The brand new Tesla Mannequin 3 Highland is right here finally. Rumored to be within the works for a loooooooong time, it was lastly launched at this time — kind of. Does it stay as much as expectations? It relies on what you anticipated from Tesla’s first thorough Mannequin 3 refresh. Let’s stroll by way of what’s new to see if it’s higher or worse than what you anticipated.

To start with, observe that I’m getting all of this data from a new carwow video printed simply two hours in the past. On the time that I’m penning this, Tesla doesn’t have the refreshed Mannequin 3 Highland featured on its web site* and there’s no announcement on its weblog. (In truth, there hasn’t been a brand new Tesla weblog since Could 8.)

New Exterior Design: Naturally, the Mannequin 3 Highland has a brand new look on the surface. It’s acquired sharper traces on the frontend/nostril, which helps with aerodynamics and wind noise (wind noise has been the #1 grievance concerning the Mannequin 3 for a lot of house owners and non-owners, however I’ll come again to that). The headlight design has additionally modified a bit, there are now not fog lights down on their very own within the entrance, and there are new hubcaps (naturally). There’s a brand new pink and a brand new “stealth gray” within the colour choices, however they appear to be fairly just like the earlier pink and gray — particularly the gray.

New Seats: Tesla is lastly offering perforated/ventilated seats within the Mannequin 3! Woohoo! That’s within the entrance and the rear. Within the rear, Tesla has additionally shifted the seats into just a little extra of a reclining place.

Much less Noise: From higher supplies to extra supplies, Tesla has labored laborious to reduce wind noise within the new, refreshed Tesla Mannequin 3. Whether or not the corporate has had inner survey knowledge, anecdotal expertise, or another info telling it that wind noise is among the largest drawbacks of a Mannequin 3, plainly Tesla figured it out and improved on this weak spot. After all, with out experiencing the brand new Tesla Mannequin 3 Highland ourselves, we are able to’t hearken to attempt to hear and choose the change in comparison with earlier years. However the carwow host talks at size about these enhancements.

New Sprint & Steering Wheel: There’s additionally a brand new dashboard design within the Mannequin 3 Highland. And there’s ambient LED lighting up excessive subsequent to the windshield in addition to beneath the home windows. The lengthy horizontal ingredient of the sprint can come in several colours or supplies. After which there’s the steering wheel. The brand new steering wheel appears a bit completely different, and it doesn’t include any typical stalks for windshield wipers, signaling a left or proper flip, and so on. These are actually buttons on the steering wheel. … Lots of people gained’t be pleased with that change.

Improved Air Conditioning Controls: In the end, Tesla has absolutely break up up the air con vents within the entrance. If the entrance passenger doesn’t need the AC vent blowing on them, they will merely flip it off, even whereas the motive force can hold the AC on (or vice versa)! I do know — that is regular in each different automobile, nevertheless it wasn’t the case within the Tesla Mannequin 3 (and Mannequin Y).

Improved Touchscreen & Sound System: Each the touchscreen and sound system have been upgraded. The previous is now extra responsive and brighter, whereas the latter contains 17 audio system as an alternative of 13 now. Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity have additionally been improved.

Rear-Seat Display: There’s now a display for sure controls and options within the backseat. It seems to be a straightforward manner for backseat passengers to alter the airflow, music, and so on. You possibly can even select from the infotainment leisure again there — Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, or Disney+.

Upgraded Heart Console: The entrance heart console has been redesigned barely, and that features including some aluminum to the trim to make it a bit classier.

New Suspension: The suspension has been modified in a number of methods. Reportedly, the main target was on lowering noise, however it’s higher basically and one would suppose these adjustments will assist with longevity of the components as properly.

Higher Aerodynamics, Higher Effectivity, Extra Vary: For individuals who suppose that is principally superficial adjustments, suppose once more. Tesla reportedly modified ~50% of the Mannequin 3’s components for this new Mannequin 3. The automobile is as much as 8% extra environment friendly and now has the most effective aerodynamics within the hyper-efficient Tesla fleet (Cd of 0.219, in comparison with its earlier 0.225 Cd).

The improved vary on a full cost comes out to 554 km (346 miles) or 678 km (423 miles), relying on whether or not you get the usual single-motor possibility or the long-range dual-motor possibility.

The brand new Tesla Mannequin 3 Highland goes on sale within the US in a couple of month. *In China, nevertheless, you possibly can already see and configure the brand new Mannequin 3!

I do not like paywalls. You do not like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Right here at CleanTechnica, we carried out a restricted paywall for some time, nevertheless it at all times felt unsuitable — and it was at all times robust to determine what we must always put behind there. In principle, your most unique and finest content material goes behind a paywall. However then fewer folks learn it! We simply do not like paywalls, and so we have determined to ditch ours.

Sadly, the media enterprise remains to be a tricky, cut-throat enterprise with tiny margins. It is a unending Olympic problem to remain above water and even maybe — gasp — develop. So …