TESLA MODEL 3 RWD

More aerodynamic styling brings longer range and there are tech upgrades inside

- JAMES DISDALE

0nce an undisputed star of the new car sales charts, the Tesla Model 3 has been fading in showroom (or should that be web page?) sparkle over the past year, sliding off the bottom of the UK's top 10 sellers chart for 2023.

That slump certainly doesn't have anything to do with the popularity of the Tesla brand, because the Model Y SUV has been flying high, taking fifth spot here in Britain and top honours globally. And despite some nervousness from first-time private buyers, EV registrations continue to soar overall.

So what could be holding the Model 3 back? Well, the premium EV sector is image and technology-obsessed, so after six years without any significant changes, any contender is going to lose a little of its lustre. And while Tesla normally avoids the traditional model cycle, preferring to continually improve its offerings on the fly (particularly when it comes to software updates), even this maverick organisation has conceded that its former best-seller needed to go under the knife.

Looks are of course subjective, but we reckon the visual revision is a success, the lower nose and thinner LED lights giving the car a sleeker and more aggressive stance.

Tesla also claims the reprofiled exterior slips through the air more easily, delivering a range-boosting drag coefficient of 0.22. More importantly, perhaps, on this car at least, the panel gaps were more consistent - apparently the result of more careful construction.

The streamlining has continued inside, Tesla having taken its famed minimalism to an almost fetishistic level in a cabin that's conspicuous for its lack of clutter.

The central touchscreen has grown in size to 15.4in and the central tunnel has been enhanced with extra storage and wireless phone charging, plus there's some natty customisable ambient lighting and a new 8.0in touchscreen for passengers in the back.