But, as we found, it also means you barely have to touch the brake pedal, as coming off the ‘gas’ (or electric power, we should say) slows the sedan down quickly. If you’ve driven a current or older Tesla before, that means you may have to adjust your driving style and pedal controls. While you can adjust the level of acceleration (Chill or Standard) through the vehicle menus, Tesla has taken away the ability to adjust the Model 3’s regenerative braking as part of the update, in order to simplify the driving experience. Those worried they’ll miss the sound of a V8 engine might be surprised once they experience the instant power and brute acceleration of a car like this it’s difficult to imagine anyone growing tired of it. They’re not for everyone, but there’s no arguing Tesla’s, umm, originality? Some of these include a warming fireplace, arcade games and on-demand fart sounds. What you can use, though, is an array of quirky ‘Easter Eggs’ built into the Model 3’s touchpad – most of which we’ve already touched on in previous reviews. Of course, Tesla builds its cars for all jurisdictions and regulations that aren’t even in force yet, which means that while they’re loaded with tech now, not all of it is ready to be used on Aussie roads.įor example, adaptive cruise control works as well as you’d expect, but the self-driving, hands-off functionality can’t be employed here yet. Standard equipment includes front, front-side and head-protecting curtain airbags across the front and rear compartments, plus a swag of advanced driver assist safety systems that come under Tesla’s Autopilot banner. Other upgrades include an additional USB-A port inside the glovebox, satin black kick plates, graphite-finished seat controls and sun visors that snap magnetically back in place.ĪNCAP awarded the Tesla Model 3 a maximum five-star rating when it arrived in 2019, which should hold firm for this MY21 update. There’s also a nicer lid for the central cubby hole that replaces the confusing twin sliding door unit, with two USB-C charging ports inside along with plenty of storage. Having driven the Tesla Model 3 not long after its Aussie arrival in 2019, the interior in the updated MY21 series is a clear step forward.įor example, the high-gloss piano black plastic trim – always ready to collect fingerprints, scratches and swirls – has been replaced with satin-finish metallic grey surfaces, while the centre console has two felt-lined wireless phone charging pads that are right-sized to hold phones securely in place and fit the latest iPhone 12 Pro Max. Standard carry-over equipment on the Model 3 Long Range includes 12-way power-adjustable heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, Autopilot semi-autonomous driving aids, keyless entry and start, power-folding and heated side mirrors, and plenty more. These include adopting the heat pump HVAC system seen on the newer Tesla Model Y, fitting new tyres with lower rolling resistance – Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 – and making unspecified powertrain and software tweaks. Tesla is light on detail in specifying the mechanical changes wrought on the Model 3 – indeed, our request for basic specs such as electric motor output and battery energy capacity was denied – but the US car-maker claims “ongoing quality and efficiency improvements” are behind the longer range. The launch vehicle provided for us to drive sits between these two variants – the dual-motor all-wheel drive Tesla Model 3 Long Range, priced from $83,201 plus ORCs and now with a 657km range, up 37km. The Tesla Model 3 has come in for a host of upgrades for the 2021 model year, while pricing has actually fallen by several thousand dollars for some variants.Īt the entry level, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus starts from $66,900 plus on-road costs – now with a 490km NEDC range, up 30km – while at the top end the Model 3 Performance is set at $94,901 plus ORCs, now with a claimed 628km range which is 68km longer than before.
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