The Model 3 Highland fixes much of what we hated about the old car and demonstrates how Tesla has listened to its customers—but it’s still not perfect.
Tesla doesn't have a formal communications department, but that doesn't mean it isn't listening to its customers, to reviewers, and to randos on X.makes it clear the company paid close attention to what people have said about its cars, took the feedback seriously, and went to work.Tesla prefers to make running changes, even big ones, rather than update its cars via traditional model years and formal refreshes, but.
Better aero and increased efficiency from software updates are responsible for Tesla's improved range claims. We say"claims" because at the time of publishing, official EPA ratings haven't been released. Tesla didn't provide exact numbers, but we expect small improvements from the current EPA-estimated 272 miles for the rear-drive Model 3 Standard Range car and 358 miles for the all-wheel-drive Dual-Motor Long Range car .
Once again, Tesla's ability to pass off cost-cutting measures as innovation is unmatched. Physical buttons, switches, and levers are expensive to engineer. Parts that don't move are far cheaper, and software code is even less costly. There are engineers at every automaker in the world who'd kill to have their own cost-cutting viewed nearly as favorably, and even praised, by customers.
It's a comprehensive effort. Every window is now made of acoustically insulating glass, not just the front glass. The tighter panel gaps and better sealing reduce wind noise. A new panel under the frunk lid also reduces wind noise, while new suspension bushings and brake-mounting hardware reduce road noise transmission into the cabin. Soft-touch materials throughout the interior absorb noise, as do the thicker pads behind them.
We're also disappointed to see sunroof shades are still not standard. Yes, the tint on the ceiling glass is pretty dark, but it's not enough. Forty-five minutes of driving with the A/C on after leaving the car sitting in the sun, the center console armrest was still too hot to rest an elbow on and the air around our heads was still noticeably warmer than around our torsos. The $145 for a pair of mesh screens held in by plastic tabs is a rinky-dink and overpriced solution.
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