New Tesla Model 3 facelift gets full reveal

• Exterior inspired by long-awaited Tesla Roadster
• Improved range of up to 391 miles
• More refined drive, according to Tesla

The Tesla Model 3 is currently one of Britain’s best-selling cars, and its midlife refresh, to keep it competitive against rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6, BMW i4 and Polestar 2, has finally been revealed.

The new-look Model 3 gets a design inspired by the upcoming Tesla Roadster – at the front it gets slimmer headlights and a flatter, smoother bumper giving it a sleeker, more minimalist look. 

New Tesla ‘Model 2’ hatchback teased in latest image – second new model also in the works

At the rear, Tesla’s new saloon gets redesigned, sharper tail lights which curve around in a pointed C shape, partially intersected by the new boot lid. ‘Tesla’ is now written across the rear instead of a sole Tesla ‘T’ logo as on the outgoing model. A larger faux rear diffuser also features on the bumper.

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On the inside, the layout is still fairly similar to the outgoing model, with a large 15.4-inch central infotainment screen and generally minimalist look. The biggest changes come in the form of the dashboard’s continuous, flowing styling which blends seamlessly onto the door cards – this is finished with a long ambient lighting strip.

The interior images also show more extensive use of metallic-look materials in contrast to the wood trim in the old Model 3. Refinement should be improved, too, with new acoustic glass, quieter tyres and improved suspension to bring a new level of comfort to the car.

The steering wheel gets a full redesign, featuring the Tesla text in full, as on the boot lid. Indicator buttons also now sit on the steering wheel replacing traditional stalks on the steering column. Putting the car into drive, reverse, park or neutral is also now selected through the central touchscreen, rather than via a column-mounted gear selector.

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Rear-seat passengers now get an eight-inch display situation between the seats ahead of them, and allows for control of functions such as climate control, ventilation and entertainment.

Tesla has worked to improve the Model 3’s drag coefficient, meaning it’s more aerodynamic than before, resulting in an improved electric range despite no announcement of changes to the battery tech. Entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive models have an official range of 319 miles, compared with the outgoing version’s 305 miles. Long-Range versions boast up to 391 miles compared to the old model’s 374-mile figure.

Rear-Wheel Drive models can cover the 0-62mph sprint in 6.1 seconds, while Long Range does the same in 4.4 seconds. Updated figures for the Performance variant are yet to be revealed, but expect these to be even quicker than the Long Range, at the cost of not going quite so far on a charge.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but it was previously rumoured that prices could actually decrease for the facelifted Model 3 compared with the outgoing model (currently starting from £42,990) thanks to improved manufacturing processes, allowing the company to further undercut rivals.

To find out what the new facelift has to go up against, read our review of the best electric cars on sale…