The upgraded Tesla Model 3, which was known under the “Highland” codename during development, was named the “Best car you can buy in Norway” by automotive website Motor.no.
The car journos pitted the facelifted EV against its Model Y sibling, as well as the BMW iX, Volkswagen ID.3, MG4, Peugeot e-2008, Renault Megane, and many more. In the end, the Chinese-made Model 3 came up on top of the 50 candidates because the main gripes of the non-facelifted version were resolved.
That is, the quality of the interior has been improved compared to its predecessor, with a higher sense of quality. At the same time, the cabin is quieter, thanks to more sound-deadening material throughout, as well as the addition of double-glazed windows for the rear doors and rear window. Before, the Model 3 had acoustic glass for the front three windows only.
Gallery: New Tesla Model 3
With this being said, the Motor.no judges noted that not everything has been resolved with the facelift, and that’s the varying ownership experiences. The team said that many customers are delighted with their purchase, while too many are dissatisfied.
The upgraded Model 3 won in the best small family car category, as well as in the overall standings. The Model Y came on top in the medium family car group, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The BMW iX was crowned the best large family car by Motor.no, while the Peugeot e-208 city hatchback came first in the small car class.
Norway has one of the highest if not the highest EV penetration rates in the world, so it’s no surprise that a lot of battery-powered cars are winners in categories open to both gas- and diesel-powered models.
In the first 10 months of this year, over 87,000 battery electric vehicles were sold in Norway, amounting to a market share of 83.5%. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have a 7% market share, leaving diesel- and gasoline-powered cars to fight for less than 10% of the market.
