Stocks of the Tesla Model 3 Standard are now in Malaysia, with display and test drive units now available at various locations for potential buyers and the EV-curious in general to check out.
The Model 3 Standard was first introduced in the Tesla Malaysia line-up in January, bringing the brand’s entry price significantly lower to RM147,600 which is over RM20k lower than the previous most affordable Model 3.
With the Standard being the new “standard”, what was previously known as the Model 3 has been renamed the Model 3 Premium. Quite a few items have been removed from the Model 3 for that RM20k price cut to be possible.
On the outside, you will be able to recognise the Standard via the new 18 inch Prismata wheel design, and there’s no option to upgrade to the larger 19 inch Nova design. If you remove the Prismata wheel cover, you’ll see steel wheels compared to the Model 3 Premium’s alloys.
The Model 3 Standard also loses the TPMS sensors in the wheels, so you won’t be able to monitor the tyre pressure in detail. Instead, it uses wheel speed sensors to let you know if any of the tyres are underinflated compared to the rest. One benefit to this is you save on TPMS sensor replacement costs when the battery in them eventually run out.
If you want to upgrade from the standard Stealth Grey, you can only choose Pearl White or Diamond Black, both priced at RM5k.
There are bigger changes on the inside. The speaker count has been reduced to 7 speakers, compared to 9 on the Premium. You also lose the FM radio tuner.
The ambient lighting strap that runs across the dash and doors is now gone, and so is the door pocket lighting. The steering wheel is now manually adjustable. The sliding cupholder cover is gone, and the trim of the area loses the perforated metal design – it’s now a flat design.
The on-seat controls are now gone – you will have to rely on the touchscreen for adjustment now, but you have a memory function associated with the driver profile so you’ll only have to do it once. The wing mirrors are still electrically adjustable, but lose the dimming function.
The seats and door trim decor are now fabric, compared to leather and microsuede on the Premium. Front seats are now heated only and lose the ventilation function, while the rear seats lose the heating.
The rear row touch screen is gone, and the rear AC vents now have to be adjusted manually.
For fans of the vast panoramic sunroof, good news for you is that it remains, and has not been removed like on the Model Y Standard.
The two biggest changes are differences that have to be experienced when driving the car. We took a quick drive of the Model 3 Standard on the roads of Cyberjaya around the Tesla Experience Centre to report what impact they’ve made to the car.
First, the suspension system is now fully passive like the pre-Highland model instead of being fitted with the frequency dependent shock absorbers that made their debut on the Highland. As a result, the ride is somewhat firmer and somehow sportier compared to the Model 3 Premium. Those who prefer that type of ride might actually prefer this over the Model 3 Premium.
The second of the two big changes is the removal of acoustic glass from the car. This was quite noticeable during the drive – the Model 3 Standard felt louder than the Model 3 Premium, mostly from tyre noise. Perhaps even slightly noisier than the Model 3 Performance, which tends to be louder than the Premium due to its large sized performance compound tyres.
Other than these two items, I would say you wouldn’t miss the other equipment that has been removed that much.
A lot of what makes a Tesla a Tesla is still there with the Model 3 Standard – the way it drives is still generally the same. You have the same Autopilot system, the ability to upgrade to EAP and FSD (and use it in the future), cameras all around the car that can be used with the built-in sentry security system, and you also get the same in-car and phone app connectivity. The audio system doesn’t sound underspecced for its price range either, especially if you tune the EQ settings a bit.
If you’re interested in the Model 3 Standard, you should test drive both the Standard and Premium side by side to see if you think the additional comfort is worth the RM20k premium. It is a lot of money after all.
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