Published:
23 February 2024The Model’s 3 cabin was always a love-or-hate proposition and this hasn’t changed with the facelift.
This is an extraordinarily pared-back environment, and so extreme are the lengths to which Tesla’s designers have gone to remove as much switchgear as possible that you can count the number of physical controls on one hand.
For this latest Model 3, the column stalks have been binned, with the indicators operated from a touchpad on one of the steering wheel spokes and the wipers activated via the infotainment screen.
No doubt these changes saved a few pennies in the production process, but for the driver they are less welcome. Indicating, in fairness, comes more naturally with familiarity, as it does in cars with similar set-ups, such as the Ferrari 296 GTB. However, while this Tesla has automatic wipers, they weren’t accurate enough in responding to various degrees of rain for us not to have to dive into the touchscreen to set the speed manually.
In our eyes, this is a reasonably serious usability flaw and one Tesla may need to reconsider in the future.
More unequivocally successful is perceived quality. This interior has been upgraded in terms of materials and finish, and overall the updates have worked: the Tesla finally has the premium chops to rival its upmarket combatants. You can now personalise the top panel of the dashboard with inserts in a different colour or material, such as a grey textured fabric.
The cupholders have gained a sliding lid, while an almost endlessly customisable strip of ambient lighting runs along the upper section of the doors and continues along the top of the dashboard. Crucially, it all feels more solidly screwed together, with almost none of the creaks that could afflict the old Model 3.
