2024 Tesla Model 3 First Look

Entry-level Tesla sees little range change, but rear-seat riders now have their own screen.

Andrew Ganz | 

Jan 19, 2024 | 3 min read

Tesla

In typical Tesla fashion, the electric car manufacturer quietly replaced its Model 3 compact sedan with the refreshed version that had been on sale since last summer in select global markets.

Now starting at less than $41,000, the updated Model 3 comes in just two versions offering a manufacturer-estimated range between 272 and 341 miles.

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Slippery Styling Inside and out — and Buttons, Too!

The revised Model 3's styling is most obvious up front, where slim headlights with an integrated LED light bar sit above a simple front bumper. Gone are the swept-back headlights and extra slats that defined its predecessor. The side profile looks the same, though new wheel designs give it a freshened look.

Be aware, however, that the $1,500 19-inch wheel upgrade can reduce the range estimate to just 248 miles. From the rear, the Model 3 gains new taillights with a C-clamp look. Just five paint colors are offered. Only a new Stealth Gray hue is free, though it and extra-cost Ultra Red are said to change tone with different light and viewing angles.

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The inside of the Model 3 takes the outgoing version's spartan look and amplifies it. Gone is the wood trim that stretched from the dash to the doors. Instead, there's just a floating 15.4-inch touchscreen over a wireless charging pad capable of topping off two devices at once.

The three-spoke steering wheel gains a few buttons in addition to its two control knobs. Configurable ambient light strips now run from the front doors to the top of the dash.

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Model 3 Comes in a Limited Number of Configurations

At its early 2024 launch, the revised Model 3 is offered in just two versions, each with the same handful of options. Tesla tends to update its models periodically, though.

Feature-wise, the Model 3 comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen for rear-seat passengers, heated and cooled front seats, and a 17-speaker audio system. The automaker offers no convenience options. Paint colors cost between $1,000 and $2,000, while white upholstery (instead of the standard black) runs another $1,000.

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As before, plenty of driver-assistance tech is on the options list. For $6,000, the Enhanced Autopilot feature can brake, steer, and accelerate automatically in most highway driving situations. It can also pull the car into or out of parking spaces from a smartphone with no occupant behind the wheel.

The company's controversially named Full Self-Driving Capability can take over the reins in most driving situations for $12,000. All in, a loaded-up Model 3 runs upward of $64,000.

Tesla

2024 Tesla Model 3 Power, Range, and Charging

The base Model 3 features a single motor powering the rear wheels; it's good for a zero-to-60-mph run of 5.8 seconds and an estimated range of 272 miles. The step-up Long Range model adds a motor powering the front wheels for all-wheel drive traction, which slices the zero-to-60-mph time to just 4.2 seconds. The Long Range model boasts 341 miles of range and costs an additional $7,000 over the standard Model 3.

Car enthusiast site MotorTrend reported in November 2023 that the updated Model 3's styling revisions decrease its coefficient of drag, which may make it more energy efficient. Its range isn't any better than before, though. The previous version was offered in a configuration with an EPA-estimated 358 miles of range.

Tesla says, under ideal circumstances, the Model 3 can now add up to 175 miles of range in 15 minutes using one of its Superchargers.

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All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Andrew Ganz

Andrew Ganz has had cars in his blood ever since he gnawed the paint off of a diecast model as a toddler. After growing up in Dallas, Texas, he earned a journalism degree, worked in public relations for two manufacturers, and served as an editor for a luxury-lifestyle print publication and several well-known automotive websites. In his free time, Andrew loves exploring the Rocky Mountains' best back roads—when he’s not browsing ads for his next car purchase.