Tesla doesn’t have a formal communications department, but it’s listening to its customers, to reviewers, to randos on X. The 2024 Model 3 demonstrates how the company paid attention, took the feedback, and went to work.
You can classify the new Model 3, known my its internal Highland code name, as a refresh. The battery and motors are untouched; more surprising, it hasn’t adopted the Model Y’s single-piece structural “gigacastings.” At a mechanical level, it’s mostly the same car.
You’re forgiven for thinking the same of the exterior, but Tesla says everything but the rear doors and rear fenders are new. The new nose is better resolved than before, looking more like a Tesla Roadster and less like Spider-Man’s mask. The foglights are gone, and cooling air flows through a single inlet. Out back, Tesla missed the memo on crab-claw taillights going out of style, but moving them onto the trunklid solves a panel-gap issue.
Despite all prior evidence, Tesla cares about panel gaps, and fixing them wasn’t just about shutting us up. Tighter gaps are better for aerodynamics, so not only does the new Model 3 look like it was built by a company that cares, but it also achieves the second-lowest drag coefficient of any Tesla, at a claimed 0.219, down from 0.225.
Better aero and increases in efficiency from updated software are the source of Tesla’s improved driving range claims. We say “claims” because at the time of publishing, official EPA ratings hadn’t been released. Tesla didn’t provide exact numbers, but we’re told to expect small improvements from the existing EPA-rated 272 miles for the rear-drive
This story is from the January 2024 edition of Motor Trend.
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This story is from the January 2024 edition of Motor Trend.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH
THERE’S NO REST FOR SUV MAKERS IN THE INTENSE QUEST TO BE THE BEST
THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR
Once again, the bow-tie brand shows leadership in the electric vehicle space
AGENTS OF ZERO
WE DID IT AGAIN: RUNNING OUR VW ID4 EV OUT OF ELECTRICITY, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
THEY LISTENED
THE NEW TESLA MODEL 3 HIGHLAND FIXES NEARLY EVERYTHING WE HATED ABOUT THE OLD CAR
2023 Lexus RZ
Lexus says it will make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035, and the new RZ 450e is the brand’s first dedicated EV. This midsize crossover indicates Lexus’ future lineup will have luxurious appeal, but we find this first effort lacking in crucial areas.
2024 Land Rover Defender
The Defender 130 is a tricky one to judge. On one hand, it potentially improves upon a design and package we previously lauded enough to crown as our 2021 SUV of the Year in the form of the standard Defender 110. The 130 is more than a foot longer than the 110 and has more room for people and stuff, stretching the existing design into a new body style. (The 130’s wheelbase remains unchanged.)
2024 Kia Seltos
If you’ve been a fan of Kia’s recent styling direction but don’t want to pay top dollar for it, the 2024 Kia Seltos is a great way to get a rolling piece of that design aesthetic at a reasonable price.
2023 Jeep Compass
When asked to identify an off-road vehicle, the average person will point to just about any Jeep.
2024 Hyundai Kona
The Kona enters its second generation for 2024 with a new design language. It’s larger than the outgoing Kona, too, and its uncommonly ornate (for this class) and unmistakable design is something we’re already seeing in other upcoming Hyundai products. Having really liked the previous Kona, would our judges warm to this one?
2023 Ford Escape
The Escape is one of those SUVs that hasn’t ranked at the top of its class for a long time, but every time we drive one, we’re pleasantly surprised. Although it perpetually feels a little outdated, there’s some inherent goodness baked into the Escape.