Tesla Model 3 (2024 Preview)
Written by Justin Delaney, an Independent Reviewer, Journalist, and Motor expert.
We see plenty of the Model 3 Tesla’s on Irish roads and with a new pricing structure and various upgrades we have no doubt we are about to see a hell of a lot more. For Irish consumers it is no secret that the Model S followed by this Model 3 have played a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of electric cars in this country. By offering an accessible, high-performance, and technologically advanced vehicle that appealed to a broader audience it helped shift perceptions about electric vehicles from being seen as niche products to becoming much more mainstream. Six years after the first car rolled off the assembly line and over 2 million units later, Tesla are bringing a significant update to Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range All-Wheel Drive.This update brings more refinement and comfort both inside and out while somehow staying true to its sleek, uncluttered design ethos. A bit like the subtle upgrades Tesla made to the Model S over the years, the brand have not departed from what made Model 3 a global best-seller. The upgraded Model 3 remains instantly recognisable with a few refined details to include better aero, new lighting, and a brand new interior that elevates what customers love about the Model 3.
Features
So what’s different when you are up close to the vehicle? Well the first thing you will notice is on approach where you no longer need to manually unlock your vehicle, power it on or disengage the parking brake. This is now all is managed automatically a bit like what Volvo and Polestar have been doing for some time. Simply walk up, open the door and once you’re seated and belted, you press the brake pedal and swipe up or down on the left-side of the screen to engage Drive or Reverse. The gear-shifter automatically appears when you press the brake or at low speeds which is very trick! No need for engaging Drive on the stalk anymore. When Autoshift Out Of Park is enabled, simply fasten your seat belt, close the door, press the brake and watch as the car will automatically select Drive or Reverse according to your surroundings.
With the removal of the stalks the engineers opted for steering wheel controls for an uncluttered driving experience, including both haptic switches and physical buttons. Indicators are placed on the left side to be reachable right where your left thumb naturally sits and with an all-new haptic button, you can quickly turn on or off the indicator to signal a direction change. Like all Tesla vehicles of old they tend to offer a studio-quality sound system. This upgraded Model 3 is no exception and now features 17 speakers, dual subwoofers and dual amplifiers for Model 3 Long Range and 9 speakers, a single subwoofer and amplifier for Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive. These sound systems also have support for Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal basically leaving you in a moving nightclub! Phone calls are now better than ever too, thanks to additional and more capable microphones, delivering improved call quality.
Power
The Model 3 feels incredibly quick in both Rear Wheel Drive and Long Range. It has been optimised for aerodynamics with sharper body lines and reduced drag to not only improve wind noise but also increase range. The Rear Wheel Drive Motor powers the Model 3 from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds whilst the Dual Motor Long Range can do the sprint in 4.4 seconds. Both are limited to 201km/h. So what type of range can you expect from the upgraded Model 3? Well the Rear Wheel Drive has a 57.5kWh battery capable of delivering 554 km of range and the Long Range version with the 75 kWh battery will get you close to 678 km. These figures are on the standard 18-inch wheels but the range will drop a shade on the optional 19-inch Nova wheels.
Safety
We think its safe to say that Tesla have alway prioritised safety and this latest Model 3 is no exception. It includes several Tesla-first safety features for side-impact-protection, built on top of their already-world’s-safest platform architecture. Both front door pillars are equipped with a blind spot indicator in the upper speaker grille. When a vehicle is detected in your blind spot in an adjacent lane a red light appears in the upper speaker grille.In accordance with EU regulation, Model 3 is now equipped with a chime which sounds when the determined speed limit is exceeded. Pressing the speed limit sign on the touchscreen mutes the speeding chime and display for the rest of the drive. As required in EU, the speeding warnings automatically re-enables at the start of every drive cycle. Add to this a plethora of airbags and both you and your occupants are in safe hands.
Costs
Customers in Ireland can now order upgraded Model 3 on the Model 3 Configurator, starting at €42,990 for the Rear Wheel Drive option with deliveries beginning in January 2024. Expect to pay around €50,990 for entry into a Long Range variant.
Summary
We have spent plenty of time with Tesla products over the years and we can’t wait to spend a week with the new Model 3 in 2024. What we love is the ease of use, incredible technology and the their ability to manage battery power super efficiently. If you live anywhere near a Tesla Supercharger that will make your life even easier but realistically we have never been caught short for range in a Tesla. The new Model 3 will no doubt be a huge seller at the price point it enters the Irish market and its nice to see the addition of two fresh colours coming to the line up. Ultra Red will replace the current Red Multi-Coat available but this is a high-chroma colour with dynamic depth created from a multi-coat paint that will look fantastic. Midnight Metallic Silver has also been dropped from the colour palate in favour of Stealth Grey. This is a rich and dynamic dark grey metallic colour that accentuates the shape of Model 3. If you are interested in ordering a new Model 3 it would be best to hit the online configurator asap. We have no doubt they will be in demand!
For
Simplicity
Drive
Against
Not a lot really!
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