The Tesla Model 3, reviewed (finally)

Few cars have been the subject of as much intense Internet debate as the Tesla Model 3. To Muskophiles, it is quite simply the safest car ever and the best vehicle on sale today from any OEM. To the haters, it’s a four-wheel deathtrap, assembled in a tent and ready to fall apart the minute you drive it in the rain.

As usual, neither of these takes reflects much more than one’s underlying biases. After several days testing a Model 3, it was clear that there’s a lot to like about Tesla’s mass-market electric car. Equally, it was clear that the car has a real underlying design flaw, which will only be exacerbated now that the company has finally announced a $35,000 stripped-out version. For those of you who haven’t rage-quit or gone right to the comments to tell me I’m wrong, there’s plenty to discuss.

When the Model 3 was first announced in 2014, we didn’t know much more beyond that it would cost $35,000, have a range of at least 200 miles, and be 20-percent smaller than a Model S. Two years later, the prototype was revealed to the world—and the world went nuts for it. Tesla was inundated with $1,000 deposits, filling its coffers with hundreds of millions of dollars in preorders from excited customers around the world a year before production (and its associated hell) even began. Despite Tesla’s well-publicized woes, Model 3s began to trickle and then flood out of its factory in Fremont, California, throughout 2017 and 2018, first to customers in North America, more recently to Europe. Just last week, Tesla announced it was ready to start selling the Standard Range version of this car en masse.

Dig the design

I’ll start with my normal disclaimer about beauty being in the eye of the beholder and all that, but with that out of the way, I’ll nail my colors to the mast: I think it is designer Franz von Holzhausen’s best work at Tesla. I’m a particular fan of it head-on, where the combination of the light clusters and the front not-grill work to great effect, proclaiming, “I am a sleek and sporty car.” However, I’m less enthusiastic about the car in profile. The packaging requirements of needing to accommodate three adults in the back seat with sufficient headroom above the car’s battery pack mean that from the B pillar backward, the Model 3 can have the look of a baby Model X, with all that entails.

The shape has purpose, though—the Model 3 has a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.23, lower than almost any other production car, although a little worse than CEO Elon Musk’s original target of just 0.21. (Yes, I know, it’s actually CdA, or the drag coefficient multiplied by a car’s frontal area that’s actually important, but no OEM bothers to publish those numbers.) Regardless of any resemblance to the Model X from the rear, the Model 3 is definitely a four-door sedan, not a five-door hatchback—a rear hatch was ruled out by the full-length glass roof. For those who are interested, the Model 3 is 184.8 inches (4,694mm) long, 76.1 inches (1,933mm) wide, 56.8 inches (1,443mm) tall, with a 113.2-inch (2,875mm) wheelbase.

Unlike the Models S and X that preceded it, the Model 3 makes extensive use of steel rather than aluminum in its construction, both for the monocoque chassis as well as the car’s body panels. The layout is conventional for an EV, with the battery pack sandwiched between the axles. The suspension is a double-wishbone setup at the front and a multi-link rear. This car sports coilover dampers rather than the air suspension of the larger Tesla EVs.

Our test car was a $58,000 Model 3 Performance ($69,000 with options, and before any federal or local tax incentives), which means an electric motor for each axle, plus the long-range 75kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Although the hardware is mostly the same in all all-wheel drive Model 3s, in this top-of-the-range model (quickly identified by its carbon fiber spoiler) the motors have been uprated via software to a combined 450hp (340kW) and 471lb-ft (639Nm) and the inverters have been beefed up. The front motor is an induction design, rated for a maximum of 197hp (147kW); the rear is a permanent magnet motor rated at 197hp (147kW). Dual-motor Model 3s are the heaviest configuration of the car, tipping the scales at 4,072lbs (1,847kg) with a 50:50 weight distribution.

This makes it a very quick car, both from a standstill and also while on the move, with a 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds (0-100km/h is 3.4 seconds) and a new top speed of 162mph (260km/h)—that was just increased from the previous 155mph (249km/h) this past week via a software update. The company has repeatedly emphasized the fact that the Model 3 is a driver’s car, and it has succeeded in making the car more engaging to drive than its previous offerings. The ride on the Model 3 Performance is firm, and the suspension is lowered relative to the regular AWD version, but since we have yet to drive one of those, offering substantive comparison between the two is not possible. Additionally, as our test car’s 20-inch wheels were shod in winter tires, it’s not really possible to make any definitive statements about its dynamic ability other than to say I would very much like to try one out on track, in track mode.

With the car’s acceleration set to Sport mode, it’s every bit as rapid as its 0-60 time would suggest. Despite weighing more than 4,000lbs, it masks that mass extremely well, both in straight-line performance and also when changing direction. There’s enough accelerator pedal travel that it’s easy to drive at low speeds, although, for those who feel they can’t be trusted, you can switch the acceleration to Chill (dropping the 0-60mph time to a little under 8 seconds, which makes it much slower than even the Standard Range Model 3).

To my knowledge, Tesla’s electric vehicles remain unique compared to every other EV we’ve tested in that the brake pedal solely controls the friction brakes. Any and all regenerative braking occurs as you release the accelerator pedal, which you can set to either standard or low; the former is best used in the city or if you’re a true devotee of one-pedal driving. No doubt the company has good reasons for this design decision, but it does mean that every time you use the left pedal you’re wasting energy rather than returning it to the battery pack. (Other EVs blend regenerative braking and friction braking when you press on the brake pedal.)

Wearing winter tires also impacted the car’s range by up to 10 percent, but I have no reason to doubt that on normal rubber and at sensible speed one would be able to drive at least 300 miles (482km) on a full battery. I did notice that the energy consumption display was more pessimistic about my remaining range than the little battery indicator, but energy consumption averaged around 300Wh/mile. Tesla says that a Supercharger will add 170 miles (274km) of range in 30 minutes; plugged into a 240V, 40A AC outlet will add 37 miles (60km) of range each hour.

That Supercharger network, more than anything else, is Tesla’s ace in the hole for converting drivers over to electric propulsion. There simply isn’t another EV I’ve tested where I’d be confident in driving 110 miles on the spur of the moment for lunch knowing I’d be able to recharge my battery quickly en route. Perhaps once Electrify America gets done building out its high-speed DC Fast charging network I’ll be able to say the same about cars like the Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron, or Hyundai Kona EV.

It’s what’s on the inside that counts

One of Tesla’s main goals with the Model 3 was to design a car that was much cheaper and quicker to build than the labor-intensive S and X. That philosophy is quite obvious from the driver’s seat—the car basically eschews the idea of conventional physical switchgear other than two stalks on the steering column and a pair of jog-wheels on the steering wheel itself. Physical controls aren’t completely absent: there are actual switches to open and close the windows, buttons to turn on the hazard lights and the map lights, and each door obviously gets a button that opens it. (In the rear the door opening is entirely electronic; the fronts also have a mechanical handle you can use to extricate yourself in the event of a total power failure.)

Controlling any other function means using the car’s 15.4-inch touchscreen, which is mounted between the front seats and dominates the entire interior. Our test car also came with the Premium Interior, which means, among other goodies, 12-way power seats and synthetic leather covering the seats as well as the door cards. Generally, the fit and finish of the Model 3 interior is an improvement on the older S and X cars, particularly evident from the car’s center console, which appears to use higher-grade plastics. However, our test car did have some issues with the folding cover for the middle section of the center console. It was decidedly sticky in its action. (I checked another Model 3 Performance with the same interior options, and they exhibited no such problem.)

Our test car was also specced with the $1,000 black-and-white interior option, which substitutes another strip of white synthetic leather for the wood grain finish on the dashboard. Unfortunately, this strip of bright white trim caused quite noticeable reflections on the windscreen and driver’s side window—our recommendation is to pass on the extra cost and stick with the all-black interior.

Regardless of color, all Model 3s, bar the recently announced Standard Range cars, come with the same 12-way adjustable power seats up front. They’re comfortable enough but lack lateral support. While this ought not to be an issue in most of the cars, it is a detriment here given the Model 3 Performance’s focus on, well, performance. Although Musk has touted the ability of the most powerful Model 3 on track versus cars like BMW’s M3, anyone serious about track days in the car will find themselves far less securely situated here when compared to a similarly priced, similarly powerful internal combustion-powered alternative. (Or an I-Pace, for that matter.)

Although most of the interior trim is of a higher quality than the S or X, sadly the steering wheel stands out as particularly low-rent. Although the rim is wrapped in leather (presumably the same synthetic stuff as the rest of the interior), its plastic trim feels hard and cheap, and the overall design is far less elegant than you’d find in any similarly priced luxury sedan from established OEMs. This is unfortunate, as it’s the driver’s main point of contact with the car, the bit they will touch and feel every day while driving it. While I’m complaining, the wheel is also offset somewhat relative to the centerline of the driver’s seat. While Tesla isn’t the only OEM to subject drivers to this, it’s more noticeable in the Model 3—its ergonomics are affected by its highly minimalist cabin and heavy reliance on its touchscreen.

It’s time to talk touchscreen

When the first Model 3s started being delivered, I went on record saying that I thought complaints about the car’s reliance on this single screen were overblown. Having spent several days and several hundred miles using it, I maintain that some of those concerns—particularly the ones about not having a main instrument display directly in front of the driver, remain overblown. In general, the UI is extremely responsive and very intuitive—if you can use an iOS device, you should have no issues with quickly understanding how Tesla’s infotainment system works.

The left-most third of the screen is permanently devoted to displaying pertinent information like your speed, the battery state of charge, Autopilot’s status, and the car’s situational awareness display. Tesla isn’t the first OEM to offset the main instrument display to the center of the dash, and looking to the screen to check my speed or whether Autopilot was engaged never felt anything other than natural. I was less satisfied with the blind spot alerts also showing up here, though—these display as solid red lane markings on the relevant side of the car in the situational awareness display, as opposed to being located in or near the side mirrors as would usually be the case.

The remaining two-thirds of the screen is home to the navigation map, which in Premium interior trim can be either a regular map view or a satellite view. The audio player app slides up from the bottom of the screen over the map when you call it up, as does the Web browser, and you dismiss either by swiping them down again. The audio app includes FM radio, Internet radio, and other audio streaming services, as well as Bluetooth streaming from your mobile device. But there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and you can’t stream content over USB.

A strip running the full length of the bottom of the display is permanently assigned to ‘buttons’ that bring you to the car’s settings menus, the audio player, seat heaters, and climate controls. These won’t change position, so a Model 3 driver should build up muscle memory, but unlike other automakers that have gone in this direction (like Audi) there is no form of haptic feedback. And while some simple tasks only require a single interaction (i.e. you only have to tap the icon for the rear defroster once to turn it on), changing the cabin temperature requires at least two, which means taking your eyes off the road for longer than you would in most other cars.

If the Model 3’s voice recognition were able to take up the slack it would be less of an issue, and perhaps in time Tesla’s software team will expand this functionality. But as things stand, the car only responds to a very limited set of voice commands, and it repeatedly failed to interpret my instructions. Similarly, if it were possible to interact with the UI via the scroll wheels on the steering wheel, I’d have much less cause for complaint. But the left scroll wheel will only raise or lower the volume, or select the previous or next track, with the right scroll wheel dedicated to Autopilot functionality.

No, it can’t drive itself

Plenty of ink has been spilled over Tesla’s suite of advanced driver assists, which it bundles under the unfortunate name of Autopilot. Every Model 3 that leaves the factory carries the necessary hardware—in this case a forward-looking radar, eight optical cameras, and 12 ultrasonic sensors. However, under the current ordering scheme, these only enable forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot monitoring as standard. For $3,000 (or $4,000 after delivery), Tesla will activate what it’s now just calling Autopilot, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.

To activate the former, you give the right-hand stalk a single flick, which then shows your desired speed ringed in blue, below your actual speed indicator. A second flick of the stalk engages Autosteer (lane keeping), at which point the UI will show you a blue dot with the outline of a steering wheel on it, and it will highlight the lane markings blue. Once engaged, you scroll up or down on the right scroll wheel to change your Autopilot speed, and thumb it left or right to increase or decrease the following distance to the car ahead. The adaptive cruise function is mostly excellent, particularly how it handles other cars cutting in front of you. The forward-looking radar’s field of view is evidently quite wide, which means the Model 3 will anticipate when someone is moving into your lane. That means the Model 3 in turn won’t slam on the brakes when that happens, unlike many other cars.

Autosteer, when engaged, behaves more like a human driver than the best lane keeping systems we’ve tested from other car makers. Specifically, the car makes a lot of microcorrections to its line between the lane markings. This doesn’t seem functionally better or worse than the more robotic nature of a system like Cadillac’s Super Cruise, but it was noteworthy. I did find that the Model 3’s software prefers to stick closer to the right-side lane marking than I’d prefer. This would be fine except for the occasions where your lane suddenly widens (for example when there’s an exit on a freeway). In these instances, I found the Model 3 would lunge toward the right, sometimes alarmingly so, requiring me to override the steering input. For this reason alone, I would urge any Model 3 driver to always heed the car’s instructions to keep your hands on the wheel at all times.

Steering input is also your only form of driver monitoring system here. Every so often in Autosteer, the display will start to pulse blue to prompt you to apply some light torque to the wheel. Ignore these prompts and the system gets more insistent with both visual and audio alerts; ignore those, too, and it will deactivate Autosteer until you bring the car to a complete stop and power cycle it. Annoyingly, though, if you add too much torque to the steering wheel you’ll also cancel Autosteer; this behavior differs from every other lane keeping assist I’ve ever tested.

Our test Model 3 also came with functions that used to be called Enhanced Autopilot, but now have been moved to what Tesla misleadingly calls “Full Self-Driving Capability.” For $5,000—or $7,000 after delivery—this will enable Navigate on Autopilot, Autopark, and Summon. The first of these isn’t always available—if I started a journey on the city streets of Washington, DC, for example. But if your route allows it, activating Navigate on Autopilot will determine which lane to be in on multi-lane highways and will prompt you to allow it to change lanes by using the indicator. In this mode it behaves cautiously and won’t change lanes if it detects another vehicle in your blind spot, but the ride can be a little jerky, too, as the car will brake relatively heavily if there’s a car ahead of you in the lane you’re moving into.

Summon and Autopark are far less useful. Right now, Summon (which is controlled by the Tesla smartphone app) just lets you remotely drive your parked Model 3 forward or backward out of its parking space. Autopark does what it sounds like but with no more or less ability than any other automatic parking feature on any other car we’ve tested. It works OK for perpendicular spaces and poorly for parallel parking spaces, often leaving 2 to 3 feet (up to 1m) between you and the curb. If I was optioning my own Model 3, as with the Black and White interior, I’d leave this option unchecked.

Tesla Model 3 interior — The interior of the Model 3 Performance is not really in keeping with a car that has a sticker price as optioned of almost $70,000. But take away the too-white pleather, the power seats, and the finicky console lids, and I think it’s more than adequate for a $35,000 EV this good. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin

It’s mostly great. Mostly.

Potential rivals?

Obviously the Model 3 Performance’s price and, well, performance makes it a theoretical rival for cars like the BMW M3 or Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. I’m not sure how many people will truly cross-shop those kinds of internal combustion-powered sports sedans with an electric car, though.

As for other electric cars, the Model 3 really occupies its own niche; if you want an EV sedan, your choice currently is a Model S or Model 3, with Porsche’s Taycan coming later this year. Every other new long-range EV—either on sale or coming—will be an SUV or crossover, and each appears to target a different buyer than the Model 3 does. This is good, because the goal here is more people driving EVs, not one company or another dominating the market and everyone else giving up.

Although my time with the Model 3 predated the announcement of the Standard Range model by a few days, I spent a lot of my time with the car thinking about that version. I’ve noted before that I often prefer spartanly equipped cars to fully loaded versions, and I think that applies in this case—I doubt cloth seats or trim would feel like slumming it compared to the too-white interior of our test car, and it’s not really a hardship to have to adjust your seat or steering wheel position manually. I wouldn’t even miss the two (finicky) center console lids, or the Internet browser, although the lack of in-car music streaming might be annoying. With a 0-60mph time of 5.6 seconds, a Standard Range Model 3 is still plenty faster than this Performance version when it’s set to Chill acceleration, and 220 miles (354km) of range is more than sufficient given that the Supercharger network exists for those occasions when you need to venture farther afield.

However, in the introduction I said the Model 3 contains a significant underlying design flaw, one that would be exacerbated by the launch of the stripped-out Standard Range car. I’m talking about the touchscreen UI. Because, while it is extremely slick, there is no getting around the fact that many functions—even making the cabin hotter or colder—will require you to take your eyes off the road more than in any other vehicle. That makes sense if you assume that the Model 3 can drive itself and will keep you out of trouble while you’re turning up the temperature or picking a different podcast, but as the smaller print on Tesla’s website notes, “the currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.” Sure, 98 percent of the time the car’s AI safety net will have your back, but what about the two percent of the time when it doesn’t? This flawed assumption is exacerbated by the launch of the cheapest model, since we can reasonably assume that many of the more price-conscious customers who pick this version will also forego the extra $3,000 for Autopilot.