Model 3 “refresh” revealed

[superdave80]

Looking through the list of changes, I'm a little puzzled by what this statement means:

Real metal when you touch giving a more premium feel

Were they using fake metal before? What metal part am I 'touching'? The steering wheel? I don't think I want a metal steering wheel. Do people spend a lot of time 'touching' their Model 3? They are Tesla owners, so I guess that's a thing they might do.

Inquiring minds want to know...

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[TheSteelRider]

The new exterior design actually increased efficiency. As a result there was about an 8% increase in range using the same battery and motors.

I don't buy that. At least, I don't buy that just an exterior change increased range by 8% from a car that already had a very low cD.

I suspect they also reduced weight across the board (e.g., in many components). But, even then I still don't buy an 8% increase in range.

 

[Mach1E]

Oh yes, I realized that. I was responding to a comment regarding the "sameness" of the new design. I think it is somewhat a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

But it is broke.

Or at the very least it’s not an attractive design. Teslas model 3s are rarely complimented on style.

The comments range from “ugly” to “not that bad.”

 

[Mach1E]

Looking through the list of changes, I'm a little puzzled by what this statement means:

Were they using fake metal before? What metal part am I 'touching'? The steering wheel? I don't think I want a metal steering wheel. Do people spend a lot of time 'touching' their Model 3? They are Tesla owners, so I guess that's a thing they might do.

Inquiring minds want to know...

Probably referring to plastic trim pieces instead “real metal.”

Kinda like how car manufacturers add “real wood” for a premium feel. But that doesn’t mean they used fake wood, or any wood at all before.

 

[KevinS]

But it is broke.

Or at the very least it’s not an attractive design. Teslas model 3s are rarely complimented on style.

The comments range from “ugly” to “not that bad.”

There are many people out there who view a vehicle as a device for getting to point A to B and are most concerned about cost. The aesthetics are secondary at best.

 

[azerik]

But it is broke.

Or at the very least it’s not an attractive design. Teslas model 3s are rarely complimented on style.

The comments range from “ugly” to “not that bad.”

It's 2023. We pay a shit-ton of money for "Not that shitty", "not bad" and "pretty decent".

The 3's been a Mazda 3 in my eyes from day one. Not that SallyPat forked that into a 94 Saturn..

For the range/price of the S, I expect a LOT more.

 

[lurker]

This is a nice refresh, especially if the price stays the same

For marketing sake, Ford should start listing a "Competitor Range" that inflates the ranges like Tesla alongside the conservative range. The new 3 is supposed to get 427 WLTP -> 370 EPA -> 330 probably in reality. Crazy they get away with advertising such high numbers.

 

[mkhuffman]

I thought I would miss the instrument cluster, but now 4,000 miles in I do not miss it at all. The speed is very easy to see since it is in the far top left corner of the screen. It actually surprised me how natural it became very early on after taking delivery. Battery range too is very easy to see on the top and not a distraction since I don't check it that often anyway.

A few months ago I drove a Model Y for the first time - I rented it for a two day business trip. Actually, it was the first time I was inside one. And before that experience I thought I would hate the single display, but I felt the same way you do: it was fine. I had no trouble monitoring my speed and the other things I like to check while driving. And the user interface is excellent.

The styling is a personal preference, but I have never felt the MY or M3 was ugly. Definitely I like the way the MME looks a lot better, but I still like the Tesla egg shape. It has held up well over time, IMO.

The refresh was needed due to age, and it is an improvement. Keeping the car competitively priced and being able to make a profit on each one is industry leading for sure. Nobody else is making money on BEVs.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

But it is broke.

Or at the very least it’s not an attractive design. Teslas model 3s are rarely complimented on style.

The comments range from “ugly” to “not that bad.”

A case from Tesla's perspective not mine.

 

[Jimrpa]

Exterior looks like a Mercedes married a Porsche look ?

Actually, I was thinking it was a bad combination of what comes out of both ends of a dog

 

[Jimrpa]

Probably referring to plastic trim pieces instead “real metal.”

Kinda like how car manufacturers add “real wood” for a premium feel. But that doesn’t mean they used fake wood, or any wood at all before.

In the malaise era, “fake wood” was used generously. I remember my mother’s LTD Brougham had fake wood, fake metal (the metallic film peeled off the plastic after a couple of years), and acres of REAL velour

 

[mkhuffman]

In the malaise era, “fake wood” was used generously. I remember my mother’s LTD Brougham has fake wood, fake metal (the metallic film peeled off the plastic after a couple of years), and acres of REAL velour

Maybe it is time to bring back rich Corinthian leather.

 

[LincolnLuvr]

Has first driving impressions!

 

[DevSecOps]

When the top two trending threads are about Tesla on a MachE forum....

 

[Ghost Ryder]

But it is broke.

Or at the very least it’s not an attractive design. Teslas model 3s are rarely complimented on style.

The comments range from “ugly” to “not that bad.”

The thing about car design is that you want bland, because it appeals to the greatest number of people while not off putting to the rest. That's why Toyota Camry and corollas sell so well. Its precisely because they are bland.

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