Photo: Tesla / BMW / Polestar / Hyundai
Some months after its international release (around four if we remember correctly), the refreshed Tesla Model 3 - dubbed 'Highland' by everyone except Elon Musk - has finally arrived in America, starting from the same $38,990 as before.
Frankly, we shouldn't blame Tesla for 'neglecting' North America and bringing the facelifted Model 3 home so late. After all, it was pretty busy preparing the first deliveries of the much-bleated Cybertruck, including the Cyberbeast flagship and the Foundation Series. After that, it quickly brought the refreshed sedan to America, too.
Although there are some drawbacks – such as the lever-free steering wheel – it could be argued that Tesla was quite busy with massive improvements for the Model 3. In random order, we could easily think about the fresh design that clearly distinguishes the pre-facelift and refreshed units, the improved aerodynamics that increase efficiency, the adaptive-ready headlights, the more upscale and comfortable interior, the improved NVH levels, the enhanced ride quality, the new connectivity levels, the better multimedia system, and the overall higher safety levels.
However, as far as America goes, one of the most significant drawbacks faced by the Tesla Model 3 is that the company lost the federal tax incentives to the new rules. As such, the potential savings displayed by Tesla on the online portal only lower the hypothetical price of the fresh Model 3 to $35,990. You can also choose the Model 3 Long Range instead of the RWD version because it comes with a slightly improved range (341 miles) and a price of $45,990 ($42,990 after probable savings).
If you have to choose solely between the two versions, it's easy to make the difference – if you do a lot of medium and long-distance travel, the Model 3 Long Range Is obviously the better choice. Otherwise, RWD will suffice as it can still do around 272 miles according to EPA estimates and hit 60 mph (96 kph) in less than six seconds. Interestingly, the first and foremost rival is none other than Tesla's best-selling Model Y crossover, America's fifth-grossing nameplate last year, which sold an estimated 386k units.
First and foremost, the latter can still take advantage of the $7,500 federal tax credit, so even though it starts out more expensive – at $43,990 for Model Y RWD, it drops as low as $32,890, which is more than 3k cheaper than a Model 3 RWD. Sure, you would lose all the recent improvements made to the sedan, and the range is 260 miles, while the acceleration to 60 mph takes 6.6 seconds. Alas, Model Y is available with both Long Range and Performance options, while the Model 3 Performance is not yet out and about.
Sure, many say that Tesla has some Plaid-worthy updates in store for the latter, so perhaps it's best to wait a little longer and see if they come out with something revolutionary or not in terms of sporty EV sedans. If you want another crossover EV alternative, then perhaps we should look at the $38,995 Volkswagen ID.4, though it comes with 209, 255, and 275-mile variants and can go as high as $55,245! Or you could have a Ford Mustang Mach-E, a Hyundai Ioniq 5, or a Kia EV6 if you really want to avoid settling on a four-door format.
However, let us talk about the direct competitors – models like the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6, BMW i4 Gran Coupe, or the Polestar 2, for example. As far as pricing is concerned, the closest to a Model 3 you can get is with a Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE starting from $42,450, but do remember that the 2024 Ioniq 6 is "available in limited quantities at select dealers in select states only." Hence, it's best first to contact your dealer to see if they have it anywhere near you. Also, you can go as high as $50,150 with the Limited trim. Next up comes the Polestar 2 at $49,900 or $55,300 (there's a limited $1,000-off offer on both, at the time of writing), followed by the BMW i4 kicking off at $52,200 and finishing at the top with an MSRP of $69,700.
Naturally, we might also want to take a look at the range factor – where the Tesla Model 3 has 272 and 341-mile EPA ratings. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 RWD has 225 hp and an estimated 361 miles on a single charge, while the AWD version only drops to 316 miles and raises the dual-motor AWD combination to 320 hp. For Polestar 2, the Long Range single motor configuration boasts 320 miles of range and zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. Meanwhile, the Long Range dual motor AWD brings down the count to 276 miles and 4.3 seconds to 60 mph.
As for BMW's i4, there are no less than four versions to choose from – eDrive35 (up to 276 miles, 5.8s), eDrive40 (301 miles, 5.4s), xDrive40 (307 miles, 4.9 seconds), and the mighty i4 M50 boasting just 269 miles of range but also a sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Obviously, Tesla is making it hard for customers to choose between the Model 3 RWD and Long Range – most other automakers offer longer ranges with the RWD variants and lower EPA estimates with the more powerful AWD options. In conclusion, while the Model 3 isn't a major technical revolution, it's still a massive revamp everywhere else – and it's hard for the competition to argue that they have much better rivals, right?
Although there are some drawbacks – such as the lever-free steering wheel – it could be argued that Tesla was quite busy with massive improvements for the Model 3. In random order, we could easily think about the fresh design that clearly distinguishes the pre-facelift and refreshed units, the improved aerodynamics that increase efficiency, the adaptive-ready headlights, the more upscale and comfortable interior, the improved NVH levels, the enhanced ride quality, the new connectivity levels, the better multimedia system, and the overall higher safety levels.
However, as far as America goes, one of the most significant drawbacks faced by the Tesla Model 3 is that the company lost the federal tax incentives to the new rules. As such, the potential savings displayed by Tesla on the online portal only lower the hypothetical price of the fresh Model 3 to $35,990. You can also choose the Model 3 Long Range instead of the RWD version because it comes with a slightly improved range (341 miles) and a price of $45,990 ($42,990 after probable savings).
If you have to choose solely between the two versions, it's easy to make the difference – if you do a lot of medium and long-distance travel, the Model 3 Long Range Is obviously the better choice. Otherwise, RWD will suffice as it can still do around 272 miles according to EPA estimates and hit 60 mph (96 kph) in less than six seconds. Interestingly, the first and foremost rival is none other than Tesla's best-selling Model Y crossover, America's fifth-grossing nameplate last year, which sold an estimated 386k units.
First and foremost, the latter can still take advantage of the $7,500 federal tax credit, so even though it starts out more expensive – at $43,990 for Model Y RWD, it drops as low as $32,890, which is more than 3k cheaper than a Model 3 RWD. Sure, you would lose all the recent improvements made to the sedan, and the range is 260 miles, while the acceleration to 60 mph takes 6.6 seconds. Alas, Model Y is available with both Long Range and Performance options, while the Model 3 Performance is not yet out and about.
Sure, many say that Tesla has some Plaid-worthy updates in store for the latter, so perhaps it's best to wait a little longer and see if they come out with something revolutionary or not in terms of sporty EV sedans. If you want another crossover EV alternative, then perhaps we should look at the $38,995 Volkswagen ID.4, though it comes with 209, 255, and 275-mile variants and can go as high as $55,245! Or you could have a Ford Mustang Mach-E, a Hyundai Ioniq 5, or a Kia EV6 if you really want to avoid settling on a four-door format.
However, let us talk about the direct competitors – models like the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6, BMW i4 Gran Coupe, or the Polestar 2, for example. As far as pricing is concerned, the closest to a Model 3 you can get is with a Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE starting from $42,450, but do remember that the 2024 Ioniq 6 is "available in limited quantities at select dealers in select states only." Hence, it's best first to contact your dealer to see if they have it anywhere near you. Also, you can go as high as $50,150 with the Limited trim. Next up comes the Polestar 2 at $49,900 or $55,300 (there's a limited $1,000-off offer on both, at the time of writing), followed by the BMW i4 kicking off at $52,200 and finishing at the top with an MSRP of $69,700.
Naturally, we might also want to take a look at the range factor – where the Tesla Model 3 has 272 and 341-mile EPA ratings. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 RWD has 225 hp and an estimated 361 miles on a single charge, while the AWD version only drops to 316 miles and raises the dual-motor AWD combination to 320 hp. For Polestar 2, the Long Range single motor configuration boasts 320 miles of range and zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. Meanwhile, the Long Range dual motor AWD brings down the count to 276 miles and 4.3 seconds to 60 mph.
As for BMW's i4, there are no less than four versions to choose from – eDrive35 (up to 276 miles, 5.8s), eDrive40 (301 miles, 5.4s), xDrive40 (307 miles, 4.9 seconds), and the mighty i4 M50 boasting just 269 miles of range but also a sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Obviously, Tesla is making it hard for customers to choose between the Model 3 RWD and Long Range – most other automakers offer longer ranges with the RWD variants and lower EPA estimates with the more powerful AWD options. In conclusion, while the Model 3 isn't a major technical revolution, it's still a massive revamp everywhere else – and it's hard for the competition to argue that they have much better rivals, right?
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