Tesla Adds ‘Oak Decor’ Interior Finish

I just noticed saw, too. And there appears to be other slight interior changes!

- The vents seem to be a bit different
- Chrome accents (around vents, door, center screen, cupholders, console door, and steering wheel, etc.) are dark
- Upper and lower dash pads have different stitching and some minor tweaks
- Possibly some other stuff I missed?

evster said:

Seems like Tesla updated the tan interior with having an Oak decor instead of figured ash.

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It's also not a 'tan' interior, it's 'cream' which is has all new option codes:

INLFC --- Cream Premium
QTFC --- Cream Premium Interior

Is this just a minor change to pacify us until the real interior update happens, or does this mean that Tesla has abandoned the S as its Halo vehicle? Or is this a false dichotomy.

henderrj said:

Or is this a false dichotomy.

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Yes.

The "interior update" is, and has always been, 100% speculation.

henderrj said:

Tesla has abandoned the S as its Halo vehicle

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What makes you think this?

evster said:

Seems like Tesla updated the tan interior with having an Oak decor instead of figured ash.

They also changed so that a P100D can't be ordered with this new interior style nor the textile interior. So no more tan interiors for P-models and only choice is black or white.

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I am disappointed that they are reducing choice on such an expensive vehicle. It's one thing to get options you didn't necessarily want because they are packaged with what you do want. But it's another to eliminate choices like these. Thank goodness I got my cream interior before this change, as I love the figured ash. If I was about to order a P100D now and could not get the cream interior, I would be really upset. I hate a black interior and the white is just too white.

Noticed that the P interior options are all "free" whereas only "crypt" is free on the non-P version.

HankLloydRight said:

Yes.

What makes you think this?

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I own both a Model S and a Model 3. I've yet to find a single person (of maybe 50) who prefers the Model S interior. I've had gasps from how clean and futuristic the Model 3 is, but the Model S gets a "Meh" in comparison. The single, straight piece of wood along the dash with no vents is stunning. The center console is cleaner with better phone chargers and perfectly symmetrical. It has a better sound system, interior camera (currently unused, but still), and buttons to open the door (which feels more elegant than pulling a handle). Meanwhile, the Model S is playing catch-up with lighted vanity mirrors and MCU upgrades.

Of course, this is all subjective, but the Model 3 is simply more refined to me. This isn't to say the Model S isn't a beautiful car, but like @henderrj suggested, it does make the Model S feel less like the Halo/Flagship vehicle. I don't say this to dismiss other opinions. Just sharing mine. I had originally planned to flip the Model 3 to a family member and replace my Model S with a new one. But now that I have the Model 3, I actually enjoy it more than the Model S. Even getting into a brand new P100D feels "dated" to me.

MarkS22 said:

I own both a Model S and a Model 3. I've yet to find a single person (of maybe 50) who prefers the Model S interior. I've had gasps from how clean and futuristic the Model 3 is, but the Model S gets a "Meh" in comparison. The single, straight piece of wood along the dash with no vents is stunning. The center console is cleaner with better phone chargers and perfectly symmetrical. It has a better sound system, interior camera (currently unused, but still), and buttons to open the door (which feels more elegant than pulling a handle). Meanwhile, the Model S is playing catch-up with lighted vanity mirrors and MCU upgrades.

Of course, this is all subjective, but the Model 3 is simply more refined to me. This isn't to say the Model S isn't a beautiful car, but like @henderrj suggested, it does make the Model S feel less like the Halo/Flagship vehicle. I don't say this to dismiss other opinions. Just sharing mine. I had originally planned to flip the Model 3 to a family member and replace my Model S with a new one. But now that I have the Model 3, I actually enjoy it more than the Model S. Even getting into a brand new P100D feels "dated" to me.

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Agreed. Model S feels long-in-the-tooth and I wouldn't be buying one right now. No way.

Is it just me or am I seeing a big price decrease in the wheel options and all the interior options?

What used to be $5K for leather is now $3,300 for all interior options. Multi-Pattern is "free" still of course.

The S with the white interior gets a lot more attention than the 3 with the black. I certainly prefer the S interior over the 3

MarkS22 said:

I own both a Model S and a Model 3. I've yet to find a single person (of maybe 50) who prefers the Model S interior. I've had gasps from how clean and futuristic the Model 3 is, but the Model S gets a "Meh" in comparison. The single, straight piece of wood along the dash with no vents is stunning. The center console is cleaner with better phone chargers and perfectly symmetrical. It has a better sound system, interior camera (currently unused, but still), and buttons to open the door (which feels more elegant than pulling a handle). Meanwhile, the Model S is playing catch-up with lighted vanity mirrors and MCU upgrades.

Of course, this is all subjective, but the Model 3 is simply more refined to me. This isn't to say the Model S isn't a beautiful car, but like @henderrj suggested, it does make the Model S feel less like the Halo/Flagship vehicle. I don't say this to dismiss other opinions. Just sharing mine. I had originally planned to flip the Model 3 to a family member and replace my Model S with a new one. But now that I have the Model 3, I actually enjoy it more than the Model S. Even getting into a brand new P100D feels "dated" to me.

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I prefer the Model S interior because it's actually functional.

evster said:

To my eye these changes you list is more of a image processing difference? I'm not sure these are actual changes and the vents does look exactly the same?

What I can see however on second inspection is that they seem to have moved back to the much cheaper upper dashboard part. The top part closest to the windscreen. It looks like it now has that rubber/plastic look that they used for 2014 cars? This is really not an upgrade if it's not just the image?

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Upper dashboard has always been rendered like that, but reality is that both panels of the dashboard below and above the stitching are finished in the same smooth finish leather-look material.

eye.surgeon said:

I prefer the Model S interior because it's actually functional.

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How so? How long have you been driving the Model 3? It keeps growing on me because of the efficiencies. Case in point, the Model S Autopilot stalk now feels overly complicated and unnecessary. It just feels "right" being the next levels up past "Drive" on the same stalk.

The only thing I miss on the Model S is the ability to have two screens at once on the center display. I like keeping the rear-camera open as a rear-view mirror. Also, I prefer the hatch with the automatic liftgate and acceleration. Of course, it's unfair to compare a single motor car that's half the price of a Performance Model S.

In terms of the whole experience, the Model 3 feels next-generation. A lot of the buttons, stalks, and screen that were taken away feel like when I went from a Blackberry to iPhone. Initially, it feels like it's missing something but you learn it's actually streamlined and a better experience.

Again, just my subjective opinion. This new Oak interior looks like a step in the right direction toward the Model 3's look, but I don't think it goes far enough.

Pinot.Noir said:

The S with the white interior gets a lot more attention than the 3 with the black. I certainly prefer the S interior over the 3

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The Interior upgrade was 3,300 when I order my car in March.

Everything said above about the Model 3 might be true.

Since I haven't spent enough time in a Model 3, I don't have an opinion either way. Other than I personally like the MS interior*.

But I think I'm pushing back on the comment that a couple of minor changes -- the addition of oak decor and a new cream color option, and a few tweaks to the option packages for the P100D is a long, long, way from saying "Tesla has abandoned the S as its Halo vehicle"


*I recently took my BMW M5 in for service and got a brand new X1 as a loaner. Sure, the seats and leather were nice, but the actual interior was sensory and control overload. It's like they decided to cram in as many controls, buttons, and lights/screens as possible, as if that somehow enhances the 'ultimate driving machine'. I think it does just the opposite. So happy to get my 2002 M5 back after driving that monstrosity for a single day. The MS interior takes that direction even further with less complexity, not more.

J1mbo said:

Noticed that the P interior options are all "free" whereas only "crypt" is free on the non-P version.

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That have been the case since last year I believe just like premium package is included with the P models but that happened little earlier.

the chrome accents are indeed darker now according to my owner advisor guy. i wanted the old ash wood but i can't get it any more. i don't like the model 3/now S oak trim. i rented a model 3 the other day and my wife said...what's up with that wood. it looks like it's from the side of a 1970s station wagon.

HankLloydRight said:

Everything said above about the Model 3 might be true.

Since I haven't spent enough time in a Model 3, I don't have an opinion either way. Other than I personally like the MS interior*.

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I took delivery of a MS 100D 1.5 months ago and I find it to be the most enjoyable car I have ever driven, inside and out. No doubt MX and M3 owners feel the same about their cars. But what strikes me as odd about these Tesla forums is a lot of the negativity that some owners seem to have for the Tesla model they did not buy.

I mean, here we are, supposedly commenting on the addition and removal of some interior options and someone still has to make sure everyone knows that the M3 interior is better. Yes he does included the proviso that his comments should be considered subjective, but not before dramatically detailing the breathless response of his "large" sample of 50. The clear implication is that, as another poster put it, the MS has lost its "Halo" status.

I didn't buy my MS because of any "Halo" status. I just thought it was the best for me. It won't be for everyone but I don't feel the need to make a competition out of my preferences. I guess I just thought that we should be one big happy Tesla family supporting any and all fellow customers who share the vision of the future Tesla has so wonderfully provided for us, rather than rationalizing to all why our model choice is the better one?

Can there be problems with any given Tesla? Sure, just like any car. Will people prefer some parts of the fit or finish of one model over another? Sure, just like any car. (I personally find the interior of the M3 way too spartan and the smaller, tablet-like screen with no second screen I find provides less ease of functionality).

But I would never use such opinions of mine to in any way denigrate the other models or their owners, implicitly or explicitly. I would never want fellow Tesla owners to feel that they were unwise in choosing the model that they did just because I opted for something else. I think it is great that there are these options available so that more of our fellow drivers might find one Tesla or another more comfortable and to their liking.