New Tesla Model 3 available to order now: high-tech EV starts from under £40,000

• New Tesla Model 3 available to order in the UK
• Prices start from £39,990
• Facelift for the electric saloon
• Updated exterior styling
• Redesigned interior
• New infotainment system
• Improved electric range of up to 423 miles

The Tesla Model 3 has been given a mid-life update, with the BMW i4 alternative getting a new face, a revamped interior and improved efficiency.

This ever-popular EV is available to order in the UK now, and it starts from under £40,000.

New Tesla Model 3 price and specs

You can place your order for a shiny new Tesla Model 3 now, and deliveries will start in January 2024. It starts from £39,990. Not only is that £3,000 cheaper than the car it replaces, it’s a whopping £10,000 less expensive than the BMW i4 and £5,000 less that the Polestar 2.

Not only that, the new Model 3 is only £1,400 more expensive than top-spec versions of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, and it undercuts the Mercedes EQA by £12,000, two cars which don’t offer anywhere near the space or technology of the Tesla.

Basic rear-wheel drive versions of the Model 3 start from £39,990, and this version gets 318 miles of range. If the dual-motor Long Range version takes your fancy, it’ll set you back £49,990. Not only do you get an extra motor, this model also has an impressive 390 miles of range.

You’ll have to part with more cash if you want your model 3 in any colour other than white though. It’s £1,300 for dark blue or black, while red or grey paint will set you back an extra £2,000.

Other optional extras include 19-inch alloy wheels for £1,300, a tow hitch for £1,300 and a white interior will lighten your wallet by a further £1,100.

You can also spend £3,400 on the enhanced Autopilot system, meaning your Model 3 can change lanes on the motorway automatically as well as take you off at the right exit.  If it’s Tesla’s “Full Self Driving” capability you’re after, that’ll cost £6,800 and it means your car will stop at traffic lights and stop signs by itself.

New Tesla Model 3 design

While the basic shape of the Tesla Model 3 has remained the same, there have been plenty of design tweaks to bring the car up-to-date for 2023.

The big change up front is the new headlights. They’re much slimmer than before, and have a hint of the Tesla Roadster about them. You no longer have separate fog lights in the lower bumper and Tesla has done away with most of the vents at the front, leaving just one, giving the car a sleeker and slightly more aggressive appearance.

There aren’t many changes to the side of the car, this is just a mid-life facelift after all. You do get a couple of new alloy wheel designs, starting at 18 inches with 19-inch alloys as an option. There are two new paint schemes as well, a dark red and a stealthy grey.

You get some cool-looking new lights at the rear which are now one piece rather than split like on the outgoing car. The bumper is new as well and, like at the front, there are fewer vents. The boot badge has also been replaced with the word Tesla across the tailgate.

New Tesla Model 3 interior and infotainment

Just like with the exterior, the interior of this updated Model 3 has a similar look to the outgoing car. The dashboard is new though, and the technology has been updated as well.

You still get a very minimalist design with hardly any buttons in sight and a large central touchscreen, however there is a new LED strip running the width of the car beneath the windscreen and there’s a new trim panel which you can personalise with different colours.

That aforementioned touchscreen is the same size as before, 15.0 inches, and it has the same processor. The screen itself is new though, and it’s brighter and more responsive than the old one.

Just like with the new Tesla Model S, the new Model 3 has done away with steering column stalks. You now find your indicator and wiper controls on the redesigned steering wheel. The centre console has also been updated with more storage.

Tesla has improved interior quality for this new Model 3. The materials used have been chosen to reduce noise on the move, something which is further improved by the addition of acoustic glass for all of the windows and added sound insulation.

New Tesla Model 3 batteries and range

The new Tesla Model 3 has exactly the same batteries as the outgoing car, meaning you get a 57.5kWh pack in the standard car and a 75kWh unit in the Long Range model. Tesla has managed to improve efficiency by 8% thanks to some aerodynamic tweaks.

The styling changes not only modernise the car, they also help the car cut through the air more easily which improves range. The new rear-wheel-drive Model 3 has 346 miles of range, up from 305 miles. The dual-motor Long Range version has 423 miles of range, an improvement of 49 miles.

New Tesla Model 3 motors and performance

As with the batteries, the new Tesla Model 3’s motors have stayed the same. The single-motor car still has 279hp, although the 0-60mph time has gone up from 5.8 seconds to 6.1 seconds. That’s likely due to an increase in weight thanks to the added technology and sound insulation.

It’s the same story for the dual-motor Long Range car. It still has 351hp, but the 0-60mph time has gone from 4.2 seconds to 4.4 seconds. Details of the Performance model are yet to be confirmed, but expect the same 527hp as the current car.

New Tesla Model 3 suspension and chassis

The Model 3 has always been a comfortable car to travel in, but that hasn’t stopped Tesla from making some tweaks to make this car even better over bumps.

Check out Mat’s driving review of the new Tesla Model 3…

It has new springs and dampers, and Tesla has changed the way the sub frame with all the suspension components is attached to the car as well as uprating all the rubber bushings to make it less fidgety over smaller imperfections in the road.

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