Highland test drives

[Durzel]

Just completed a 30 min test drive of a RWD. I’m coming from a 2019 3P and the short test drive wasn’t long enough for my purposes so having a longer drive again mid week.

I wasn’t as blown away as I thought I would be probably due to the lack of performance and other niggles.

Positives:
The build is better without question.

It’s noticeably quieter and the ride smoother.

Nicer steering wheel.

Better sound system but not massively.

Seats are more comfortable.

Screen is more responsive. Didn’t notice the larger viewing area.

So-so’s:
Not sure if I’m a fan of the ambient lighting.

Did 10 minutes of motorway driving and had 1 hesitation when passing another vehicle.

Negatives:
The parking visualisations are crap. Simple as. Not a patch on the USS in my current Tesla. This is probably the biggest negative.

Gear selection by screen. Didn’t like that much and it certainly doesn’t correctly anticipate the direction you want to drive in. I pulled out of a parking space in a car park and pulled up to the car in front. I stopped and expected the car the reverse back when I next applied power. It didn’t - it would have just moved forward and hit the car in front.

Indicators. I went to grab the stalk on almost every occasion just because of what I’m used to. That said are the buttons better? Absolutely not. Will play havoc in the car rental market for sure.

Felt quite sluggish but I am coming from a 3P. Performance was dull on the RWD. I’d certainly order the AWD.

Booked to have a longer test drive mid-week before I make up my mind to order or keep what I’ve currently got.

Thanks for the review.

RWD sound system (pre and post Highland) is worse in hardware terms - fewer speakers, fewer woofers, no sub (I think) than the 3P which would’ve had premium sound.

The predictive Drive and Reverse thing only works after the cameras are calibrated, from what I’ve seen. Maybe the test drive cars haven’t done enough mileage yet?

Rest of your complaints sound similar to what I think mine will be.

Driving a 72 plate M3P and sitting in a Highland (test drive next Saturday) they both felt more solid and tighter than my 2020 M3P. Highland door closing thunk is what it should’ve been from the start.

 

[HenryT]

Re the performance I was in the RDW which has a 0-60 in 5.8 sec compared to the AWD 4.2. Think the performance is 3.8 so it’s not that far off.

Assuming the acceleration boost is still available, I guess the 'boosted' LR could more or less match your P on a 0-60 basis?

Obviously no track mode, fancy brakes and whatnot, but at least acceleration might be comparable.

 

[Oxid8ter]

The predictive Drive and Reverse thing only works after the cameras are calibrated, from what I’ve seen. Maybe the test drive cars haven’t done enough mileage yet?

It's not just "when in park", it's when you first get into the car. From the manual:

When Auto Shift out of Park is enabled, Model 3 is designed to automatically select Drive or Reverse. The touchscreen displays the selected drive mode when the driver's door is closed and seat belt is buckled

 

[Oxid8ter]

That’s great thanks for looking into it. Annoyingly I’d have to take the 1 day old car to the service centre which is an hour away but guess I’d rather do that then deal with a vibration. Was thinking initially maybe it’s bc it’s so new and needs
To be driven a bit but maybe not. Will see how it is today and if still there I’ll schedule the appt

I'll be just as annoyed. 90 minutes away for me and I'd rather not have to, you'd think they could get the basics right at £50k (for a long range).

 

[Zilla91]

you'd think they could get the basics right

This is Tesla you’re talking about. Them getting it right would be completely out of character, it’s why you need to go armed with a checklist when picking up a new car

 

[Oxid8ter]

This is Tesla you’re talking about. Them getting it right would be completely out of character, it’s why you need to go armed with a checklist when picking up a new car

Too true, many moons ago I made an app (which I shared on here) where you could tick off when you'd checked it and then had a few free flow text boxes and emailed you a PDF of it all at the end. Sadly the upkeep of the app both in terms of time and cost became too much and so it died a death... I will definitely be going with a checklist when I pick up my M3LR next week though. Maybe I should refuse it with "they forgot to install the stalks and USS, was the engineer half asleep?"

 

[starharbour]

This is Tesla you’re talking about. Them getting it right would be completely out of character, it’s why you need to go armed with a checklist when picking up a new car

I had a checklist. Went through line by line. Noticed the vibration on way home but thought maybe temporary.

 

[Adopado]

I wonder if they restrict the acceleration of test drive cars? It wasn’t in chill mode

They did use "chill" in 2019 when I first drove one ... it would always be worth asking

 

[Pagemakers]

I turned chill off.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Due to different tires?

yes, could be, particularly with loaners (I doubt they were kept in the peak of health!)

But I have owned MS-P and (now) MS Non-P. Both owned for long enough to replace the original tyres, and I do not stint on the tyres I put on. My MS-Non-P will scrabble on launch (wet or dry), the MS-P never did - including launch on a bend in the wet

I have also owned M3 LR and MY LR (non-P) (long enough to change tyres on those too) and they scrabble.

But its a small sample size

you'd think they could get the basics right at £50k

That's not how Tesla work. If you complain at collection (or shortly thereafter) they will fix it. If you don't they have saved the PDI "fix" money for customers who weren't bothered on that point.

If you collect from, e.g. Bluewater its an outdoor multi storey car park with a couple of lads at a rickety wooden table checking ID and handing out keys. That's it - no mechanics available who could fix stuff.

You will therefore have to drive to nearest service centre and have all the inconvenience. And then you will have a car that you love, tell all your mates about, take them for a ride, impress them with Oooommmmph, Fart Mode, Boom Box etc. and they will buy one too. You will probably forget to say "PDI was pants" ... but even if you do the chances are good that your mates will say "Yeah, was too for my <InsertBrand>"

 

[Oxid8ter]

That's not how Tesla work. If you complain at collection (or shortly thereafter) they will fix it. If you don't they have saved the PDI "fix" money for customers who weren't bothered on that point.

If you collect from, e.g. Bluewater its an outdoor multi storey car park with a couple of lads at a rickety wooden table checking ID and handing out keys. That's it - no mechanics available who could fix stuff.

You will therefore have to drive to nearest service centre and have all the inconvenience. And then you will have a car that you love, tell all your mates about, take them for a ride, impress them with Oooommmmph, Fart Mode, Boom Box etc. and they will buy one too. You will probably forget to say "PDI was pants" ... but even if you do the chances are good that your mates will say "Yeah, was too for my <InsertBrand>"

Very true. I'm collecting from NEC so it will be a Tesla Marquee thing much as it was when I collected from National Space Centre in 2021. Much like @starharbour has alluded to though, some faults can only be unsurfaced through driving it, and then as you have said it's the inconvenience of a 90 min drove each way to Nottingham to gey it rectified.

 

[Pagemakers]

Just had my second test drive in a Highland today. This time for an hour.

Compared to my 3P I think it’s better in almost every way with the exception of:

Vision only and parking. Tried it a dozen times. It’s still horrible.

Struggled to get the car into park. The park button just didn’t work. Even Tesla themselves couldn’t work it out. A reboot didn’t fix. The only way we could get it into park was to open the door.

Getting “used” to the indicators I think. Still not sure I like them.

Things I noticed on this drive…

The ambient lighting dims with the screen brightness. So it bright sunshine the ambient lights are bright and at night it’s dark.

Model 3 is now part of Tesla Referral Rewards. 7,500 points for referring and 15,000 for a loyalty purchase.

If only they’d lower the 9% PCP I’d order. Instead I think I’m going to extend my PCP for a few more months until July to see what interest rates do.

 

[Oxid8ter]

Model 3 is now part of Tesla Referral Rewards. 7,500 points for referring and 15,000 for a loyalty purchase.

also worth noting you get 500 credits just for referring a test drive, upon completion of a test drive... spotted it in the app the other day.

If only they’d lower the 9% PCP I’d order. Instead I think I’m going to extend my PCP for a few more months until July to see what interest rates do.

It is a shame the finance offerings are so high, its a market standard really, but most other manufacturers have 0% APR at the moment, making this a bad offering. I admit, I utilised it, but I know that the finance is a stop gap whilst waiting on inheritence... If I wasn't confident I'd be paying off in 6-12 months I likely wouldn't have used it.

 

[WannabeOwner]

making this a bad offering

Premium price for early adopters - seems pretty standard to me.

 

[Oxid8ter]

Premium price for early adopters - seems pretty standard to me.

I mean bad offering in terms of comparatively to other brands. I imagine if no-one was doing 0% then they would all be on-par.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I mean bad offering in terms of comparatively to other brands.

Well unless the other brands also have a new model then I'll stick with my original thought

I also reckon it will come down in a few months - i.e. just a "demand lever". But maybe there are more wanna-be-latest owners out there than I realise.

 

[Pagemakers]

also worth noting you get 500 credits just for referring a test drive, upon completion of a test drive... spotted it in the app the other day.

I note that the rewards balance expire after 12 months. 6 months for activated supercharging.

The Tesla website states that each referral resets the clock. I wonder if you referred a test drive it would also extend your points and supercharging time.

 

[tvad]

We test drove the New Model 3 on Tuesday. Much has been improved, but we will not be ordering one.

Here's why.

As background, we own a 2019 Model 3 Dual Motor.

First, the seats have been completely redesigned, and seem to be closer in style to European sport sedan seats from BMW, MB, VW and Porsche. However, in my opinion, they were uncomfortable. Seats from the European manufacturers offer excellent support, yet also provide great compliance (softness, or give in the padding). The New Model 3 seats do not provide the same amount of give in the padding. I found them too hard. I love the seats in our 2019 Model 3. In fact, they are one of my favorite features.

Second, the removal of the turn signal stalk and placement of turn button on the steering wheel requires the driver to reposition his/her left hand to operate the button with the thumb. The beauty of a stalk is that one can have their left hand at 10 o'clock (or 9 o'clock) and simply extend a finder to operate the signal. Having to re-grip is not a safe procedure, and re-gripping is necessary to operate the button with the left thumb.

Third, in their attempt to upgrade the interior, Tesla added a dash accent that includes a lighted LED strip and a reflective metallic accent strip that wraps around the dash and continues onto the doors. It's a nifty accent, but on sunny days (and we have many), bright sun glares off that metallic accent strip into the driver's eyes. Not good.

Finally, the new gear selection via left-side screen swipe is awkward. Why require drivers to learn a new operation movement? It causes one's eyes to divert from road to screen until the movement becomes second nature. Pressing the button at the front headliner control is also inconvenient. Again, another step back regarding safe driving. Removal of the stalks may save Tesla money, but it doesn't improve the driving experience, in our opinions.

We decided to keep driving our 2019 Model 3.

 

[Transformer]

Getting “used” to the indicators I think. Still not sure I like them.

Enhance Auto is promising S3XY stalks. They'd be required to get my spouse to do some of the driving on road trips.

 

[rincewind]

I had a test drive today of a RWD Highland. Impressed. It feels more 'hushed' when the door is closed. A more solid feel all around, definately quieter, though not by huge amounts. The suspension is more compliant, steering felt lighter than my 2019 M3P, I would think it may feel slightly heavier in the AWD version. Interior feels more premium. The indicators, hmmm.... I got used to them pretty quickly, but have to say that no matter how long I use them, a stalk is still better. Will the stalk issue stop me getting one - absolutely not.