New Tesla Model 3, Evolution or Revolution?

Succeeding a bestseller is always a daunting task. When it’s also necessary to renew a model that has marked automotive history, it’s best not to miss the mark.

This new Tesla Model 3 has been buzzing on social media for several months. Through carefully controlled leaks from the manufacturer, impactful messages from Elon Musk, or leaked photos more or less voluntarily, the reveal has been gradually organized. It reached its peak on the morning of September 1, 2023. The story will probably be remembered for the anecdote that the first photos appeared on Tesla’s Chinese page. The Middle Kingdom has always been one step ahead of the West!

Of course, there’s the facelift that’s all about freshening up without renouncing the past. The features that made Model 3 successful are retained: a classic, dynamic, and immediately recognizable overall design.

The brand’s signature lighting markers are preserved even as the headlights become more refined in line with the Roadster’s design language. The rear lights are subtly revised with a horizontal body insert in the middle. Clean, modern, and more aggressive, the overall look is a success. Notably, the smaller front blocks house all the lighting components. Without fog lights, the front bumper appears more harmonious and assertive.

Tesla again employs dynamic wheel covers. Their role is by no means cosmetic, even if their design is attractive, but aerodynamic. Tesla assures that their profile reduces noise and increases range. We’re willing to believe them.

For the exterior, we’ll call it evolution.

To fully understand this new Tesla Model 3, one must step inside. The interior is stripped down to the extreme, reaching a new level of sleek efficiency. Every available space is dedicated to the driver and passengers. The usual and unsightly controls on either side of the steering wheel have even disappeared, with turn signals now integrated into the steering wheel itself. It will take some getting used to—time to re-educate driving instructors!

The seats are ventilated and remotely adjustable, allowing occupants to immediately enter a welcoming cocoon regardless of weather conditions.

The driving experience now revolves almost entirely around a new 15.4-inch giant central screen. In the rear, passengers will finally have their own small 8-inch touchscreen to entertain themselves and control climate settings.

For the interior, we’ll call it revolutionary—even if everything seems so obvious!

Once you’ve taken the tour of the vehicle, it’s urgent to look at the technical specs! And here, changes happen much more rapidly than expected, to the point that the 2024 Tesla Model 3 outshines the popular Model Y. The latter should logically benefit from these upgrades very soon, since both share the same technical architecture.

Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive: range increases from 491 to 554 km, a significant gain of nearly 15%, while acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h now takes 6.1 seconds. Its price, which Elon Musk promised to lower, has instead taken the opposite route, with a slight increase of €1,000, reaching €42,990 before the €5,000 ecological bonus. The final price thus amounts to €37,990, which is quite reasonable.

Tesla Model 3 Long Range: here, range jumps to 629 km, making the extended range argument finally valid. With all-wheel drive, the differentiation from the rear-wheel drive version becomes much clearer than before. 0 to 100 km/h takes just 4.4 seconds, and the weight remains contained at 1,828 kg—a very impressive feat for an electric car with such a large battery. The price also rises slightly to €50,990, excluding the ecological bonus.

The Autopilot enables the vehicle to maintain a lane, accelerate, and brake within its lane under active supervision from the driver, assisting during the most arduous moments of driving. Thanks to over-the-air software updates, the latest improvements are available instantly.

In conclusion…

In the end, this 2023 version of the Tesla Model 3 is a highly successful evolution of a car that was once revolutionary. Tesla’s engineers, much like the artificial intelligence they tirelessly develop, have taken the time to learn and understand what drivers expect from a car. One might wonder if, by becoming autonomous, this car will someday evolve on its own without human assistance…