Tesla Model 3 Review and Prices

Remember in the early-mid 2000s, when phones were getting ever smaller and discreet — until the chunky iPhone came along in 2007 to completely turn the industry on its head?

Well, that’s sort of what the Tesla Model 3 is here to do with the car. Not only does Elon Musk’s brainchild want to show the world that long-range electric cars are today and not the future, but also completely reinvent the idea of how we see the car altogether.

As it doesn’t have to cool a conventional engine like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4, the Tesla Model 3 electric car does away with anything so vulgar as a grille on its bumper. Instead, there’s little more than a slim intake, a pair of fog lights and a number plate at the front. Things are a little more in line with ‘normal’ cars elsewhere, though, with a rather undramatic side profile and a simplistic rear end.

Opt for the range-topping Performance model and your Model 3 gets lowered suspension, a subtle carbon fibre boot spoiler and jazzily-named Uberturbine 20-inch alloy wheels to make the car look lower, meaner and much more sporty.

It’s inside the car where the Tesla Model 3 is a real revolution, though. You can forget the supposed minimalist cabins the Audi A4 or Jaguar XE, the Tesla Model 3’s interior is almost completely devoid of buttons, knobs or dials of any kind.

Instead, you control pretty much everything through a whopping 15-inch touchscreen. It’s a good thing, then, that the screen is easy to read, laid out rather sensibly and responds to your inputs just as quickly as a range-topping iPad does. The satellite navigation, based on Google Maps, it’s incredibly easy to use and follow.

The Tesla Model 3 isn’t just one of the most high-tech electric cars on sale, it’s also one of the best saloons you can buy – if only it wasn’t so expensive…

The rest of the Tesla Model 3’s cabin looks a bit plain by comparison, but at least it feels pretty solid now – which hasn’t always been the case with Tesla cars. It’s not quite as roomy as the likes of the new BMW 3 Series – particularly in the back – but the Tesla Model 3 comes with a vast panoramic glass roof that stretches all the way from the driver’s headrests to the bootlid. It’s a welcome addition, as it does a fantastic job of flooding the cabin with light.

It doesn’t do anything to boost the Tesla Model 3’s boot space, though. There’s room for about six suitcases and some soft bags, but plenty of petrol- and diesel-powered alternatives are roomier still. It does beat its key alternative in the all-electric Polestar 2 by 100 litres though, and also has a little bit of extra storage in the front where internal combustion cars would have an engine.

If you’ll be using your Tesla Model 3 for nipping to the shops you won’t be too worried about range, but it’s nice to know that the Long Range model can manage around 374 miles between charges if you’re being extra careful. Charging from empty takes around 12 hours using a dedicated wall-charger at home or you can boost the Model 3’s batteries from 10% to 80% full in as little as 35 minutes using Tesla’s 120kw public charging points.

Performance models lose out on a few miles of range, being able to cover 340 miles between chargers, but they’re much faster. Accelerating from 0-60mph takes as little as 3.1 seconds compared with the 4.2 seconds of the Long Range version — and the Standard Plus’ 5.3 seconds. This means it’s quicker than pretty much any other premium saloon on sale – and many much pricier sports cars for that matter.

It’s even easier to drive on motorways, where the optional Autopilot system lets the car pretty much drive itself – providing you keep your hands on the steering wheel. It’ll accelerate, brake and steer for you to maintain a safe distance to other cars and will even change lane when you indicate. As good as it sounds, though, it will set you back an additional £6,800.

In fact, the sheer number of passenger-impressing gizmos you get in the Model 3 makes the more expensive Model S seems a bit pointless to go for. It might be the baby of the Tesla range, but the Model 3’s stylish looks, futuristic-yet-practical cabin and sports-car-baiting performance make it one of the best electric cars on sale and a genuine alternative to the posh saloon mainstream.

Watch Mat race a Tesla Model 3 across the UK with the RS e-tron GT

If this sounds like the electric car for you, build your own Tesla Model 3.

Common Tesla Model 3 questions

How much does the Tesla Model 3 cost per month?
In carwow’s car lease deals section can find a range of Tesla Model 3 lease deals. Click the link to find out more.

How long will a Tesla Model 3 last?

Check out our video where we drove a Tesla Model 3, and a range of other electric cars, until their batteries died.