2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD Review
Elon Musk obviously doesn’t believe in regular styling changes for his cars. In fact, all four of Tesla’s mainstream models, introduced from 2012 to 2019, look essentially unchanged from their original version. However, that isn’t to say that Tesla has not made numerous and important improvements under their skins, along with some subtle exterior changes as well.
2024 Model 3 Long Range RWD Features
Take this 2024 Model 3 Long Range RWD, which incorporates the “Highland” updates. Compared with the original Model 3, its battery has increased in capacity from 75.0 to 79.7 kilowatt-hours. Its electric motor now develops 286 horsepower, up from 221. The interior employs upgraded finishes and materials along with a lack of stalks and minimal physical buttons. The suspension has been revised for a smoother and quieter ride. And the car’s EPA-certified range is up from 310 to 363 miles.
Design and Aesthetics
There are even some exterior changes such as slit-like headlights, cleaner and simpler front and rear fascias, and design accents in both the headlights and taillights. These changes are all subtle—you almost have to compare old and new cars side by side to notice them—but they are for the better and produce a tiny reduction in the claimed drag coefficient from 0.225 to 0.219.
HIGHS: Much-welcomed improvements, formidable get up and go, aggressive pricing.
Driving Experience
That’s quite a roster of improvements. But how does it all work? For this old road tester, it’s definitely jarring to get into a car without an instrument cluster in front of the driver and no stalks on the steering column. But it comes together better than I expected.
The digital vehicle-speed display is in the upper left corner of the central 15.4-inch horizontal touchscreen, so it’s no farther from the driver’s field of view than a normal speedometer. The virtual slider on the screen to select gears is also unusual, but it is easy to use once you understand it, particularly as the electric powertrain has no gears to shift. And there is a secondary shifter using touch-sensitive buttons on an overhead console for emergencies.
The absence of a conventional instrument cluster also means that you can adjust the steering wheel position to perfectly match your seating position without worrying about blocking your views of any instruments.
I was less enamored of the push-button turn signals on the steering wheel. They work well enough, but using a stalk for this function is so ingrained that it always takes conscious thought to remember the buttons. And in a country where so many drivers don’t use their turn signals at all, a new control scheme for this often poorly executed function seems ill-advised.
Performance and Handling
With so few physical controls, adjusting the steering wheel and mirror positions—and even summoning an odometer display—are done via the central screen. Fortunately, those functions and many others are organized fairly logically. After two days in the Model 3, I understood the operation of the LCD screen better than I do on other electric vehicles after owning them for years. The Model 3’s voice controls also work very well.
Not surprisingly, the new Model 3’s additional power is very welcome. A 29 percent increase coupled with an 80-pound weight reduction (to 3817 pounds) enhances performance usefully. From rest to 60 mph now takes only 4.6 seconds—down from 5.0—and the improvement seems to increase with speed. By 100 mph, the new model’s 11.4-second time is a 2.1-second improvement. The quarter-mile drops from 13.8 seconds at 101 mph to 13.2 at 107.
To put this in perspective, such acceleration is pretty much what we celebrated in vehicles in their heyday. Moreover, this speed is coupled with the immediate response inherent in electric powertrains. The two-second—more or less—30-to-50 and 50-to-70 times make this Model 3 a formidable weapon in the cut and thrust of urban traffic.
The steering is also decent. The Model 3 LR goes where you want it to, and it’s easy to precisely position the car. If anything, the steering is slightly too sensitive on center, but there are no adjustments for that.
Brake feel is also not bad, though the standard level of regenerative braking is strong enough to preclude using the friction brakes most of the time. With so much regen, a delicate foot is needed to avoid inducing motion sickness in your passengers. But one-pedal driving can be handy during city driving.
LOWS: Antsy on-center steering, polarizing use of a single screen, turn signals are better as stalks.
Advanced Safety and Technology
Our test car was equipped with the $8000 Full Self-Driving option. Over short intervals, it worked well, staying in lane properly, performing safe lane changes when the turn signals were activated (or on its own, depending on the setting), and generally driving smoothly.
The system does want you to keep your hands on the steering wheel when using FSD, but you can take them off for seemingly a minute or so before you are commanded to “Apply slight turning force to steering wheel” to prove that you are paying attention and in contact. For me, if I have to pay attention to my driving, I’d rather do the entire task myself.
Even without FSD, each Model 3 comes with the usual portfolio of safety aids—automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-departure avoidance, relying on some seven cameras to help the driver avoid dangerous situations.
Sadly, the only available cruise control seems to be “Traffic-Aware,” which is Tesla-speak for adaptive cruise control. The traditional variety seems to be declining in availability.
Comfort and Interior Quality
Ride comfort is also very good, both on small, sharp bumps and larger disturbances. And road noise is very low. This latest Model 3 uses acoustic glass all around, and combined with other sound-suppressing measures, achieves a 70-mph cruising sound level of 67 decibels—only one decibel higher than higher-priced luxury models—and a dramatic three decibels quieter than the last Model 3 tested.
No doubt, the standard Tesla-spec 235/45R-18 Michelin Primacy All Season Acoustic tires contribute to this silence. However, grip is a concern; maximum cornering is only 0.84 g, and the 70-mph stopping distance is 178 feet, suggesting that high-speed braking power could be enhanced.
While no sports sedan, the Model 3 would make a very comfortable long-distance cruiser except, of course, it’s not suitable for really long trips. The 363-mile EPA range translates into 310 miles in highway-range tests, which is an impressive gain from earlier Model 3s. However, as the charge state decreases, travel range may also shorten significantly, leading to multiple charging stops during longer trips.
This Highland upgrade comes with a new interior treatment that uses nice cloth and genuine French stitching. It’s vastly superior to early Model 3s that had uninspiring interiors. There’s even an ambient light strip that runs from A-pillar to A-pillar. Unfortunately, during daytime, it reflects on the windshield, which can be distracting.
Space and Comfort
Interior space is ample in front; however, rear knee room may feel restricted for taller passengers. While the Model 3 matches the overall size of other compact sedans, it offers a spacious trunk of 21 cubic feet, alongside an additional frunk compartment for extra storage.
VERDICT: More Model 3 for less money. What’s not to like?
Pricing
Other than its great ride and quiet cabin, the most impressive thing about this latest Model 3 is the price. The base sticker for this rear-drive long-range model is $44,130. Comparatively, the equivalent model in 2018 cost $50,000, which is over $60,000 today when adjusted for inflation. This makes the Model 3 not only a better vehicle but also an impressive value in today’s market.
Specifications
2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD
Vehicle Type: rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $44,130/$52,130
Options: Full Self-Driving, $8000
POWERTRAIN
Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 286 hp, 322 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 79.7 kWh
Onboard Charger: 11.5 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 250 kW
Transmission: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 12.6-in vented disc/13.2-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy All Season
235/45R-18 98W M+S T0
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.2 in
Length: 185.8 in
Width: 72.8 in
Height: 56.7 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 56/41 ft3
Trunk Volume, F/R: 3/21 ft3
Curb Weight: 3817 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.6 sec
100 mph: 11.4 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.2 sec @ 107 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.7 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.4 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 126 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 367 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.84 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 121 MPGe
75-mph Highway Driving: 128 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 310 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 137/145/128 MPGe
Range: 363 mi
Csaba Csere
Contributing Editor
Csaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and WRL racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, 2009 Mercedes SL550, 2013 Porsche Cayenne S, and four motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.
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