2024 Tesla Model 3 Highland: Chassis Upgrades

Tesla has made significant improvements to the new Model 3

MotorTrend

The 2024 Tesla Model 3, also known as the Highland, recently fell into the hands of the folks over at MotorTrend. The staff has been combing through every piece of the car to find the slightest flaw. While the optics of the new look exterior and refined interior get the attention, MotorTrend went poking around underneath the shiny exterior to give a close-up look at significant chassis and suspension upgrades.

Softer Springs and Intelligent Suspension

The 2024 Model 3 Highland, in both its Standard and Long Range variants, has adopted softer springs coupled with innovative frequency-response suspension dampers. This upgrade facilitates a smoother ride, absorbing more significant impacts such as dips, potholes, and bumps.

The frequency-selective damping isn't an entirely new concept; Koni first introduced it in the late 1990s. The technology alters damping force based on the suspension inputs, achieving a perfect balance between comfort and stability.

Steering Updates

The 2024 Model 3 Highland has also seen changes in its steering mechanism. The variable-ratio steering rack from the previous model remains, which adapts its responsiveness based on the driver's input. However, Tesla has adjusted the ratio, moving from 10.3:1 to 10.6:1, requiring the driver to use more steering input for the same turn. This change targets better predictability and increased stability, especially at higher speeds.

Improved Control Arms

A common issue with the outgoing Model 3 was the front upper control arms. They were susceptible to cracking, which allowed water infiltration, leading to rusting and unpleasant noises. The 2024 Model 3 Highland addresses this with its new forged steel control arm, designed to be more resilient to rust, and offers a sealed ball joint housing to prevent water intrusion.

While this upgrade might be hard to spot, the 2024 Model 3's redesigned steering knuckles enhance driving dynamics by providing greater stability, particularly at higher speeds and during braking, and by minimizing bump steer.

Updated Tire Specifications

The U.S. variant of the Model 3 Highland will sport new standard 18-inch all-season Michelin Primacy tires optimized for Tesla. These tires promise reduced rolling resistance, translating to a slight boost in driving range.

Bushings play a pivotal role in ride comfort and handling. Tesla has revamped the bushings in the front and rear suspension and the rear subframe to minimize noise, vibrations, and harshness, elevating the driving comfort of the Model 3.

While Tesla aims to redefine its reputation for impeccable quality with the 2024 Model 3 Highland, there have been observations of inconsistencies, such as the mis-installation of brake dust shields. However, it's worth noting that these were early-build models from Tesla's Shanghai factory. It's anticipated that production will improve as Tesla irons out potential issues on the production line.

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Tesla FSD in Europe: June Update

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The road to bringing FSD to Europe has been a long and complex one and filled with regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles. Elon Musk, as well as other members of Tesla’s AI team, have previously voiced their grievances with the regulatory approval process on X.

However, it appears that there is finally some progress in getting things moving with recent changes to upcoming autonomy regulations, but the process still seems slow.

Waiting on the Dutch

Elon commented on X recently, stating that Tesla is waiting for approval from Dutch authorities and then the EU to start rolling out FSD in Europe. Tesla is focusing on acquiring approvals from the Dutch transportation authority, which will provide them with the platform they need to gain broader acceptance in Europe. Outside of the Netherlands, Tesla is also conducting testing in Norway, which provides a couple of avenues for them to obtain national-level approval.

The frustration has been ongoing, with multiple committee meetings bringing up autonomy regulation but always pulling back at the last second before approving anything. The last meeting on Regulation 157, which governs Automated Lane Keeping Systems, concluded with authorities from the UK and Spain requesting additional time to analyze the data before reaching a conclusion.

Tesla, as well as Elon, have motioned several times for owners to reach out to their elected representatives to move the process forward, as it seems that Tesla’s own efforts are being stymied. 

This can seem odd, especially since Tesla has previously demoed FSD working exceptionally smoothly on European roads - and just did it again in Rome when they shared the video below on X.

FSD Supervised testing in Rome, Italy

Pending regulatory approval pic.twitter.com/TXh3uQIfrx

— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) June 12, 2025

DCAS Phase 3

While the approval process has been slow, Kees Roelandschap pointed out that there may be a different regulatory step that could allow FSD to gain a foothold in Europe.

According to Kees, the European Commission is now taking a new approach to approving ADAS systems under the new DCAS Phase 3 regulations. The Commission is now seeking data from systems currently operational in the United States that can perform System-Initiated Maneuvers and don’t require hands-on intervention for every request.

This is key because those are two of the core functionalities that make FSD so usable, and it also means that there may not be a need to wait years for proper regulations to be written from scratch. Now, the Commission will be looking at real-world data based on existing, deployed technology, which could speed up the process immensely.

What This Means

This new, data-driven regulatory approach could be the path for Tesla to reach its previous target of September for European FSD. While the cogs of bureaucracy are ever slow, sometimes all it takes is a little data to have them turn a bit faster in this case.

Alongside specific countries granting approval for limited field testing with employees, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for FSD in Europe, and hopes are that a release will occur by the end of 2025. With Europe now looking to North America for how FSD is performing, Tesla’s Robotaxi results could also play a role.

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Tesla Launches 'TeslaVision' Contest With Big Prizes — See Last Year’s Winner [VIDEO]

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Tesla’s marketing has always been relatively unconventional, relying on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. The passion of the owner’s community is always massive, but it is especially high now with the launch of the Robotaxi network just around the corner.

Tesla is now tapping into that spring of fan creativity and announced the TeslaVision video contest, with some seriously impressive prizes up for grabs.

Announcing the TeslaVision fan video showcase

Tesla owners & supporters have always been able to see our products & mission for what they truly are.

Your word of mouth has made Tesla what it is today.

The OGs will remember that in 2017, we held our first video contest. 8 years… pic.twitter.com/6pPpkqmqOH

— Tesla (@Tesla) June 10, 2025

The Contest

The core of the contest is simple. Create a video that shows how your Tesla gives you more in life. Tesla is looking for submissions that highlight themes of freedom, safety, fun, and convenience.

Prizes

The prizes definitely make this contest worth entering if you’re good with a camera and have some basic video editing abilities.

For North America, the prizes include a brand new Model Y AWD Long Range, alongside an all-expenses-paid trip to Austin for a tour of Giga Texas. The grand prize winner will also be able to custom order their Model Y, allowing them to select their preferred wheels and color.

The two runners-up won’t get a Model Y, but they’ll also enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Giga Texas for a tour of the factory.

The travel and tour include lodging in Austin for 2 nights, as well as economy-class round-trip tickets from anywhere in North America. Tesla will also provide a vehicle for use during the trip.

Hopefully, these winners will also have the opportunity to experience the Robotaxi network while they’re in Austin, as it’s expected to be opened to the public later this month.

Project Loveday

For long-time followers of Tesla, this contest may feel familiar. The contest is a direct throwback to the 2017 Project Loveday contest, which was inspired by a letter to Tesla from a 10-year-old aspiring marketer. That contest was won by MKBHD, with his submission below:

How to Enter

If you’re ready to start filming, here are the key pieces of information you’ll need to know:

• Video must be 90 seconds or less

• Video must be uploaded to YouTube with a public URL

• Make a post on X and Instagram tagging “@Tesla” and include the words “TeslaVision contest” in the post.

• Provide links to both social media posts in your submission to Tesla’s form

• Provide your personal details in the form

• You have until July 17th, 2025, or until Tesla receives 10,000 entries, whichever comes first.

You can find the official submission form and all region-specific details on Tesla's website.

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