5 Thoughts About the 2024 Tesla Model 3 Refresh
Author:
Tyler Mark.
Despite already strong sales figures, the Tesla Model 3 emerged in 2024 with a significant refresh dubbed the “Highland,” which aims to enhance the look and feel of the company’s smallest sedan. As an owner of a 2023 model, I’m aware of areas where the Model 3 could improve. Fortunately, Tesla has addressed many of them for owners of the refreshed 2024 model. Here’s a comprehensive overview of this new model’s enhancements from a previous-generation owner’s perspective.
1. Noise, Vibration, and Harshness
The previous generation Model 3 glided along on newly paved roads just fine due to the lack of engine vibration. But as soon as you ventured off a freshly paved path, the ride felt a bit stiff at best and crashy at worst. Accelerating up to highway speed in the new generation, I was a bit shocked. It feels less like a refresh and more like a different vehicle class. Road seams were satisfyingly damped, and while there’s road noise, it’s much lower in tone and less grating. The added comfort did add a bit more roll-in corners, but for the average commute, I found the trade-off well worth it. The Model 3 finally feels like it’s ascending into the luxury category when it comes to its ride.
2. Material Refinement
Adding to that luxurious feel are, well, the things you feel. Cabin materials have been upscaled. Everything that a prospective buyer may have questioned before has been addressed. The plastic-lined trunk lid is now covered with carpet. The hollow plastics on the lower door panels are now soft-touch, and the door bins are now carpet-lined. The plastic latching mechanisms on the center console and glove box have been redesigned with a satisfying magnetic release. Of the many material upgrades, the one that caught my attention the most was the door thunk. My 2023 Model 3 doors rattle and feel fragile, so I delicately shut them. Now, in contrast, they feel solid and capable of some abuse. Let your kids slam away. Interestingly, when the window is down, and the door is opened, it automatically pops up about an inch, eliminating the window rattle of previous models. This solution, while not elegant, is effective.
3. Matured Styling
This year, the Model 3 gets a nose job. I dig the previous generation’s friendly face a bit more. This front-end design doesn’t feel homogenous with the rest of the car. The headlights come to sharp angles while the rest of the car remains rounded and flowing. However, the new fascia is lowered, which improves efficiency and helps give the Long Range All-Wheel Drive model an EPA-estimated 341 miles of range. The rear sports a diffuser that rides higher than before, and the tail lights are now claw-shaped and one-piece. The tail lights are the easiest way to spot a Highland in the wild. The dash is all-new, and a user-selected color light bar runs from door to door. To me, ambient lighting needs to be subtle, or it becomes tacky. Here, it’s bordering that line. However, the new dash feels less tacked on and more enveloping. The contours are sculpted to give the driver the feeling of sitting in a cockpit. Tesla designers did a fantastic job with the Model 3 interior redesign.
4. Some Things Gained
The big news here is the addition of an 8-inch rear screen. Kids can play games, watch shows, and even pair Bluetooth headphones to it, so front-seat passengers can continue to enjoy their own media. I also appreciate that the front screen can mirror the rear screen so parents can keep an eye on what is happening in the back. Speaking of screens, the front one is larger, though I struggled to tell the difference. However, the bezels are smaller, and that’s always welcome. Other welcome additions are new wheel designs, ventilated seats, and upgraded microphones for better call quality. Moreover, all this is available on the base model, starting at just over $40K with destination and order fees. With tax incentives lowering it into the mid-30s, that’s an impressive value proposition.
5. Some Things Lost
There’s a notable mention in Tesla’s quest to remove anything extraneous. The stalks. It certainly can’t be a money issue, as the two pieces of plastic cost less than a couple of bucks. I’m all for minimalism, but even I have a limit. While driving the new Model 3, the turn signals on the wheel never became natural. The haptic touch buttons didn’t help. I struggled to hit them just right to activate the signal and kept reaching for a phantom stalk. I’m sure I’d get somewhat used to it with more time, but why should I have to bother? This just in: the 2025 Model 3 will feature a triangle steering wheel and no brake pedal.
The Wrap
For 2024, Tesla seeks to hone the few dull points of the already well-selling Model 3. The Highland refresh is a bold step forward for Tesla and re-establishes the Model 3 as a benchmark for a cost-effective electric vehicle.The ride is now in another league, the materials and quality are significantly elevated, and the feature list is growing. Just keep your eyes peeled for some third-party turn signal stalks. Related:
2024 Tesla Model 3: Choosing the Right Trim.
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