Tesla updates Model 3 for 2024

2024 Tesla Model 3 design

Firstly, the looks. It’s an improvement across the board, I think we can all agree? The new Model 3 takes on a number of Roadster influences, including those sharp new front and rear lights. The catfish face is gone, in favour of a much cooler, smoother look that’s said to be an improvement in terms of drag, too. 

Around the glasshouse and the bulk of the car, very little has changed. This is very much a facelift, though appearances can be deceiving. The new Tesla Model 3 is in fact an inch longer and a hair lower than the outgoing car.

2024 Tesla Model 3 interior

On the inside we have a wraparound dash and a larger 15.4-inch control and infotainment screen, which as on the outgoing car, manages everything from the climate control, to navigation, driving modes and more. 

That screen is more pixels than bezel this time around, too. The column-mounted indicator and drive stalks that fans of Tesla will be used to have now moved to steering controls and selections within the screen. So if you get a black screen while driving, you won’t be able to select reverse until it resets…

Cabin materials have been improved, as has fit and finish, with real aluminium used in the redesigned centre console. There are new seal rubbers to go with the new double-glazed windows too. Tesla reckons that 50 per cent of the Model 3’s parts have been changed overall, to an end of improved comfort and refinement.

Two wireless phone chargers come as standard, along with three USB-C charge ports. There’s a more powerful microphone for better call quality as well as an upgraded stereo with more speakers in the long-range model. In the back, passengers get an all-new rear display allowing control of climate and infotainment.

2024 Tesla Model 3 range and performance

It’s what’s going on underneath that really matters, though. That smooth new face has in part contributed to a boost in range. The numbers for the rear-drive (18-inch wheel) and long-range versions is up from 305 miles and 374 miles, to a respective 344 miles and 421 WLTP-rated miles. Larger 19-inch ‘nova’ wheels drop those figures to 319 miles and 391 miles respectively.

What hasn’t changed at all seemingly is performance. The 0-62mph sprint is completed in a virtually unchanged 6.1 seconds and 4.4 seconds for the rear-drive and long-range car respectively. Nor have charging speeds, though they were an already-impressive 170kW and 250kW for the rear-drive and short-range cars respectively. Figures for the hot 460PS (338kW) ‘Performance’ are TBA. Expect performance to go unchanged and range to split the difference between the RWD and LR car.

Improvements to the Tesla Model 3’s driving dynamics should come thanks to revised front suspension, while it should also be a safer car thanks to stronger side impact structures. A nice side-effect of that Tesla has highlighted? A nicer ‘clunk’ as the doors shut. 

2024 Tesla Model 3 price and availability

Prices are set to go up for the new Model 3 when it arrives on UK shores in Q1 next year, though increases shouldn’t amount to more than £2,000. Unlike the Model S and Model X, the Model 3 continues to be available in right-hand drive in the UK and that’s not expected to change for the update.