- VERDICT
The new redesign Tesla Model 3 is a huge step forward for Australia’s most popular electric car. The new design and numerous new features form an impressive upgrade and are certain to increase the already high demand.
The new Tesla Model 3 has received a significant redesign with a number of new features which will make the already popular electric vehicle even more in demand.
Tech Guide got behind the wheel of the new 2024 Tesla Model 3 long range edition which starts at $71,900 plus on road costs.
The vehicle has a range of up to 629km with a top speed of 201km/h.
And it can go from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds.
On the outside there are a few obvious changes with a sleeker and more aerodynamic look.
We noticed there are less curves on the vehicle and a lot more straight lines to give it a more aggressive stance.
It has new wing-shaped headlights which now have integrated fog lamps to help improve night driving.
Around the back there’s also a new style of taillight which is designed as one piece and integrates into the tailgate.
But it’s when you go inside the car that you’ll notice even more changes.
The inside of the Tesla model 3 is already quite minimal and the new steering wheel takes that even further.
You’ll notice there are no stalks on either side of the wheel which normally allow drivers to access the wipers, indicators and to change gears.
These features have been taken away and placed as buttons on the wheel itself or on the large 15-inch central display.
The indicators are now on the steering wheel itself as buttons on the left side that allow you to indicate whether you’re turning left or right.
Drivers will hear and see the indicator on the screen along with the camera on that side of the car to give drivers a clear review of the direction they’re turning.
Naturally the indicator turns off once you’ve completed your turn – but what about when you change lanes?
We found the indicator automatically switched off when the vehicle saw us cross to the lane so there’s no need to press the button a second time to turn off the indicator for those quick lane changes.
The only issue we found with this was that when you are trying to indicate immediately after a turn it was hard to figure out which button to pressed because they were upside down or sideways.
It actually took our focus off the road to work out which was the right button we needed to press.
There’s no such problem with a stationary stalk which can be engaged no matter how far you’ve turned the wheel.
But what about the gear changer which is normally a stalk on the right hand side of the wheel?
To put the car into gear there is a section on the right edge of the display which allows you to slide up to drive, slide down to put the car into reverse and buttons to put the car into park or into neutral.
When you select drive by swiping up on the screen a large arrow is seen giving the driver the directional information.
And when swiping down to go into reverse, the rear cameras are automatically activated.
This didn’t take too much getting used to but if you are making a series of quick turns or reversing out of a tight space your arm is moving a fair bit.
But there is another option near the rear view mirror which give drivers push button controls to put the car into park, reverse and to turn on the hazard lights.
In this position some drivers could see it as a bit of a hassle to have to raise your arm to change gears instead of having the effortless stalks literally at your fingertips while your hands are still safely on the wheel.
Another thing you won’t find in the Tesla Model 3 is a driver cluster – something the previous Model 3 left out as well.
This means drivers have to glance to their left at the centre screen to see their speed and other information while they’re driving.
A feature that the Model 3 is crying out for is a heads-up display (HUD) so drivers can see their speed and other vital information as they are looking through the windscreen at the road.
This would surely make up for the fact that there is no small screen in front of the steering wheel and allow drivers to literally keep their eyes on the road while still seeing how fast they’re going along with navigation instructions and other information.
Inside the new Tesla Model 3 there is plenty of room with plenty of headroom and legroom for yourself and your passengers.
I’m pretty tall and I found there was plenty of room to sit comfortably. And the rear passengers could be seated comfortably as well.
In the central console there’s also a generous amount of storage space including two cup holders and two large storage areas.
There are also two wireless smart phone chargers as well so you can be charging while driving.
The Tesla Model 3 also has an accent light which runs from the passenger door across the dashboard and around to the driver’s door.
And, of course, drivers are able to choose from more than 200 colours via the main display to suit their taste or your mood.
One of the trademark features of the Tesla model 3 is the large 15 inch display which basically puts nearly every control at your fingertips as well as giving you access to the maps, settings and other apps to stream music or to view content.
You can’t view content while you’re driving of course but while charging or waiting you can fire up Netflix or Disney+ and YouTube.
But there is a second screen in the car for the rear passengers.
This 8-inch display allows them to connect their headphones via Bluetooth to stream their own music in the back seat or access the car’s Spotify account.
The rear display also gives those backseat passengers access to Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube so they can enjoy streaming content and keep themselves entertained without disturbing the driver and front passenger.
This rear screen also gives them control of the air conditioning.
On the storage side, the front trunk has adequate space for your groceries or a carry-on bag if you’re taking someone to the airport.
In the back is a surprisingly large boot space which can easily fit your golf clubs and other larger items.
There’s even a sub trunk space below a small panel that also offers a large amount of storage.
It’s now also a much quieter ride inside the Tesla model 3 thanks to the new 360-degree acoustic glass which cuts out a lot of the road noise.
What adds to the silence is the increased suspension bushings and improved seals along with the addition of a lot of other sound dampening materials.
The new Tesla Model 3 offers the same smoothness and driving performance as its predecessor with solid handling and plenty of zip when required.
The new Tesla model 3 is available to order now.
The rear wheel drive model starts at 61,900 plus on road costs and the dual motor all-wheel drive long range model we reviewed starts at $71,900.
According to the Tesla website, customers who order now will have their car delivered between January and April 2024.
VERDICT
The new redesign Tesla Model 3 is a huge step forward for Australia’s most popular electric car. The new design and numerous new features form an impressive upgrade and are certain to increase the already high demand.
