Getting use to not having stalks When it comes to user interface, the biggest difference between this car and the vast majority of cars on the road (including older Model 3s), is that the new Highland doesn’t have stalks on both sides of the steering wheel. So, instead of using the left stalk as a turn indicator and the right one to change from park to drive or reverse, I now have to use a small left or right button on the left side of the steering wheel to signal a turn or lane change and have to swipe up on a strip on the left side of the screen to go into drive or down to go into reverse. You touch the P on top of the strip to go into Park and N at the bottom for Neutral. There is also an “Auto Shift Out of Park (Beta)” that uses the cameras to predict which direction you want to go in. I have that turned off until I hear verification from lots of other users that it reliably gets it right 100% of the time. Because this is new to me, I’ve been practicing with both the turn indicators and the on-screen gear shifting. The gear shifting has gone well, perhaps because it’s something I do before I start moving. But I’m still having a little trouble getting used to pressing a steering wheel button to activate the turn indicator. My muscle memory is starting to kick-in, but it takes getting used to. I’ve seen numerous comments from European drivers who complain about the indicators on Europe’s many roundabouts. One problem with the steering wheel buttons is that they get into an odd position when you turn the wheel so they might not be where your muscle memory thinks they are in a turn or when going through a roundabout. Personally, I wish Tesla had left the stalks alone, but it is what it is. Quieter and smoother ride Although there a few cosmetic changes to the outside of the car, what I mostly noticed is that it’s much quieter and smoother than my old Model 3. Tesla says it’s 20% quieter and I believe it. It actually seems even better than that. It’s a major improvement. One reason is that Tesla is using dual pane glass on all glass surfaces, not just the windshield as was the case with the old Model 3. Tesla says that better aerodynamics contribute to the quiet ride, along with better range. I still remember how disappointed I was in December 2018 when I first drove my old Model 3 and noticed every bump on a nearby street that’s unevenly paved. My 2016 Prius is noticeably smoother, which surprised me since it’s a much smaller car. But the 2024 Model is a lot smoother. It doesn’t completely eliminate significant bumps in the road, but it does smooth them out. The new Model 3’s shock absorbers have as what Tesla calls “frequency selective damping,” to improve ride quality while maintaining the ride handling, said Tesla vice president of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy in an online video. Back seat screen Back seat passengers now get their own 8-inch screen that can be used to control heating and cooling, audio volume and to watch video via Netflix, YouTube or other streaming services. You can also use it to play games. It can also be used to change the position of the front passenger seat if it’s affecting leg room of the person behind it. I question, however, how that’s going to go over for the person in front. Fortunately, back seat passengers can’t mess with the driver’s seat. As an entertainment device, the screen is a bit small, and it’s positioned so low that it might cause some neck strain to watch for an extended period. I suspect that some backseat passengers will opt for a tablet rather the bothering with the built-in screen. Luxury touches Starting at under $39,000, the new Model 3 is priced well below most luxury cars, but it does have some luxury touches, like doors that feels more solid when you close them along with heated, ventilated, and electrically adjustable front seats and ambient lighting. The $47,740 long range model has a 17-speaker audio system. Both the long range and standard range handle well. The long-range model has one of the highest ranges of any EV while the standard range is ahead of many other EVs. My old Tesla may have looked a bit like a luxury car, but it didn’t feel like one. I’m happy to say that the new model does. Having said that, Tesla did replace the wood grain trim above the dash with a cloth lined trim. I never loved the wood grain, so it doesn’t bother me. I also wonder if the cloth helps dampen sound inside the cabin. Overall conclusion This is a refresh, not an entirely new design but it takes what’s good about the Model 3 and makes it better while fixing things that always bothered me, including bumps and road noise.