I absolutely think the Model 3 needs to appeal to the masses, and with nearly 300k reservations made over the course of a few days, I'd say it definitely appeals to Joe Public. I would not say a majority of the people on this forum have an issue with the design...have you seen
this poll right here on TMC? Over 70% very much enjoying the design, with another 20% thinking it's better than comparable vehicles. So over 90% approve, that's an overwhelming majority here on this forum. There are 2 threads I've seen on this forum in which a handful of users contributing to those threads are disappointed in the design, and that's certainly not a majority.
I will say that design tends to be somewhat subjective, and fully appreciate the opinion of those who don't like the nose, but their opinion is not the majority.