Tesla Model 3
About the Tesla Model 3
Last updated May 10, 2024It might be officially billed as a refresh, but over 50 per cent of the 2024 Tesla Model 3 is new, and some of those improvements are game-changing. The updated Tesla Model 3 is more expensive than before, but offers more features and greater range.
Missing from the range, at least for now, is the dual-motor all-wheel drive Performance, but the base RWD and all-wheel drive Long Range carry over.
The RWD is priced from $61,900 before on-roads (+$4500), while the Long Range is $71,900 before on-roads (+$500). Claimed WLTP range is up 22km to 513km for the RWD, and up 27km to 629km for the Long Range.
| Fuel Efficiency | N/A |
|---|---|
| ANCAP Rating | Not tested |
| Warranty | 4 years |
Video Review
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Detailed 2024 Tesla Model 3 (inc. 0-100 & braking) review
The new Tesla Model 3 has finally arrived in Australia. But...are the changes any good and is it worth upgrading if you already own one? Having owned a Model 3 (and now a Model Y) I'll give you my views on whether the upgrade is worth it.
Price & Specs
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Tesla Model 3 Range Guide
The Model 3 RWD comes standard with the following equipment:
- 18-inch ‘Photon’ alloy wheels
- LED headlights with integrated fog lights
- Acoustic glass
- 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Satellite navigation
- Black interior
- Ventilated front seats
- Ambient lighting
- 8.0-inch rear touchscreen with climate, entertainment controls
- 9-speaker sound system
- Dual 65W wireless phone chargers
- Panoramic glass roof
- App connectivity
- Dog Mode (maintains cabin temperature)
- Camp Mode (maintains cabin temperature, keeps entertainment system on overnight)
- Sentry Mode (monitors vehicle, notifies you of potential threats)
The Long Range adds:
- 17-speaker sound system
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Interior
Inside, the new Model 3 has a new screen up front… with the same dimensions (15 inches) and processor as before.
The steering wheel is new, with no column stalks for indicators or cruise control. Instead, there are capacitive touch buttons on the wheel.
An ambient lighting strip runs along the base of the windscreen, and it’s now possible to turn off the passenger air vents.
Rear passengers get an 8.0-inch display to control media and climate, along with air vents and USB-C ports.
If you’re only just considering making the switch from an internal combustion engined vehicle to an all-electric car, then you might be in for a shock the first time you hop in a Tesla Model 3.
There’s not much to look at besides a steering wheel, seats and a large centrally mounted touchscreen – and that’s about it, at least on the surface.
Just below the trim though, the Model 3 is bristling with layer upon layer of the latest cutting-edge technology, designed to make driving easier, says Tesla.
Owners will use their smartphone as the key to their new Model 3, but we had to settle for the key card equivalent, which you can simply leave on your person to automatically enter the car after which time its simply placed in one of two wireless charging pads just below the touchscreen.
That powers the car up, and off you go – it’s that simple.
Exterior
From a purely aesthetic point of view, it wasn’t exactly a head turner either, as subjective as that may be. The old Model 3 was born with a slightly awkward face especially beside its far more handsome Model S sibling.
On the outside, the updated Model 3 features a slicker front design with a simpler lower section than before, while down back there are restyled tail lights.
Under the skin, the updated Model 3 features a revised suspension setup with new springs, dampers, and subframe mounting points designed to deliver a more comfortable ride.
Changes have also been made to the Michelin tyres, which are designed to offer more compliance through softer sidewalls – along with better noise suppression than is currently offered.
Tesla Model 3 Photo Gallery
Tesla Model 3 Colours
Pearl White Multi-Coat is standard, with the following finishes are optional:
- Solid Black ($1500)
- Deep Blue Metallic ($1500)
- Stealth Grey ($2300)
- Ultra Red ($2600)
Cost of Ownership
Tesla backs the Model 3 with a four-year, 80,000km warranty, with a separate eight-year, 160,000km warranty for the battery and drive unit (eight years or 192,000km for the Long Range).
Given it has very few moving parts, there isn’t much maintenance required on the Model 3.
Tesla recommends having the air-conditioning filters changed every two years, and checking the tyre tread, balance, and rotation every 20,000km.
Thanks to regenerative braking, the brake pads and discs require work less frequently than in internal-combustion vehicles.
However the Model 3 will need to have brake fluid checked every two years, and the pads and discs lubricated every 12 months in colder climates.
How it Drives
Tesla doesn’t quote power and torque figures, but claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.1 seconds for the RWD, and 4.4 seconds for the Long Range version.
A new Model 3 Performance has been confirmed for Australia and due to arrive in the first half of 2024 featuring more powerful dual motors and is said to be, “pretty special”.
The Model 3 can be charged at up to 170kW using a DC charger, with Tesla claiming up to 282km can be added in 15 minutes.
Claimed range under WLTP testing is 513km for the RWD and 629km for the Long Range. It’s worth noting the new Model 3 has earned a drag coefficient of just .219 – meaning its exceptionally slippery through the air. By way of comparison, the Porsche Taycan boasts a 0.22Cd.
To put the car into Drive or Reverse, you’ve got two options; there’s a cloaked bank of touch buttons in between the two sun visors, which also houses a couple of very bright LED downlights, or just use the screen and finger-scroll forward or back.
The latter is the way to go, as it not only becomes intuitive after just a few moves, it’s quick when you’re manoeuvring in a tight spot or make a three-point turn under pressure. Tesla also makes do without the traditional driver’s instrument display behind the steering wheel, instead putting the relevant information into the top-right corner of the central display.
Again, you’ll soon get used to it, but I’m not sure I can fully subscribe to such an extreme level of minimalism. But then again what more do you need up there besides speed and possibly nav directions given Tesla still doesn’t offer a head-up display.
Tesla Model 3 Safety Rating
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane-keep assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors
Tesla Model 3 Options
The following features are optional on both variants:
- 19-inch ‘Nova’ alloy wheels: $1800
- Black and white interior: $1500
- Enhanced Autopilot: $5100
- Navigate on Autopilot
- Auto Lane Change
- Autopark
- Summon
- Smart Summon
- Full Self-Driving Capability: $10,100
- All Enhanced Autopilot functionality
- Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control
- Autosteer on city streets (upcoming)
A Premium Connectivity subscription is complimentary for 30 days, and adds:
- Live traffic information
- Satellite maps
- Video and music streaming
- Caraoke
- Internet browsing
Tesla Model 3 Warranty
The 2024 TESLA MODEL 3 has a 4 year, 80,000km warranty.
Tesla Model 3 Infotainment
The central screen and so-called instrument panel is also new but now with a brighter display, thinner bezel (for a larger active area) and quicker response, though its supersize 15.4-inch dimensions remain the same.
Nevertheless, Apple addicts will likely be inconsolable to learn there’s no CarPlay, and therefore no audible text-messaging conversations on the fly, though you do get Apple Music in the Model 3’s pre-loaded app suite.
It means you’ll also miss out on apps like the licence-saving Waze, unless Tesla decides to add it to its list of pre-loaded apps via an OTA update at some stage.
You just have to subscribe to the fact that almost every single function you can possibly think of is accessed via the central touchscreen up front, including things like opening the glovebox, the boot and frunk for instance.
It’s not difficult but it does require something of a cognitive reset before you actually start enjoying the convenience.
Tesla Model 3 Boot Space
Tesla quotes total cargo capacity of 682L across the front and rear storage areas.
Tesla Model 3 Dimensions
The 2024 Tesla Model 3 measures 4720mm long, 1933mm wide (2089mm including the mirrors) and 1441mm tall on a 2875mm wheelbase.
It weighs 1765kg in RWD guise and 1828kg in Long Range guise.
Depending on the variant, the 2024 TESLA MODEL 3 measures as below.
| Variant | Series | Style | Length (mm) | Width (mm) | Height (mm) | Wheelbase (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REAR-WHEEL DRIVE | MY24 | 4D SEDAN | 4720 | 1933 | 1441 | 2875 |
| LONG RANGE | MY24 | 4D SEDAN | 4720 | 1933 | 1441 | 2875 |
| PERFORMANCE | MY24 | 4D SEDAN | 4724 | 2089 | 1431 | 2875 |
Tesla Model 3 Market Fit
The Tesla Model 3 is categorised as a MEDIUM FROM 60K and has a price range of $54,900 to $80,900.
Owner Reviews
Should you buy the Tesla Model 3
For a mid-life refresh, the 2024 Model 3 Tesla has benefited from an exhaustive number of improvements covering almost every facet of the car; exterior, interior and under the skin.
To any other carmaker it might have easily qualified for the new-generation status, but either way, Tesla has put its best-selling Model 3 under the microscope and re-engineered both big and small ticket items that drew global criticism from previous Model 3 owners.
The improvement in ride comfort is simply game changing compared with the nausea-inducing suspension set-up on the previous iteration. Likewise, with the overall noise suppression in the cabin – it’s now a demonstrably quiet place to be and the perfect amphitheatre in which to enjoy one of the finest audio systems in the business.
While more work will need to be done with range and charging evaluation, when Paul Maric and the team put the car through the ringer at CarExpert’s proving ground – the new Model 3 is still a mighty impressive proposition and remains a bang-for-buck trailblazer on the EV landscape.