Tesla dropped a bombshell by introducing not one, however two Normal fashions, with the Mannequin 3 additionally getting the bottom therapy alongside the already-anticipated Mannequin Y. Unique to North America for the second, each vehicles – which within the Mannequin 3’s case replaces the common rear-wheel-drive model – have seen a big discount in options to hit a lower cost level.
First, some excellent news – the Mannequin 3 Normal is definitely an improve over the outgoing RWD by way of vary, which has gone up from 438 km to 517 km on the US’ stringent EPA cycle. That is shared with the Mannequin Y Normal, regardless of the latter being larger and heavier.
As earlier than, the Mannequin 3 Normal will get from zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.8 seconds, with the Mannequin Y taking a second longer at 6.8 seconds (1.4 seconds slower than the RWD mannequin); each will hit a prime velocity of 201 km/h. Additionally they solely settle for as much as 225 kW of DC Supercharging, which is down from the 250 kW provided on different fashions, so a 15-minute cost will internet you 274 km of vary (272 km for the Mannequin Y).
Now on to the not-so-good information – what’s been reduce. Beginning with the Mannequin 3 Normal, not a lot has been modified over the common variants, which have now been renamed Premium. On the skin, the 18-inch wheels achieve a brand new Prismata fully-covered design (these are the rollers that had been teased beforehand), though patrons can go for bigger 19-inch Nova alloys, identical to on another non-Efficiency Mannequin 3. The bumpers, LED headlights (replete with adaptive excessive beam) and C-shaped taillights stay untouched.
Inside, you not get the ambient mild strips that had been added to the Undertaking Highland facelift, whereas the powered entrance seats – which achieve a brand new design – include part-fabric upholstery and ditch their air flow perform (no heated rear seats, both).
The steering wheel adjustment can also be now operated by hand, which is able to a minimum of be welcomed by these irked by the touchscreen-based adjustment on different fashions. Most gallingly, even door mirrors need to be adjusted manually, which probably means winding down the window and prodding on the mirror glass – identical to on a RM22,000 Perodua Axia E.
Elsewhere, the centre console now has lidless cupholders and no rear touchscreen, the house there being taken up by manually-adjustable air vents. There may be, after all, nonetheless a 15.4-inch touchscreen on the entrance, twin Qi wi-fi chargers, a panoramic glass roof and 7 audio system, however the FM radio has been eliminated.
In the event you thought the Mannequin 3 Normal was austere, the Mannequin Y Normal takes issues to a complete new stage. As undisguised items confirmed, the entrance mild bar and cut up headlights have been changed by slim one-piece lamps (no adaptive excessive beam right here), and the air consumption design has additionally been simplified right into a single large “mouth”. The 18-inch wheels (with distinctive Aperture covers) stay, however whereas Tesla affords an improve right here too, it’s solely to the 19-inch Crossflow rollers fitted as customary on the Premium variants.
Shifting to the rear, the Undertaking Juniper facelift’s novel oblique taillight illumination isn’t any extra, with only a black bar becoming a member of the easy inverted L-shaped lamps. The latter combine the indicator and reverse mild capabilities, so the rear diffuser now solely homes the reflectors.
The Mannequin Y Normal’s inside has gone by means of the identical decontenting because the Mannequin 3 Normal, simply much more. The centre console, beforehand housing a lidded storage cubby, has been swapped for a gaping gap beneath the wi-fi chargers. The cupholders and entrance armrest stay, located atop a floating “island”. Even the carpets are actually elective.
Considerably bizarrely, there’s nonetheless a glass roof, however Tesla has chosen to cowl it with full headlining, eliminating its complete cause for being. The Normal additionally lacks the HEPA filter and Bioweapon mode on different Mannequin Ys (these usually are not fitted to any Mannequin 3) and has manual- slightly than power-folding rear seats. Not solely do the modifications make the Normal look very clearly like a bargain-basement mannequin, however all these bespoke panels and componentry can have value Tesla a reasonably penny – which kinda defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?
Below the pores and skin, each Normal fashions journey on common passive dampers, slightly than the (still-passive) frequency-selective shocks discovered elsewhere. One other space the place Tesla has taken a buzzsaw to is the motive force assists – with no extra lane centring help, these two variants not provide Autopilot performance.
Nevertheless, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise management, lane protecting help and blind spot monitoring are nonetheless fitted as customary, as are the eight cameras that embrace a entrance digicam. This being Tesla, you may nonetheless go for the (supervised) Full Self Driving pack, costing US$8,000 (RM33,700) within the US.
The insistence of constructing all-new elements signifies that the Mannequin Y Normal will not be all that less expensive than the Premium variations, costing simply US$5,000 (RM21,000) much less at US$39,990 (RM168,600) – not rather a lot contemplating the quantity of options you lose within the course of.
The US$36,990 (RM155,900) Mannequin 3 Normal, in the meantime, is priced US$5,500 (RM23,200) decrease than the Premium RWD (beforehand known as the Lengthy Vary RWD), however this determine doesn’t take note of the discontinuation of the outdated US$38,990 (RM164,400) RWD base mannequin. In different phrases, the bottom value of the Mannequin 3 has solely dropped by US$2,000 (RM8,400).
All this price-slashing goes solely half the best way to cowl the lack of the US$7,500 (RM31,600) federal tax credit score for EVs, which the Trump administration ended final week. Over to you now – would you prefer to see a less expensive Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y in Malaysia for lower than the present beginning costs of RM169,000 and RM195,450 respectively? Tell us within the feedback.
GALLERY: 2026 Tesla Mannequin Y Normal
GALLERY: 2026 Tesla Mannequin 3 Normal
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