NEXT STAGE: Redesign in 2024?

The compact sedan that launched five years ago — marking Tesla’s breakthrough move into higher-volume segments — remains a strong seller despite the arrival of the Model Y crossover in 2020 on the same platform. The Model 3’s popularity comes in part from its entry-level price of $48,440 with shipping, compared with $67,440 for the Model Y, which has a bigger battery and more features.

Part of the savings comes from the base Model 3’s lithium iron battery from China. The new pack was offered after a Model 3 freshen for the 2021 model that included blacked-out exterior trim, longer range, new interior materials, a power trunk and a heat pump for greater efficiency.

For 2022, the Model 3 is mostly unchanged except for a series of price hikes that makes it about $8,000 more expensive compared with early 2021.

AutoPacific forecasts a second Model 3 freshen for 2025. A new-generation Model 3 — with a full exterior and interior redesign — may not come until late in the decade. In 2023, the Model 3 could get a performance Plaid edition.

AutoForecast Solutions says there could be a redesign of the Model 3 as early as 2024. It’s the oldest Tesla vehicle without a major update, and the styling is becoming dated in markets like California where the Model 3 is ubiquitous.