An owner of a 2018 Tesla Model 3 tested the new 2024 Highland Model 3. Like every time a new iPhone comes out, he thinks it’s the best Model 3 ever made—but has still concluded that it’s not enough to make him upgrade.
Well-known YouTuber and car reviewer Andy Slye currently owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3 with 140,000 miles on the odometer and he was seriously considering upgrading to the new 2024 Tesla Model 3 Highland, but after an extended test drive of the new Model 3, Slye changed his mind.
To be fair, he has tons of praise for the upgraded Model 3. “I think if you are in the market for a new car, and you have a budget of $50,000, this is hands-down the best car available—electric or not,” he said. “But is this enough to make me upgrade?” Once he went back to his older car, he decided the answer is not really.
There are a lot of small improvements to this updated vehicle, but the biggest ones are the much-improved ride quality, better aerodynamics and cabin quietness.
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Tesla’s aging lineup is becoming an issue
The 2024 Tesla Model 3 Highland is improved compared to older Model 3s. However, many critics have said that despite record sales and owning a huge chunk of the electric market almost everywhere, Tesla’s lineup of EVs is getting old—and competitors are catching up.
However, those updates are not necessarily enough to convince all current Model 3 owners that it’s time to buy the new Model 3. It seems Tesla hasn’t gone quite far enough. As Slye says, his 2018 Model 3, even with 140,000 miles on the odometer, is still the best car he’s ever owned and it continues to get better with over-the-air updates.
Those updates have improved his car over time and when he factors in his current no-car-payment status, buying the new Model 3 just doesn’t make sense.
Slye says this of the 2024 Model 3 he tested:
This Ultra Red Long Range dual-motor all-wheel-drive Model 3 with the new 18” Photon wheels costs $51,000 before taxes. Starting with the exterior, the most noticeable change is its all-new sleek design of the front end that looks to be inspired by the Model S, plus the new slimmer headlights which look like squinting versions of the previous headlights.
In regards to aerodynamics and possible range improvements, Slye stated:
I drove it exactly the way I drive my own 2018 Model 3, and 275 Wh/mile is about what I get in the winter in my car which has a 252 Wh/mile lifetime efficiency. I didn’t see any drastic improvement in efficiency compared to my 2018 Model 3, but my car is a rear-wheel drive compared to this all-wheel drive.
He adds that the interior of the 2024 Model 3 might be a bit better, but not in a way that was significant enough for him to give it the clear win in this category.
As for his conclusion on why he decided not to buy the new 2024 Tesla Model 3, Slye stated:
I like to think of the 80/20 rule, and the fact is the 20% of things that make up 80% of the satisfaction is still the same: My old Model 3 is still a quick all-electric vehicle that continues to save me from buying gas. It has the best advanced driver assistance system in Autopilot which still performs the same, and it still gets regular software updates along with it still being one of the safest cars ever made.
Here are the video timestamps:
- 0:00 New Tesla Model 3
- 2:19 Exterior Features
- 5:30 Aerodynamics & Range
- 7:44 Sponsor (Recurrent)
- 8:53 Interior Features
- 12:16 Driving Experience
- 19:00 Conclusion
If you own an older Tesla Model 3 and have considered the new 2024 Highland version, why are you for or against buying the latest Model 3? Let us know in the comments.
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