eight-inch displays, nine-speaker audio system | 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds |
Autopilot standard, Enhanced Autopilot & FSD optional | 17-speaker audio system |
250-kW charging capability |
Interior and Features
The severely minimalistic cabin is very cleanly styled at the cost of ergonomics, with virtually no buttons making it necessary to use the touchscreen for almost everything.
If you thought the previous rendition of the Model 3 was minimalist inside, you ain't seen nothing yet. The latest 3 has lost all its column stalks, with the turn signals now operated via touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel and gear selection being predictive, though you can still control the transmission via the center touchscreen or an overhead panel with redundant controls, should the screen fail. The overall effect is an extremely clean and uncluttered dashboard at the expense of user-friendliness. The good news is that quality has been much improved, with more soft-touch materials. The wood veneer is replaced with premium fabric and an adjustable wraparound strip of LED ambient lighting sweeps into the doors to jazz up the ambiance. Quality is still not up to BMW levels, but it's a lot better, while rear-seat comfort has been improved, though interior space is more snug than spacious.
Space
Interior space is decent, but the old Model 3 was let down by an awkward rear seat with a too-low seat cushion, so comfort was compromised. The new one's seat cushion is higher at the front and provides far more under-thigh support, while the backrest is set at a more laid-back angle. Headroom has remained virtually unchanged, but increasing the rake of the backrest has moved the seat cushion forward slightly, so legroom has decreased by 0.7 inches. Overall comfort is much better, though, with the space available being around the same as you'll find in an Ioniq 6 or Polestar 2, but with a more comfortable and practically usable headroom-to-legroom ratio in the second row. The completely flat floor frees up useful foot space. The seat padding is softer and all the seats are now more comfortable and supportive.
Cargo
Trunk space is an easy victory for the Tesla, with a spacious 21 cubic feet behind the second row comfortably beating its obvious rivals with five passengers in place. This advantage should hold with the 60/40-split rear seats folded down, though Tesla doesn't provide a figure for the total trunk volume as a two-seater. The trunk opening is wider now because Tesla moved the shut lines to the outside of the taillights. The frunk under the hood accommodates another 3.1 cu-ft for a total of around 24 cubes of cargo volume.
In the cabin, two wireless charging pads are provided, while the two front cupholders can be hidden with a sliding cover, as can the deep storage cubby ahead of them, which also contains a 12-V power outlet. These two spaces' sliding covers meet in the middle, with neat offset pull tabs to open them. There is a spacious compartment with tiered storage under the under-elbow lid in the center console. Pockets with bottle holders are provided in all four doors, and the rear-seat passengers' cupholders reside in the flip-down center armrest. They also have access to two front seatback pockets.
Tesla Model 3 | Polestar 2 | Hyundai Ioniq 6 | |
---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5-seater | 5-seater | 5-seater |
Headroom | 40.3 in. front 37.7 in. rear | 41.3 in. front 37 in. rear | 40.2 in. front 36.9 in. rear |
Legroom | 42.7 in. front 34.5 in. rear | 42.2 in. front 33.9 in. rear | 45.4 in. front 34.7 in. rear |
Trunk Space | 21 ft³ + 3.1 ft³ (frunk) | 16.7-38.7 ft³ | 11.2 ft³ + 0.5 ft³ (frunk) |
Materials and Colors
The Model 3 comes with a leather-free vegan interior. Perforated leatherette upholstery is used on the seats and a choice of two interior colors - black or white - are available, the latter demanding a $1,000 premium. The color of the wraparound LED interior lighting strip can be adjusted to your taste. Tesla has installed softer padding for the armrests and most surfaces, while the previous model's wood-veneer dashboard trim has been replaced with premium textured cloth.
Features and Infotainment
The basic features of all Model 3 trims are mostly the same, starting with keyless entry and go, 12-way power front seats, heating for the steering wheel and both front and rear seats, front-seat ventilation, perforated leatherette upholstery, adjustable wraparound LED ambient interior lighting, 360-degree acoustic glass, a tinted panoramic glass roof, automatic climate control with rear-seat controls and vents, and Dog, Sentry, and Camp vehicle modes.
The Tesla infotainment system doesn't feature Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, AM radio, or SiriusXM, which will irk some people. What you do get is a big 15.4-inch center touchscreen that controls nearly every vehicular function. You also get navigation, Bluetooth, two front and two rear USB ports, various internet streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix, arcade-style games, native support for Apple Music, Spotify (requires a Premium account), and Tidal, the Tesla app with remote vehicle access, and a nine-speaker audio system with a single amplifier. Only navigation is included in the Standard subscription that runs for eight years from the date of purchase, but a 30-day Premium trial subscription gives access to all the other services and requires a paid subscription after the first month. Two wireless charging pads are provided in the front cabin. The rear-seat passengers get their own eight-inch touchscreen to access features such as climate control and infotainment - ideal for streaming content to keep kids occupied. The dual-motor trims get an upgraded 17-speaker audio system.
Model 3 | Long Range | Performance | |
---|---|---|---|
Front ventilated seats & four heated seats | S | S | S |
Perforated leatherette upholstery | S | S | S |
15.4-inch front & 8-inch rear touchscreens | S | S | S |
Navigation | S | S | S |
17-speaker audio system | N/A | S | S |
Performance
The ride is firm and the handling sharp, but this is also combined with improved comfort and far lower noise levels in the updated Model 3.
Even with the single electric motor in the Tesla Model 3 base trim with rear-wheel drive, you get 257 hp and a 0-60 sprint in a swift 5.8 seconds. The Long Range adds a front electric motor to endow it with an AWD drivetrain and 393 hp, giving this version of the Tesla Model 3 a 0-60 time of just 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 145 mph. The all-wheel-drive Performance gets an uprated dual-motor setup with 430 hp and a 0-60 of only 3.1 seconds, along with a top speed of 162 mph. In all trims, the power is transferred to the wheels via a single-speed reduction drive, and the direction of travel is determined automatically, with no physical shifter. Tesla has not yet confirmed whether the 2024 model will be able to tow, but it has been reported that the car has a rated towing capacity of 2,200 pounds. We'll have to wait and see whether trailering is on the cards for Model 3 owners.
On the road, the new 3 is a revelation. Its new frequency-adaptive dampers address the old car's often harsh ride, resulting in far better bump absorption without feeling sloppy. New front suspension geometry, brake-mounting hardware, and quick steering make the Model 3 feel responsive. It's a lot quieter on the move. Body roll is reduced by soft anti-roll bars and a low center of gravity that results from the heavy battery being mounted under the floor within the car's wheelbase and the low 5.4-inch ground clearance. We're keen to sample these changes in the sportier upcoming Performance trim.
Battery, Charging, and Range
The updated 2024 Tesla Model 3's efficiency should show an improvement. Powertrains and batteries are untouched, but software updates and the improved aero mean every Model 3 will be able to travel farther on a charge. At the time of writing, however, only the Long Range models officially showed any increase.
For now, the base trims with their 58-kWh battery remain at around 272 miles, with a slight penalty for those equipped with 19-inch wheels. The range figure for the Long Range with its 82-kWh battery is listed as 341 miles. Information about the Performance model is still outstanding.
The base trim's 58-kWh battery can be charged at a maximum rate of 170 kW, while the 82-kWh batteries of the dual-motor trims accept charge at up to 250 kW. Tesla says that its 120-kW Supercharger stations can add 175 miles every 15 minutes. Home-charging equipment is not included, but a wall connector with a 24-foot cable that can add up to 44 miles per hour costs $475, while a mobile connector using a standard household outlet charge at a maximum of 3 miles per hour, which increases to 30 miles per hour using a 240-V outlet, bringing total charging time for the small battery to around 10.4 hours, or 11.5 hours for the big battery.
Electric Single Speed Automatic RWD | Electric Single Speed Automatic AWD (Long Range) | Electric Single Speed Automatic AWD (Performance) | |
---|---|---|---|
Power | 257 hp | 393 hp | 430 hp |
Top speed | TBA | 145 mph | 162 mph |
MPG | TBA | TBA | |
0-60 | 5.8 sec. | 4.2 sec. | 3.1 sec. |
Battery Range | 272 miles | 341 miles | TBA |
Charge Time | 10.4 Hrs Charge Time @ 220/240V | 11.5 Hrs Charge Time @ 220/240V | 11.5 Hrs Charge Time @ 220/240V |
Safety
Crash scores are excellent and the Model 3 comes with comprehensive driver assists, but the Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving add-ons are expensive.
Standard safety features and driver assists are of a high standard, with every Model 3 coming with a series of Tesla Vision cameras right around the car and Autopilot, which provides semi-autonomous driving, with front-collision alert, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist with steering assist. LED headlights and rain-sensing wipers are standard fitments too.
The $6,000 Enhanced Autopilot package adds navigation on Autopilot, including overtaking, automatic lane changing, automatic parallel and perpendicular parking, and Smart Summon. The controversial $12,000 Full Self-Driving Capability package has proven far from perfect in practice but includes all the existing Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot features, in addition to traffic-light and stop-sign control, and a full self-driving computer that enables Autosteer on city streets.
Model 3 | Long Range | Trim 3 | |
---|---|---|---|
Front-collision alert with auto braking | S | S | S |
Adaptive cruise control | S | S | S |
Lane-departure alert & active lane-keep assist | S | S | S |
Enhanced Autopilot semi-autonomous driving | O | O | O |
Full Self-Driving (FSD) with Autosteer | O | O | O |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
Reliability
The Tesla Model 3's reliability has been improving and JD Power gives the 2024 model a score of 74 out of 100 for its Quality & Reliability assessment - a fair result. There have so far been no recalls of the revamped 2024 model. The 2023 model was recalled five times for problems ranging from inadequate Autopilot controls and Full Self-Driving software crashes to failing taillights, malfunctioning airbags, and defective battery disconnection systems. We're hoping none of these carry over to the new model year.
The 2024 Tesla Model 3's limited warranty of three years/36,000 miles is no more than average. The powertrain warranty runs for an EV-typical eight years/100,000 miles.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
---|---|---|---|
4 Years / 50,000 Miles | 8 Years / 100,000 Miles | 12 Years / Unlimited Miles | 4 Years / 50,000 Miles |
Design
The Model 3's fresh new face looks sleeker and more dynamic, with none of the reptilian overtones of the old one. The C-shaped taillights are now entirely on the trunk lid, cleaning up the rear panel gaps, while various enhancements and tighter panel gaps ensure a drag coefficient of 0.219. All trims benefit from LED exterior lighting and a tinted panoramic glass roof. The two base trims run on 18-inch Photon alloy wheels, with 19-inch Nova alloys optional, while the Performance gets trim-specific 20-inch wheels, a rear decklid spoiler, and lowered suspension.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Tesla Model 3 A Good Car?
Despite all the updates to the 2024 model, the now-familiar Model 3 profile has become a common sight on our roads and has stayed fundamentally unchanged. The old car has fallen well behind in terms of ride refinement and rear-seat comfort, and those faults have now been fixed, but it will take more than a nip and tuck to keep the competition at bay. The futuristically attractive Hyundai Ioniq 6 starts at a lower price, while premium brands such as BMW have joined the fray with the i4. Some might see Tesla's much-vaunted self-driving features as an advantage, but legacy automakers have been more cautious and less controversial with semi-autonomous tech and the jury is still out on whether the Tesla Vision approach will prevail. Build quality is better now, but still adrift of the established automakers. The latest Model 3 is the best it's ever been - but so is its competition.