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Tesla Model 3 Review
Learn about the features, benefits and drawbacks of the Tesla Model 3.
Tesla Model 3 review
Specs and pricing
There are three Tesla 3 variants in Canada: Rear-Wheel Drive, Long Range AWD and Performance.
Rear-Wheel Drive
Long Range AWD
Performance
Acceleration 0-100 km/h
3.3s
4.4s
6.1s
Range
507 km
576 km
438 km
Top Speed
261
233
225
Wheels
20″ Überturbine Wheels
18″ Aero Wheels
19″ Sport Wheels
18″ Aero Wheels
19″ Sport Wheels
The $59,990 Rear-Wheel Drive is the lowest-priced Tesla Model 3 in Canada. The $66,990 Long Range Model 3 has two motors, making it an AWD, though you can drive in FWD and RWD as desired. For the Performance model, you’ll have to pay $76,990. It doesn’t have the legs of the Long Range, but it does have various performance extras.
Overview
The Model 3 is a more affordable Tesla that delivers practicality, range and performance all in one neat bundle. Despite being a relative (the company was founded in 2003) newbie in the car market, Tesla is a leading innovator when it comes to making mainstream electric cars. There’s a Model 3 suited to almost everyone, with longer range capable variants for those who travel long distances or a performance model for drivers who want a genuinely potent car, that happens to be battery powered.
Pros
Cons
Blistering acceleration
High-level interior
Stellar build quality
250kW DC charging capabilities
Powerful drivetrain
Range
Servicing costs
Practical cabin and storage
Range
Safety
Handling composure
Touch-screen implementation
No evident quality qualms
Stability of Tesla’s bank sheet
Firm ride with 20-inch alloys
Rear-seat design
Subdued interior
Build quality
Mass
Rear tow and knee room
Concerns over quality control
Can’t match claimed economy in real-world driving
No spare
Car reviewers’ impressions of the Tesla Model 3 engine and transmission line-up
Though it isn’t the fastest Tesla on sale (the Model S boasts that accolade, with a bonkers 0–100 of 2.6 seconds), the Model 3 isn’t exactly slow either, even in standard form. In fact, reviewers said the acceleration was immediate and kicked you back into your seat. Fortunately, Tesla provides a “Chill” mode, for those who don’t need or want blistering pace from the off. Motoring experts found the Tesla worked on all roads, from crawling, traffic-peppered urban streets to fast country roads and highways.
Interior and equipment
The Model 3 specification is more or less on par with its rivals. However, you do get a few neat things that an electric car’s unique layout allows for. First, there’s the “frunk” or front trunk. You access the void under the front bonnet. Second, with no conventional transmission or prop shafts to house, there’s no hump in the rear.
The air vents work uniquely, all controlled via the central touchscreen. Here you can choose the direction of air travel. One super neat addition, especially considering how all controls are on the tablet-like display, is a screen cleaning mode that allows you to wipe the monitor without accidentally pressing all the buttons. One of the most commonly cited concerns was the omission of a spare wheel or flat tyre repair kit. Instead, there’s an underfloor well that serves as a storage place for the charging cables.
Essentially, it’s a minimal design, maybe the most pared-down passenger cabin on the market.
Underlining Tesla’s radical departure from established car manufacturing norms, the Model 3 has a series of easter eggs. These include things like a video game arcade (a controller may be required), sketchpad (lets you doodle when you’re parked and bored), Romance Mode blows hot air out of the vents while displaying a video of a roaring fireplace and Emissions Testing Mode turns each seat into a whoopee cushion. Yes, you read that correctly.
For the Long Range and Performance variants the Premium Interior is included. The Rear-Wheel Drive has the partial premium interior included.
Partial Premium Interior
Premium Interior
Power adjustable front seats
Power adjustable front seats
Heated front and rear seats
Heated steering wheel
Premium seat material and trim
Upgraded audio – immersive sound
Premium Connectivity (30 days included)
Tinted glass roof with ultraviolet and infrared protection
Power folding, heated side mirrors
Music and media over Bluetooth®
Custom driver profiles
Center console with storage, 4 USB ports and wireless charging for 2 smartphones
Tinted glass roof with ultraviolet and infrared protection
Power folding, heated side mirrors
Music and media over Bluetooth®
Custom driver profiles
Center console with storage, 4 USB ports and wireless charging for 2 smartphones
Tesla Autopilot, full self-driving option
All of the Tesla Model 3s come with Autopilot. The system is reportedly made up of rear, side and forward-facing cameras for 360-degree coverage. Forward-facing radar has a reach of 160 metres. There are also 12 ultrasonic sensors dotted around the car. In standard form, Autopilot allows the car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its own lane.
Tesla offers a full self-driving pack for the Model 3. This enables:
Autopilot navigation – From the entry slip lane to the exit slip lane, as well as interchanges and overtaking
Auto Lane Change – Automatic lane changing while motorway driving
Auto Parking – Parallel and perpendicular parking
Car summoning – Call your car in a car park and it comes to you
Verdict
It’s fair to say Tesla is the best-known EV carmaker and even those who aren’t really interested in cars have heard of it. It’s refreshing to see a relatively new company trying to shake things up and include some genuinely pioneering ideas in the automotive industry. The Model 3 received heaps of praise from motoring experts, who could find very little wrong with the press cars they drove.
Verified owners seem to confirm the findings that it is one of the most practical electric cars on the market. Everything about the car appears to be either in line with high-end European car rivals or perhaps even better. It may not be the cheapest EV, but it is one of the most polished offerings on the market. If you’re looking to buy a medium-size electric sedan, then you owe it to yourself to at least request a test drive of the Model 3.
Ben Gribbin is an experienced automotive writer and life-long car enthusiast with a passion for restoring classic vehicles. He brings many years of experience working with and writing about cars to Finder.
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