Tesla Model 3 Review
Is the new Tesla Model 3 the best electric car to buy? That’s what we’re going to find out. If you’re considering buying an electric vehicle, there is a strong chance that the Tesla Model 3 might be the best option for you.
I’m going to provide several reasons why, and I’m also going to provide a few reasons why it might not be.
Evolution of the Model 3: Upgrades and Improvements
It’s no secret that the Model 3 is one of the most popular electric vehicles on the market.
But despite that popularity, there’s no question that the original Model 3, which was launched way back in 2018, was a little bit rough around the edges.
It did have some build quality issues, especially back in the earlier years. And in many ways, it was pretty obvious that it was a first attempt at an EV from a manufacturer that was relatively new, which it basically was.
But this new updated Model 3 is a completely different story. In fact, it actually does require you to reset your mindset as to what you think a Tesla might be about.
Comfort, Handling, and Performance
It has been significantly updated in many important ways. There’s more sound deadening and more sound isolation, so it’s a lot quieter as you drive it down the road.
There’s all new suspension which maintains the great handling but also improves the ride quality, so it’s much more comfortable to drive than before.
The build quality has been dramatically improved, both inside and outside. The interior has much higher quality materials and a lot more features than before.
Basically, Tesla gave this car a complete once over and made lots of small changes that amount to a huge difference.
The result is that this feels like a much more polished car than it was before. It feels a lot more solid.
You really don’t notice any kind of Sweaks and rattles. It’s a lot quieter, it’s a lot more comfortable, and it still maintains the great handling and the great performance that the Model 3 was already really well known for.
If you’ve never driven a Model 3 or an electric car, period, it’s going to surprise you.
This is a fantastic driving car, and not just in terms of its comfort and handling, but also in terms of its performance.
It just has so much power, and all that power is available instantly right as soon as you put your foot down.
Issues Facing
It’s really quite addictive. Now, I am absolutely no Tesla evangelist.
I’m very much aware and have publicized all the issues that electric vehicles potentially have, including the range issues, the battery concerns, and also the unaffordable pricing and the pretty significant depreciation.
I mean, these are all realistic, genuine concerns that a lot of consumers have. But what’s important to understand is that Tesla is really well positioned to address a lot of these concerns far better than most other manufacturers.
In the world of EVs, you really have Tesla on one side, and then you have everyone else on the other side. They really stand in a world of their own.
And the reasons for that are many. For one thing, you have the Tesla Supercharger Network, which is by so far, the best charging infrastructure there is by a long shot.
Having access to those superchargers really does help alleviate that range anxiety quite a bit, especially if you do a lot of longer drives and road trips.
As for the battery degradation and lifespan, well, this is another area where Tesla really seems to be pretty far ahead.
Their knowledge and expertise when it comes to battery chemistry, their cooling system, which is incredibly advanced, and thermal management is far ahead of almost anyone else.
Pricing and Options
We’re really starting to see the results of that with a lot of Tesla owners that have racked up enormous mileage and have had amazing reliability out of the motors and batteries.
Yes, when it comes to pricing and depreciation, that has been a major concern.
But most of that is due to the fact that Tesla has been changing its pricing so much over the past couple of years, and they’ve done some massive price drops over the past two years as well,
which has affected the resale value But because that has more or less stabilized now, and anyone buying a new Tesla will be able to take advantage of the new, more attractive pricing that shouldn’t be as much of a concern moving forward.
Let’s talk about that pricing and which version of the Model 3 you should go for. Basically, there are two main versions to choose from.
You have the standard range rear wheel drive model, and then you have the long range all wheel drive model.
Best and Worst Cars for Maintenance
There’s also a performance version, but I’m not going to cover that one into too much detail.
In the US, the standard range rear wheel drive Model 3 has a range of 272 miles and a starting price of 38,990, and the dual motor long range all wheel drive version gets a range of 341 miles and a starting price of 47,740.
Choosing the Right Model 3: Rear-Wheel Drive vs. All-Wheel Drive
In Canada, the rear wheel drive model gets a range of 438 kilometers and a starting price of 53,990, and the dual motor all wheel drive has a range of 548 kilometers and a price tag starting at 63,990.
And of course, on top of that, you have a few options that you can choose from, including a few different color choices, different wheels, and an enhanced autopilot or full self-driving capability.
Now, how do you choose between them? Now, given that there is a $10,000 price difference, it is likely the biggest decision you’re going to have to make.
But there are a few reasons why the all-wheel drive version might make more sense for some.
That’s especially true for those who live where there’s really bad winter conditions or really cold weather on a regular basis where having that all-wheel drive traction is going to be an advantage.
The other advantage to it is the battery that you get. The long-range Model 3 uses a nickel manganese cobalt or NMC battery, which not only has much further driving range, but you get more range in really cold weather, and you also get faster charging.
But I think for the majority of buyers, saving yourself the 10 grand and just going with the rear wheel drive Model 3 is going to be more than adequate for a number of reasons.
First off, even if you drive in the wintertime, as long as you use a proper set of dedicated winter tires, you should be perfectly fine, even with rear wheel drive.
Secondly, even though it’s not as quick as the all wheel drive version, it is still plenty quick, and you’re going to have more than enough power regardless of which one you get.
The all wheel drive long range Model 3 is able to hit highway speed in only 4.2 seconds, whereas the rear wheel drive model can do it in just under 6 seconds.
And finally, there’s the battery. Even though the rear wheel drive model does have less range.
Battery
The benefit is that it does use a lithium-ion phosphate battery, which you’re able to consistently charge all the way up to 100% on a regular basis, as opposed to the NMC battery on the all-wheel drive version, which Tesla only recommends charging to 80% on a regular basis, which means that for day-to-day driving, they are more or less equivalent when it comes to range.
There are many other benefits to the lithium ion phosphate or LFP battery that you get on the rear wheel drive model.
For one thing, it’s a more durable battery pack and more resistant to degradation and is predicted to have a longer overall lifespan.
It’s also more resistant to heat degradation and thermal runaway, which is a huge benefit.
Another nice benefit is that it doesn’t use conflict minerals like cobalt in its chemistry. Yes, the max charging speed on a Tesla Supercharger is not quite as quick, but for day to Every day driving, that really doesn’t matter, especially if you’re going to do most of your charging at home.
The fact that you can charge it to 100% all the time as opposed to only 80%, well, that’s a pretty big deal. For me, the choice is easy.
The standard range Rear Wheel Drive Model 3 is the better choice to buy. What’s really nice is that you get the exact same interior and most of the same features, regardless of which one you go for.
Inside
It’s actually pretty impressive how much Tesla has has improved the interior on this car. The build quality is significantly better than it was before.
There’s no tweaks or rattles, and everything feels incredibly solid with really nice materials used almost everywhere.
Tesla has even added some really nice features, including adding ventilated and heated front seats with perforated material.
You have this really nice new ambient lighting that wraps around the interior and makes it look quite nice when driving at night.
You also have this really nice center console which has tons of storage space, two cup holders, and two wireless charging pads.
Interior Features and Quality
Another nice feature that Tesla added that standard is a rear touch screen for the rear seat passengers, which allows them to adjust their climate settings,
the heated seats, and even watch Netflix and play games, which I have to admit is a little bit awkward given how small and low the screen is, but it is still nice to have that ability.
Of course, the focal point of the interior is the large center touch screen, which is more or less the same as before, but Tesla has given it some updates to make it a little bit quicker and more responsive.
Now, it does take some time to get used to because every single function and feature is basically so you do have to look at it and interact with it a lot.
The bottom of the screen pulls up your important features like adjusting your climate control settings, your heated and ventilated seats, and the heated steering wheel, and also pulling up your media like Spotify for adjusting your music.
And you can even do some neat things like watch YouTube videos, watch Netflix, and even play video games.
Most of the screen is normally taken up by your navigation system, which actually looks and functions extremely well.
And on the left side of the screen, you have your essential vehicle information, including your vehicle speed and your autopilot information.
Tesla’s Autopilot and Other Advanced Features
Now it has to be said, the autopilot on the model three works extremely well.
It really is one of the best semi-autonomous driving features that you can get from almost any car brand.
But because the regular standard autopilot is already so good, I really don’t think it’s worth spending the extra money to get the enhanced autopilot or the full self-driving capability, which our extremely expensive and you’re really not getting that much value for the extra money that you’re spending.
Concerns and Drawbacks
I do have a few other concerns with this interior.
Some are carried over from the original model three and some are new, for example, although the touchscreen is very good, it still doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which is a bit of a downside.
And even though it does have excellent resolution and really nice cameras for both your side view and your backup camera, there’s no surround view 360 camera, which is a bit unusual and would be really nice to see.
Another important feature that’s missing is a basic sunshade for the enormous glass roof. Now having that glass roof is very nice.
It makes the interior feel very airy, but on a really hot and sunny day, you’re really gonna wish you had a sunshade.
And then we have the issue with the steering wheel.
Now it is a very nice wheel and it does have some nice functions on it, but because Tesla has eliminated these stocks, the turn signal stock and the shifter from the original model three, you now have to get used to using these push buttons for your
Turn signals and you now have to use the screen in order to shift the car from park to neutral to reverse and drive, which takes quite a bit of getting used to.
Now, I don’t think either one of these are major deal breakers. I do believe that you do eventually get used to it and it won’t be too bad, but still it’s just reinventing the wheel for the sake of reinventing the wheel.
There was no need to eliminate the regular shifter or the turn signals. If anything, Tesla probably did it as a cost cutting measure more than anything else.
Another downside, although not a major one, is the interior space.
Now this is a fairly spacious car, but it’s not going to be the most practical car for a large family.
The back seats are a little bit on the tight side. You don’t have a lot of room underneath the seats to put your feet.
Affordability and Incentives
Now of course, for those who don’t prioritize having the most space and are fine with just a regular sedan, this should do the trick just fine.
But for those who need to have a lot more space for their families and all their stuff, you will need to look at a larger vehicle, perhaps the model Y instead.
Now the good news is that none of these issues are really a major deal breaker For the most part.
It’s also worth mentioning on the topic of safety is that Tesla does make very safe vehicles in terms of their crashworthiness and crash testing scores.
And the model three re did receive fantastic ratings. So it is considered a very safe vehicle.
And of course there are other benefits to Tesla ownership that are worth mentioning, including the extremely easy and effortless buying experience where you just purchase the vehicle online for a clear transparent price without having to deal with a dealership that’s trying to price gug you.
And although when it comes to Tesla servicing, they can be a little bit spotty depending on where you’re located.
The good news is that a lot of the simple updates can be done very easily over the air end, really don’t require much effort at all.
And yes, in the past Teslas have been quite spotty when it comes to their build quality and reliability, but the model three does seem to be better than the rest of the lineup and does seem to be the most reliable car that Tesla makes.
Tesla seems to do a better job of their least expensive models more than anything else, and I really think that’s where the value is in the Tesla lineup.
And although this version is no longer eligible for the EV tax credit in the US at this time, Tesla is offering some pretty aggressive lease deals where you can lease one of these for as little as around 400 a month.
But in Canada, all versions of the model three are eligible for the federal EV rebate as well as provincial rebates, which can bring the pricing down to the 40 to $50,000 range, which really isn’t too bad given how expensive gasoline is today.
I really see the appeal of buying a car like this. With a regular gas car, you could easily be spending anywhere from two to $4,000 a year on gas depending on the type of vehicle you drive and how much driving you do.
Whereas with a car like this, if you do most, if not all your charging at home and charge during off peak hours, you could save yourself a ton of money in fueling costs.
Of course, the price of electricity will vary depending on your location, but it is pretty reasonable to expect to spend anywhere from four to $800 per year on charging when done at home, which is not too bad.
And many Tesla owners claim that their maintenance costs are significantly lower because you don’t have to spend money on things like oil changes or even changing your brakes.
Safety and Ownership Benefits of the Model 3
In fact, according to Car Edge data, the Tesla Model three has among the lowest five year and 10 year ownership cost of almost any vehicle that you can buy, which is pretty impressive.
Now, does that mean that this car or an EV in general is going to be for everyone? Absolutely not.
Is the Tesla Model 3 Right for You?
This is still the type of car that’s really designed for someone who has the ability to charge from home.
If you can install a charger in your driveway or in your garage, and if you’re not going to do a lot of long distance driving, this is the type of vehicle that could work for you.
That’s especially true if you live somewhere where you’re able to take advantage of electric car incentives to bring down the price.
And if you’re able to buy one of these that’s already in Tesla’s inventory as opposed to doing a custom order, you could potentially save yourself even more money, a few thousand dollars off the price, in which case this really isn’t too bad of a deal.
But if those things don’t apply to you, you don’t have the ability to charge from home, you do a lot of long distance driving or don’t have a good charging infrastructure where you live or don’t have access to all the rebates, then this might not be the right car.
And you might be much better off buying something else such as a hybrid or a plugin hybrid instead.
But for those who are ready to take the plunge on a fully electric vehicle, well the new updated model three is a really good and a safe place to get started.