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Model 3 Highland vs pre-Highland: buying used
Highland is the factory codename for the facelifted Model 3. Tesla began delivering it in Australia in December 2023. It is quieter, has ventilated front seats and a rear screen, and goes a little further on a charge. A 2021–2023 Shanghai-built pre-Highland car usually costs less to buy. If budget comes first, start with the older car. If you spend a lot of time on the freeway or carry adults in the back, the Highland is worth the step up. See what that gap is today on used Tesla prices.
How to tell which one you are looking at
Do not go by the year in the ad. Highland deliveries started in December 2023, and a car’s build date, compliance date and first registration can fall in different years. Sit in the car and check:
- Gear selector. Pre-Highland cars have a stalk on the right of the steering column for Drive and Reverse. Highland cars select the gear on the touchscreen.
- Indicators. Pre-Highland cars have an indicator stalk. Most Highland cars use indicator buttons on the steering wheel. New Model 3s got an indicator stalk back with the update announced in October 2025, and Tesla offers a stalk retrofit for 2024–2025 cars, so a stalk on its own does not mean an older car.
- Rear screen. Highland has an 8-inch touchscreen for back-seat passengers. Pre-Highland cars do not.
- Front seats. Highland front seats are ventilated as well as heated, on every variant.
- Blind-spot lights. Highland adds warning lights near the mirrors.
- Main screen. 15.4 inches on Highland against 15 inches before. Too close to judge by eye, so use the checks above instead.
From the outside, Highland has new front and rear bumpers and sharper LED lights.
What changed with Highland
| Pre-Highland (2019–2023) | Highland (from December 2023) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main screen | 15-inch | 15.4-inch, thinner bezels |
| Rear passengers | Vents, no screen | 8-inch touchscreen |
| Front seats | Heated | Heated and ventilated |
| Glass | Double-glazed front side windows from the 2021 update; single-pane rear windows | Acoustic glass all round, including the rear windows |
| Gear and indicators | Stalks | Gear on the touchscreen; indicator buttons on the wheel (stalk on late-2025 builds or retrofitted cars) |
| Ambient lighting | No | Yes |
| Claimed WLTP range, final versions | RWD 491 km, Long Range 602 km | RWD 513 km, Long Range 629 km |
On Highland, the Long Range and Performance have a 17-speaker system with two subwoofers. The Rear-Wheel Drive has nine speakers. Real-world range is lower than any claimed figure, and big wheels cut it further.
Used prices move every week, so they are not in this table. The prices page shows the live median, low and high asking price for Model 3 ads on this site.
Which pre-Highland years are worth it?
- 2019 to early 2021 (US-built). The oldest and usually the cheapest. Cars built from late 2020 already have the 2021 update: heat pump, double-glazed front windows and a powered boot. Earlier cars do not have a heat pump, which matters in a Canberra or Melbourne winter. Fit and finish varied on early cars, so look closely at panel gaps and trim.
- 2021 onward (Shanghai-built). Australian Model 3s switched to Shanghai production in early 2021. The VIN starts with LRW. These cars have the heat pump and the updated cabin, and the Standard Range Plus / Rear-Wheel Drive uses an LFP battery. For most buyers this is the value sweet spot.
- Builds from about early 2022. Shanghai cars moved to a faster AMD Ryzen media computer, replacing the Intel Atom, so maps and the screen respond faster. Do not take the ad’s word for it. Check Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information on the car.
Which variant?
- Rear-Wheel Drive / Standard Range Plus. The cheapest way in. Shanghai-built cars use an LFP battery, which is happy to be charged to 100% regularly.
- Long Range. Dual-motor all-wheel drive, with more range and more power.
- Performance. The quickest Model 3, on bigger wheels and tyres that cost more to replace and use more range. The Highland Performance reached Australian buyers from mid-2024, later than the other variants.
- Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive. Added in October 2025 with the longest claimed range of any Model 3. Few are likely to be on the used market yet.
Buying checklist
- Get the VIN and build date, and confirm Highland or pre-Highland with the checks above.
- Ask for evidence of battery health, not a screenshot. Our battery health guide explains what to ask for.
- Confirm what driver-assistance software is actually on the car (Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self-Driving) on the car’s own screen, not in the ad. The inspection guide covers this, plus tyres, glass and suspension.
- Compare the asking price with live prices, used Model 3s for sale, and Model 3 ads from 2024 on.
- Work out transfer and stamp duty for your state before you agree a price.
Still choosing between body styles? Read Model 3 vs Model Y on the used market.