The Tesla Model 3 is the undisputed king despite some strong upcoming competition, like the Polestar 2. People may say it’s because of the first-mover advantage or the fact that it has been in the segment the longest, which is true to an extent, but it’s also because of the continuous updates. Tesla has managed to keep the product fresh – even though it looks the same from the beginning – by introducing new packages, constant over-the-air updates, and so on. Now, the automaker has refreshed the Model 3 for the 2020 model year and it comes with quite a few changes that make it an even better product.

What Are The Changes This Time Around?

Tesla Model 3’s online configurator shows a lot of changes. For starters, the range has increased in every model. Earlier, the Standard Range Plus had a mile range of 250 miles. This has been upped by 13 miles and is now rated at 263 miles.

The Performance trim sees an increase of 16 miles, from 299 miles to 315 miles. The Long Range Dual Motors trim receives the biggest boost, 31 miles to be precise, from 332 miles to 353 miles on a single charge. Surprisingly, the Long Range and Performance trims are listed as “EPA-estimated” ranges, while the Standard Range Plus’s range is listed as “estimated”.

Even in terms of performance, the Model 3 has received improvements. The Long Range model is now two-tenths of a second quicker than before and the Performance model is quicker by one-tenth of a second to 60 mph. The 0-60 mph now stands at 4.2 seconds for the Long Range model and 3.1 seconds for the Performance.

Red Tesla Model 3
Tesla

On the outside, Tesla has introduced new wheel designs. The standard 18-inch Aero wheels and the 19-inch Sport wheels feature a new design. The Performance trim can finally be had with 20-inch Uberturbine wheels. The cabin is refreshed as well. The piano black finish inside in dropped in favor of silver accents that may draw polarizing opinions, but are a welcome change nevertheless. The steering wheel, with a new metallic finish, is also apparently heated. The Model 3 has also followed in the footsteps of Model Y and adopted chrome-delete.

Final Thoughts

As for the price, there is no change whatsoever. The Standard Range Plus starts at $37,990, the Long Range Dual Motor all-wheel-drive version starts at $46,990, whereas the Performance Dual Motor all-wheel-drive starts at $54,990.

The Model 3 certainly looks good with all these improvements, especially the increased range on all the trims. Now, I hope even the build quality improves and Tesla manages to roll out fault-proof Model 3s from the factory. What do you have to say about the 2021 Tesla Model 3? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.