Tesla updates the Model 3 with its first ‘facelift’ and more range

Tesla has given the electric Model 3 saloon a series of updates, the first ‘facelift’ in the car’s six years on sale.

To be fair, Tesla has been giving the Model 3 small regular updates since it was first launched — many of them over-the-air software tweaks — but this package of upgrades, under the ‘Project Highland’ codename, is the first to bring significant exterior styling changes.

The changes are not dramatic — indeed, Tesla itself says that the updated car is still “instantly recognisable as a Model 3.” The biggest changes are at the front, where the leading edges of the bonnet and bumper have been reshaped, and there are new headlights which are slimmer and more horizontally shaped than before.

The changes are not merely cosmetic, either. The reshaped nose has given the Model 3 better aerodynamics, reducing its coefficient of drag from 0.23Cd to 0.21Cd, matching the best-in-class.

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Down the sides, there are new alloy wheels and tyres which both have been more carefully optimised for aerodynamics, while at the rear there are new brake lights. All of the improved aero leads to more range, with the range on one charge being increased by between five per cent and eight per cent, depending on which model you’re looking at.

That means that the most affordable, rear-wheel drive Tesla Model 3 will now put 554km between charges. The hugely popular two-motor, four-wheel drive Long Range version is now knocking on the door of a 700km range, with an official rating of 679km. Tesla hasn’t issued updated figures for the 450hp Performance version as yet.

The company has also not issued prices yet. The first of these revised and updated Model 3s most likely won’t land here until the new year, but they will come with at least a small price increase. Given that Tesla has recently slashed the prices of the Model 3, and its larger SUV brother, the Model Y, expect those prices to still be at the very least competitive. The price cuts have helped to push the Model Y tot he top of the global car sales charts.

Inside, the changes are equally subtle. Tesla claims that the doors now ‘thunk’ shut with a higher quality sounds, thanks to internal changes to improve side-impact protection. The side windows are now double-glazed and there are improved door seals, so the Model 3 ought to be quieter at a cruise.

The cabin remains visually the same, but Tesla says that quality has been improved with “premium materials (real aluminium, textiles, etc) and elevated levels of execution.” The big 15.4-inch touchscreen in the centre is unchanged, save for a slimmer bezel, but there is still no instrument panel, nor a heads-up display, for the driver.

Thankfully, Tesla seems to have resisted the temptation to fit a cut-off ‘yoke’ style steering wheel, but it has excised the column stalks from behind that wheel, in favour of indicator switches and multi-function buttons on the wheel itself. Gear selection is taken care of by using the touchscreen. In theory, Tesla’s ‘smart shift’ system automatically recognises which gear you need, but thankfully there’s a manual override.

There’s an upgraded sound system with 17 speakers, while rear-seat passengers now get a small eight-inch touchscreen which includes infotainment and air conditioning controls. All seats are now heated, and the front ones get ventilation while the dual wireless phone charging pads up front are backed up by three powerful USB-C sockets with up to 65-watts of power — enough to charge a laptop. There’s also a new ambient cabin lighting setup.

According to Tesla, “This update brings more refinement, comfort and ‘premiumness’ - inside and out — while staying true to its sleek, uncluttered design aesthetic. We have not departed from what made Model 3 a global best-seller: delivering great range and efficiency with sports-car performance and handling at an approachable price point.”

It’s expected that the Model Y will also get a similar round of updates, but Tesla has given no time-line for that. Then again, when you’re number one, why try harder?