Tesla is giving the Model 3 another round of updates, and in typical Tesla fashion, the changes are arriving without waiting for a traditional model-year refresh. The latest improvements include a larger center touchscreen, more power and range for the Model 3 Performance, and noticeably quicker acceleration for the Premium AWD version. None of these changes completely reinvent Tesla’s popular electric sedan, but together they make an already quick and tech-focused EV a little more appealing.

The biggest change inside is a new 16-inch center touchscreen that replaces the previous 15.4-inch display across the Model 3 lineup. The larger screen also features a higher pixel density, giving the cabin’s most important interface a sharper appearance. Considering nearly everything in a Model 3 is controlled through that center display, even a relatively small increase in screen size matters more here than it might in a conventional vehicle filled with physical buttons and switches. The setup is similar to the larger display Tesla previously introduced in the Model Y.

Performance buyers get a little more excitement. Tesla now lists the Model 3 Performance at 528 horsepower, up from the 510 horsepower quoted when the current version debuted. Interestingly, Tesla still claims the same blistering 2.9-second zero-to-60-mph time, so the additional output does not change the official acceleration figure. Range does improve, climbing from 309 miles to 316 miles, and Tesla has added a black headliner that gives the Performance model’s cabin a slightly sportier atmosphere.

The Model 3 Premium AWD may have received the more noticeable performance upgrade in everyday use. Tesla now says the dual-motor sedan can sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, a sizable improvement from the previous 4.2-second claim. Tesla has not detailed exactly what changed to produce the quicker time, but the 346-mile estimated driving range remains intact. That combination makes the Premium AWD an increasingly compelling middle ground for buyers who want serious speed and long range without stepping all the way up to the Performance version.

Perhaps the best part is that Tesla has rolled out these improvements without using them as an excuse for a corresponding price increase. Model 3 pricing continues to span from the more affordable rear-wheel-drive version through the Premium AWD and Performance variants, keeping the sedan competitive in an EV market that has grown dramatically more crowded. North American buyers still miss out on one useful feature available in some overseas markets, however. Tesla has introduced vehicle-to-load capability for the Model 3 in countries including China and Australia, allowing the battery to power external devices, but that feature has not yet made its way to U.S.-market cars.

Tesla’s habit of continually changing its vehicles can occasionally make it difficult to define exactly where one model year ends and another begins, but it also means meaningful upgrades can arrive much faster than they do with traditional automakers. In this case, the Model 3 becomes faster, slightly more efficient in Performance form, and gets a better version of the screen that dominates its interior. None of those improvements fundamentally changes the Model 3 formula, but considering they arrive without a major redesign, they make an already potent electric sedan just a little harder to ignore.

Every Model 3 in the US, Puerto Rico & Mexico now comes with a larger 16″ center touchscreen

Additional highlights

– Black headliner for Model 3 Performance, also more range (316 miles, up from 309) & improved peak power at 528hp

– Model 3 Premium AWD accelerates even quicker… pic.twitter.com/dIdflr8F33

— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) October 2, 2026