Model 3 Highland Revealed
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,655
Likes: 4,048
From: Maryland
Alright, just test drove the 2024 Model 3 Highland Long Range. I spent about 30 minutes with it driving it through the worst roads Fremont has to offer. Others have already reviewed it, so I'll just post some highlights.
The Good: It's a huge improvement. Everything from suspension, to sound deadening. Road noise has been cut way down, and the suspension is excellent. Compared to my 2023 MY, it's about 2 to 3 notches softer. I drove on some pretty bad roads around Fremont, and the suspension sucked up the bad roads. Seats are slightly more comfortable, and they are ventilated, unlike mine. Room seems to be about the same as the prior year Model 3. Although it lacked stalks, it was easy enough to adjust to the buttons on the steering wheel, the turn signals are not hepatic touch like the Model X I drove, but you can actually feel them, and they click. And it had an actual NORMAL horn! C'mon Elon, W T H? JK 🤣 Power was excellent and there when you need it, and it was overall fun to drive.
The not so good: No stalks. Although it was easy to adjust to, they should have just kept the stalks. There was absolutely no reason to remove them. But not a huge deal in the scheme of things.
Final thoughts: I was impressed
A pretty big improvement over the previous years. If you are on the fence, maybe time to get off and at least do a test drive
The Good: It's a huge improvement. Everything from suspension, to sound deadening. Road noise has been cut way down, and the suspension is excellent. Compared to my 2023 MY, it's about 2 to 3 notches softer. I drove on some pretty bad roads around Fremont, and the suspension sucked up the bad roads. Seats are slightly more comfortable, and they are ventilated, unlike mine. Room seems to be about the same as the prior year Model 3. Although it lacked stalks, it was easy enough to adjust to the buttons on the steering wheel, the turn signals are not hepatic touch like the Model X I drove, but you can actually feel them, and they click. And it had an actual NORMAL horn! C'mon Elon, W T H? JK 🤣 Power was excellent and there when you need it, and it was overall fun to drive.
The not so good: No stalks. Although it was easy to adjust to, they should have just kept the stalks. There was absolutely no reason to remove them. But not a huge deal in the scheme of things.
Final thoughts: I was impressed
A pretty big improvement over the previous years. If you are on the fence, maybe time to get off and at least do a test drive
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 26,004
Likes: 4,313
From: Alberta
i don't think that's it really. i think getting rid of the stalks eliminates cost, makes manufacturing simpler (which also lessens cost) and the function can be rolled into roller/buttons which have multiple uses and are thus more versatile. would i find it awkward? probably. would i get used to it? certainly.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,694
Likes: 3,767
From: California
i don't think that's it really. i think getting rid of the stalks eliminates cost, makes manufacturing simpler (which also lessens cost) and the function can be rolled into roller/buttons which have multiple uses and are thus more versatile. would i find it awkward? probably. would i get used to it? certainly.
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,082
Likes: 633
From: CA
Alright, just test drove the 2024 Model 3 Highland Long Range. I spent about 30 minutes with it driving it through the worst roads Fremont has to offer. Others have already reviewed it, so I'll just post some highlights.
The Good: It's a huge improvement. Everything from suspension, to sound deadening. Road noise has been cut way down, and the suspension is excellent. Compared to my 2023 MY, it's about 2 to 3 notches softer. I drove on some pretty bad roads around Fremont, and the suspension sucked up the bad roads. Seats are slightly more comfortable, and they are ventilated, unlike mine. Room seems to be about the same as the prior year Model 3. Although it lacked stalks, it was easy enough to adjust to the buttons on the steering wheel, the turn signals are not hepatic touch like the Model X I drove, but you can actually feel them, and they click. And it had an actual NORMAL horn! C'mon Elon, W T H? JK 🤣 Power was excellent and there when you need it, and it was overall fun to drive.
The not so good: No stalks. Although it was easy to adjust to, they should have just kept the stalks. There was absolutely no reason to remove them. But not a huge deal in the scheme of things.
Final thoughts: I was impressed A pretty big improvement over the previous years. If you are on the fence, maybe time to get off and at least do a test drive
The Good: It's a huge improvement. Everything from suspension, to sound deadening. Road noise has been cut way down, and the suspension is excellent. Compared to my 2023 MY, it's about 2 to 3 notches softer. I drove on some pretty bad roads around Fremont, and the suspension sucked up the bad roads. Seats are slightly more comfortable, and they are ventilated, unlike mine. Room seems to be about the same as the prior year Model 3. Although it lacked stalks, it was easy enough to adjust to the buttons on the steering wheel, the turn signals are not hepatic touch like the Model X I drove, but you can actually feel them, and they click. And it had an actual NORMAL horn! C'mon Elon, W T H? JK 🤣 Power was excellent and there when you need it, and it was overall fun to drive.
The not so good: No stalks. Although it was easy to adjust to, they should have just kept the stalks. There was absolutely no reason to remove them. But not a huge deal in the scheme of things.
Final thoughts: I was impressed
A pretty big improvement over the previous years. If you are on the fence, maybe time to get off and at least do a test driveI like the seats in our '18 Mid Range; the Highland seats are much better. Worth the price of admission.
I was against killing the stalks. It took me less than a minute to get used to the blinker buttons. I only grabbed air once.
I am a buyer; the decision will depend on the Performance....
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,694
Likes: 3,767
From: California
Pretty much my thoughts, with the following exceptions:
I like the seats in our '18 Mid Range; the Highland seats are much better. Worth the price of admission.
I was against killing the stalks. It took me less than a minute to get used to the blinker buttons. I only grabbed air once.
I am a buyer; the decision will depend on the Performance....
I like the seats in our '18 Mid Range; the Highland seats are much better. Worth the price of admission.
I was against killing the stalks. It took me less than a minute to get used to the blinker buttons. I only grabbed air once.
I am a buyer; the decision will depend on the Performance....
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,655
Likes: 4,048
From: Maryland
i don't think that's it really. i think getting rid of the stalks eliminates cost, makes manufacturing simpler (which also lessens cost) and the function can be rolled into roller/buttons which have multiple uses and are thus more versatile. would i find it awkward? probably. would i get used to it? certainly.
Best example of that is the yoke. He doubled down on it and said there would never be a wheel, then he gets distracted with Twitter and Tesla releases a wheel that they will even come to an owners house and retrofit on their car with a yoke.
Now if you go to the Tesla showroom here, they all have wheels. Gotta order a yoke.
