2024 Tesla Model 3 Highland

After a century and a half of automobile evolution the indicator stalk has been expunged. The Tesla Model 3 has finally knocked it off, and what a kerfuffle it has caused! Stalk-talk is raging. More on that later…

It has been more than two years since we first drove a Tesla Model 3 and our impressions of the first version were relatively warm and fuzzy. The Model 3 first appeared on our streets in 2019. Success followed quickly; Kiwis have purchased 8,365 of them (up to April 2024).

The Model 3 is the second best-selling EV in New Zealand, only slightly behind its bigger cousin, the SUV styled Telsa Model Y (which achieved 8,455 sales from July 2022 to April 2024).

Earlier this year a revamped version of the Tesla 3 was launched. The update was codenamed ‘Highland,’ due to some leaked paperwork from a Tesla employee referring to a Project Highland around the same time. But you won’t find any reference to the Highland tag on official Tesla websites. In reply to a question about the name Elon Musk addressed the mystery, ominously tweeting “it’s not real”. Highland or not, the name struck a chord with fans worldwide and the moniker is here to stay.

There are currently three versions of the new Model 3 available:

The discerning eye will notice subtle external changes from the previous model. Front and rear fascias have been updated with a sharper, more efficient look. There are no more front fog lights. Instead, redesigned headlights are slimmer, incorporating a swish pattern daytime running LED.

Rear taillights adopt a C shape and now form part of the boot assembly, eliminating the panel alignment issues that the previous model suffered from. The exterior aesthetic is sleeker than the earlier model and, as a result, slightly more aerodynamic (drag coefficient is 0.219 compared to a previous 0.225).

There are also a few interior innovations. Gone is the tacky wood panel dash inlay, replaced with a blend of fabric with ambient lighting strips. It’s a cleaner look, with a 15.4” centre screen punctuating Tesla’s trademark hyper-minimalism.  

There’s even an 8 inch touchscreen for the rear seat passengers with lots of useful functions (moving the front seat forward to allow more legroom is a nice option).

Glass, door panels and seats have all been reworked to provide excellent sound proofing and interior acoustics. Cabin material build quality is markedly improved from the first generation. It’s comfortable, if not slightly sterile - until your kids get inside!

So, what about that missing indicator stalk? Turn signalling is now performed by way of a touch sensor located on the left hand spoke of the steering wheel. It’s a little awkward to use, especially exiting roundabouts when the steering wheel is upside down. You end up glancing down to check you’re pressing the correct arrow, which means your eyes are not on the road where they should be.

If you are brave enough to explore Tesla chat groups, you will find stalk-talk aplenty. The missing stalk is a dealbreaker for some. “I will not be buying one” say the OG-stalkees. But radical shifts in basic functionality will become commonplace as artificial self-awareness systems evolve in vehicles. In a not-too-distant future our cars will be doing a lot more than indicating for us.

Tesla didn’t stop the purge there. The gear selector has suffered a similar fate. Auto Shift out of Park, otherwise known as predictive shifting, uses cameras to detect whether you can move forward or reverse. This means you can start your drive without selecting any gear at all. The system is still in Beta testing phase, and if you’re worried, don’t be – it’s not the default, unless you want it to be. The simplest method to move forward or reverse is a quick touchscreen swipe.

The Tesla 3 Highland also features a new suspension set up called Selective Frequency Dampening. That mouthful of jargon basically means the suspension is self-adjusting depending on the road quality and cornering speed. The result is a very smooth and composed drive, with minimal noise or vibration.

The rear-wheel drive is slightly down on acceleration, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it. 0-100km at 6.1 seconds is still gut wrenchingly fast. Tyres are grippy, and the weight distribution confidently soaks up corners. The regenerative breaking is always on, currently without adjustment. Rumours suggest a software update is imminent to allow drivers the option to have a ‘standard’ and ‘low’ regenerative setting.

The Verdict

It may be stalkless, but the Model 3 is still splendidly suave and satisfying.

 Article by Avon Bailey