Tesla unveiled a new, “refreshed” Model 3 in early October 2020 that equipped several new adjustments to its mass-market sedan’s cosmetic look and performance. However, true, in-depth looks of the vehicle have been hard to come by, as deliveries for the new version of the car have not yet been completed.
Now, the first looks at some of the Model 3’s new features are being displayed in a new video from Hong Kong-based YouTube channel 駕輛 UpCar. The hosts had the opportunity to take an up-close look at the new Model 3 before others have had the chance.
駕輛 UpCar’s hosts state that the new version of the mass-market Model 3 “is really a new car” based on what they’ve seen from Tesla’s additions.
Tesla Model 3 ‘refresh’ goes live with 353-mile range, Uberturbine wheels, powered trunk, and more
Exterior/Cosmetic Updates
While the car’s exterior shape has remained relatively identical, the only minor revision was the headlights, which were spotted on a pre-refreshed version of the Model 3 that was built in China.
One of the most commonly recognized updates on the refreshed Model 3 was the addition of Chrome Delete. Tesla made this cosmetic modification standard with the Model Y, and many owners have been known to manually make this change with third-party kits on their Model 3s. However, Tesla made the Chrome Delete feature standard with the Model 3 refresh. The door handles, side mirror trim, window trim, and camera covers are all chrome deleted.
Double-Paned Glass
The double-paned glass was spotted on several builds of the Model Y in October. However, the feature is also standard with the refresh, although it was spotted on pre-refreshed versions of the Model 3. The additional layer of glass is required to help with interior cabin noise, which has been a common complaint with some electric cars due to their lack of an engine to dampen road noise. The glass also increases insulation and could complement the addition of the heat pump to the Model 3 to keep the cabin a comfortable temperature for passengers.
Powered Trunk
Another similarity between the Refreshed Model 3 and the Model Y is the addition of a dedicated powered trunk. A powered liftgate button was placed in the Model 3, allowing for easy opening and closing of the trunk at this button’s press.
Cabin Revisions and Additions
Teslarati covered the new center console in October, which is also outlined in 駕輛 UpCar’s video. The new design slides and retracts into itself and also has new material. Tesla parted from the piano black as fingerprints and dust were easily noticed. Additionally, a new suede wireless charging platform was placed just above the new center console design. Tesla began installing wireless chargers in the Model X in early 2020, allowing for quick and pain-free charging of compatible smartphones. USB-C ports are also available in the rear, allowing for fast-charging capabilities for passengers in the back of the car.
Performance and Range Upgrades
In terms of performance upgrades, the Long Range Dual Motor AWD improved from 4.4 to 4.2 seconds from 0-60 MPH, and the Performance gained one-tenth of a second from 3.2 to 3.1 seconds. In range, the Standard Range+ variant went from 250 to 263 miles of range per charge, while the Long Range Dual Motor AWD boosted to 353 from 322. The Performance variant also upgraded to 315 miles from its previous 299.
As Tesla begins the shipment of refreshed Model 3s from Fremont, it is only a matter of time before the first few lucky purchasers receive their cars. Increased performance and range ratings are sure to win over new buyers, but the improvements in Tesla’s vehicles will equate to higher quality builds in the future. The advancements could spread across other vehicles in the future, including Tesla’s planned $25,000 sedan that will be available in several years.
You can check out 駕輛 UpCar’s full video on the Model 3 refresh below.
H/t: Drive Tesla Canada
News
Tesla Robotaxi has a highly-requested hardware feature not available on typical Model Ys
These camera washers are crucial for keeping the operation going, as they are the sole way Teslas operate autonomously. The cameras act as eyes for the car to drive, recognize speed limit and traffic signs, and travel safely.
Tesla Robotaxi has a highly-requested hardware feature that is not available on typical Model Ys that people like you and me bring home after we buy them. The feature is something that many have been wanting for years, especially after the company adopted a vision-only approach to self-driving.
After Tesla launched driverless Robotaxi rides to the public earlier this week in Austin, people have been traveling to the Lone Star State in an effort to hopefully snag a ride from one of the few vehicles in the fleet that are now no longer required to have Safety Monitors present.
BREAKING: Tesla launches public Robotaxi rides in Austin with no Safety Monitor
Although only a few of those completely driverless rides are available, there have been some new things seen on these cars that are additions from regular Model Ys, including the presence of one new feature: camera washers.
With the Model Y, there has been a front camera washer, but the other exterior “eyes” have been void of any solution for this. For now, owners are required to clean them manually.
In Austin, Tesla is doing things differently. It is now utilizing camera washers on the side repeater and rear bumper cameras, which will keep the cameras clean and keep operation as smooth and as uninterrupted as possible:
🚨 Tesla looks to have installed Camera Washers on the side repeater cameras on Robotaxis in Austin
pic.twitter.com/xemRtDtlRR— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 23, 2026
Rear Camera Washer on Tesla Robotaxi pic.twitter.com/P9hgGStHmV
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
These camera washers are crucial for keeping the operation going, as they are the sole way Teslas operate autonomously. The cameras act as eyes for the car to drive, recognize speed limit and traffic signs, and travel safely.
This is the first time we are seeing them, so it seems as if Safety Monitors might have been responsible for keeping the lenses clean and unobstructed previously.
However, as Tesla transitions to a fully autonomous self-driving suite and Robotaxi expands to more vehicles in the Robotaxi fleet, it needed to find a way to clean the cameras without any manual intervention, at least for a short period, until they can return for interior and exterior washing.
Tesla made a dramatic change to the Online Design Studio to show its plans for Full Self-Driving, a major part of the company’s plans moving forward, as CEO Elon Musk has been extremely clear on the direction moving forward.
With Tesla taking a stand and removing the ability to purchase Full Self-Driving outright next month, it is already taking steps to initiate that with owners and potential buyers.
On Thursday night, the company updated its Online Design Studio to reflect that in a new move that now lists the three purchase options that are currently available: Monthly Subscription, One-Time Purchase, or Add Later:
🚨 Check out the change Tesla made to its Online Design Studio:
It now lists the Monthly Subscription as an option for Full Self-Driving
It also shows the outright purchase option as expiring on February 14 pic.twitter.com/pM6Svmyy8d
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 23, 2026
This change replaces the former option for purchasing Full Self-Driving at the time of purchase, which was a simple and single box to purchase the suite outright. Subscriptions were activated through the vehicle exclusively.
However, with Musk announcing that Tesla would soon remove the outright purchase option, it is clearer than ever that the Subscription plan is where the company is headed.
The removal of the outright purchase option has been a polarizing topic among the Tesla community, especially considering that there are many people who are concerned about potential price increases or have been saving to purchase it for $8,000.
This would bring an end to the ability to pay for it once and never have to pay for it again. With the Subscription strategy, things are definitely going to change, and if people are paying for their cars monthly, it will essentially add $100 per month to their payment, pricing some people out. The price will increase as well, as Musk said on Thursday, as it improves in functionality.
I should also mention that the $99/month for supervised FSD will rise as FSD’s capabilities improve.
The massive value jump is when you can be on your phone or sleeping for the entire ride (unsupervised FSD). https://t.co/YDKhXN3aaG
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2026
Those skeptics have grown concerned that this will actually lower the take rate of Full Self-Driving. While it is understandable that FSD would increase in price as the capabilities improve, there are arguments for a tiered system that would allow owners to pay for features that they appreciate and can afford, which would help with data accumulation for the company.
Musk’s new compensation package also would require Tesla to have 10 million active FSD subscriptions, but people are not sure if this will move the needle in the correct direction. If Tesla can potentially offer a cheaper alternative that is not quite unsupervised, things could improve in terms of the number of owners who pay for it.
News
Tesla Model S completes first ever FSD Cannonball Run with zero interventions
The coast-to-coast drive marked the first time Tesla’s FSD system completed the iconic, 3,000-mile route end to end with no interventions.
A Tesla Model S has completed the first-ever full Cannonball Run using Full Self-Driving (FSD), traveling from Los Angeles to New York with zero interventions. The coast-to-coast drive marked the first time Tesla’s FSD system completed the iconic, 3,000-mile route end to end, fulfilling a long-discussed benchmark for autonomy.
A full FSD Cannonball Run
As per a report from The Drive, a 2024 Tesla Model S with AI4 and FSD v14.2.2.3 completed the 3,081-mile trip from Redondo Beach in Los Angeles to midtown Manhattan in New York City. The drive was completed by Alex Roy, a former automotive journalist and investor, along with a small team of autonomy experts.
Roy said FSD handled all driving tasks for the entirety of the route, including highway cruising, lane changes, navigation, and adverse weather conditions. The trip took a total of 58 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 64 mph, and about 10 hours were spent charging the vehicle. In later comments, Roy noted that he and his team cleaned out the Model S’ cameras during their stops to keep FSD’s performance optimal.
History made
The historic trip was quite impressive, considering that the journey was in the middle of winter. This meant that FSD didn’t just deal with other cars on the road. The vehicle also had to handle extreme cold, snow, ice, slush, and rain.
As per Roy in a post on X, FSD performed so well during the trip that the journey would have been completed faster if the Model S did not have people onboard. “Elon Musk was right. Once an autonomous vehicle is mature, most human input is error. A comedy of human errors added hours and hundreds of miles, but FSD stunned us with its consistent and comfortable behavior,” Roy wrote in a post on X.
Roy’s comments are quite notable as he has previously attempted Cannonball Runs using FSD on December 2024 and February 2025. Neither were zero intervention drives.
Tesla Robotaxi has a highly-requested hardware feature not available on typical Model Ys
Tesla makes big Full Self-Driving change to reflect future plans
