By: Otaiba Ahsan
Tesla began deliveries for the redesigned Tesla Model 3, often referred to as the Highland model, during the first quarter of 2024. Of course, it’s still the same vehicle that everyone loves, but with several subtle changes that help create a novel experience. Continue reading to see 3 positive changes for the refreshed Tesla Model 3.
1) Exterior Look
The outside of the car is where you’ll immediately notice some changes. Side-by-side, they may look similar, but the differences are mostly present at the front and rear of the vehicle. You can see a useful visual comparing the two from the front, as well as the new rear of the Tesla.
When comparing the front, the new headlights immediately stand out, as they’re thinner now which resembles the Model S. Also, the fog lights have been removed, and there’s now a single center cooling inlet instead of multiple which are seen on the old model. Additionally, many new owners have stated that the build quality has improved overall, with tighter panel gaps. Overall, it’s a much cleaner and sleek look.
Moving onto the rear of the car, you’ll see that they did away with the classic emblem, and instead now display the T E S L A lettering, which once again mimics the Model S. Lastly, the taillights migrate entirely onto the trunk lid, and are also thinner than before. The changes help provide a lower and wider look.
2) Interior Look
The new interior features an updated dashboard that looks fantastic. Tesla got rid of the wood trim, and introduced a new center console, which is both functional and blends well with the refreshed look. Moreover, the materials used are much nicer quality across the board. Other minor changes include thinner bezels on the touchscreen, providing more area to work with, and 17 speakers in the car, up from 14 previously.
Lastly, a welcome change that adds to a premium feel is the LED light strips around the entire interior of the vehicle. This ambient lighting is perfect for night driving, and is also functional as it provides the ability to see better for all passengers.
3) Other Improvements
There are several other improvements that have yet to be mentioned, but here are a few more that stood out to me that I believe should be called out.
The first is the introduction of ventilated seats for the passenger and driver seats. Heated seats have been a staple for the Model 3 and Y, but they both always lacked ventilated ones, which were only seen in the S and X. However, the new car introduces this important feature, which is especially nice for those who experience warm weather wherever they are.
Additionally, a touchscreen has been added in the back row, where the passengers there can now control their own climate settings, and use streaming apps such as Netflix or Disney Plus. Lastly the Model 3 Highland features dual-pane glass across all windows instead of just the front. This should improve noise levels in the cabin, something that owners of the previous Model 3 vehicles have complained about.
The Bottom Line
That concludes the list of 3 positive changes for the refreshed Tesla Model 3. While there’s no one update that stands out immediately, the culmination of all the changes adds up to an extremely polished product that addresses many of the previous customer complaints. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the new iteration of this vehicle, we highly recommend you do so!