The Tesla Model 3 is an electric vehicle (EV) that has become a lot more mainstream in recent times. It has redefined what you expect from a car. Once you drive it, other cars can feel surprisingly drab, uninspiring and dated, similarly to when the Apple iPhone first came out. The Model 3 has a design that is aesthetically pleasing but in a minimalist way (less is more). It has oodles of features, tech, performance and safety to satisfy most hardcore motorheads. Read on for my review of the Base Model 3 (as of April 2023). Thank you to family, friends, motor enthusiasts and other members of the Tesla owner community for sharing their knowledge and tips. This article is dedicated to you!
PROS – LOTS TO LIKE!
1. Free Fuel – If you have solar panels and sunny days, you practically have a free fuel pump when you are at home. You can charge your car during your peak solar output by using your excess solar energy. If you don’t have solar panels, you can take advantage of the charging network whilst out on the road. Many shopping centres offer free charging while you shop and the government is also offering grants and incentives to setup commercial charging facilities The NRMA is rolling out a charging network across NSW as well as emergency mobile charging as part of their roadside assistance program.
2. Performance & Dynamics – The Model 3 has effortless acceleration and sporty performance – it feels like driving “a golf buggy on steroids” with tight RWD dynamics and a low centre of gravity thanks to having the heavy battery pack close to the floor. A lot of thought has gone into maximising aerodynamics and minimising drag e.g. the flush door handles. The driver dynamics are noticeable especially when cornering. The Model 3 Performance version and Model S take it up even another notch with supercar like stats. You will leave most other cars for dead and be pushed back on your seat when you floor the pedal. Just don’t expect it to growl, whine or spit like an ICE!
3. Regenerative braking – The Tesla decelerates rapidly as soon as you lift your foot off the accelerator as it uses the electric motor to create resistance. This means you can drive with just one pedal as you hardly need to brake! This feature preserves the lifespan of the brakes. With a bit of practice you can use this feature as a makeshift downshift as you approach a corner.
4. Keyless Entry – There is no longer any need for carrying bulky car keys as your phone is also your car key! You also get two key cards as backup. If you also store your NSW digital drivers license on your phone along with your Tesla digital key, it means you can leave your wallet at home. Just don’t run out of charge on your phone!
5. Software Updates – Tesla is constantly getting updates, a bit like an iPhone. This also means your car is constantly getting better with fixes and upgrades, rather than becoming obsolete as soon as you drive it out of the showroom. It is a great feeling to own a vehicle that is continuously improving!
6. Cabin Aesthetics – The screen is beautiful and highly functional. It is the biggest screen I have seen in a car and makes the car look very modern, even a little bit space age. The aesthetics are understated and minimalist as mentioned, with soft touch controls, chrome accents, matt finish and wooden panels for a splash of warmth. The vegan leather is high grade and surprisingly supple but also supportive for long journeys.
7. Convenience & Automation – Wireless phone charging (for both driver & passenger), folding mirrors, auto high beams, rain sensing wipers, auto locking and electric tailgate add a lot of convenience. The electric tailgate makes loading and unloading the boot easy. Keyless auto locking and folding mirrors means you can simply walk away once you have parked the car
8. Spacious Cabin & Storage – The Tesla has heaps of cabin storage and foot space including a frunk which is a trunk in the front boot. With the gear shifter mounted on the steering wheel and no combustion engine or exhaust manifold, every inch of the cabin is optimised unlike some EVs which are conversions of an existing ICE Chassis.
9. Heated Seats & Steering – Recent releases of the car come with heated seats and heated steering wheel as standard (previous versions had this as an add-on). This includes heated back seats for kids which is great for cold mornings and winter nights. Obviously this is not such a big deal in Australia but it is a luxurious touch if you enjoy your creature comforts on those frosty days.
10. Personalised – You can have seating profiles for each driver and experiment with individual settings including steering and acceleration based on your preferred driving style. It will automatically remember and adjust to the correct profile based on who unlocks the car
11. Cameras and safety – This car has great awareness with multiple high definition cameras. Sentry mode records everything and it also has a dash cam. Just watch the battery consumption with Sentry mode as it can chew it up! The cruise control uses cameras not radar but is very precise.
12. Easy entry – if you are tall or struggle to get into cars, easy entry makes getting into the car a breeze by adjusting the steering and seating position to allow you to get in and out with ease. Caution – this feature can cause additional wear and tear and also can be problematic for the person sitting behind the driver.
CONS – MOSTLY NIGGLES
1. Hot glass roof – They say that the Australian summer is hot enough to fry an egg! The Tesla roof is made of glass which provides a gorgeous panoramic view but can get a bit hot during summer due to the glass. If this proves to be an issue, it can be solved by getting an aftermarket sunshade or additional tinting. It would be an awesome feature if the roof could also double as a solar panel in future to charge the battery on the fly.
2. No Apple or Android CarPlay – Tesla uses its own version of Apps including Spotify, YouTube and Google maps. You can share a destination to the Tesla from your Google maps and more Apps are constantly being added but the interoperability is not quite the same as Apple or Android CarPlay which can be an annoyance if you are used to device mirroring, rather than replicating your device. This is possibly the most missed or wanted feature. I hope this changes in the future.
3. Instrument cluster – The Instrument cluster which is part of the display is located in the middle of the dash. This takes a while to get adjusted to looking slightly left to check your driving speed for example. A Heads up display would have been good
4. Phantom braking – When on Cruise or Autopilot mode, the car can take evasive action at times which is also known as “phantom braking”. Examples of phantom braking and evasive action I have experienced include; responding to traffic lights on an overpass, speed limits on adjoining exit lanes, corrective steering if you veer within your lane, braking if a motorbike swerves in the next lane, if a car has stopped in the next lane or a brave pedestrian is making an opportunist road crossing! This is a car with an advanced brain including a heightened safety sense but it can be a bit disconcerting at first when it takes control! If you do not use cruise often, this will be less of an issue
6. Digital controls – Everything is controlled from the display screen so the screen cannot fail as there is no manual backup! The screen can easily be reset (by holding down both scroll buttons on the steering wheel until the touchscreen turns black) to fix issues. Also having all the controls on the display does allow the dash to be very modern and aesthetically clean. However, the lack of physical buttons or a heads up display can make it hard to view or adjust settings whilst your eyes are on the road.
7. Boot Space – As Model 3 is a Sedan, the rear boot could be a bit more roomy height-wise to accommodate large suitcases. If the car was a Liftback, this wouldn’t be an issue but those overly concerned can always opt for the Model Y SUV version.
8. Insurance – Comprehensive Insurance can be a bit higher than conventional motor vehicles due to Tesla’s performance so it pays to get a quote
9. No facial recognition or fingerprint Id – Having Biometrics or Facial Recognition in place of entering the PIN number would be a nice future upgrade to save time when starting the car
10. Grab Handle – No grab handles for less mobile or elderly passengers to hold onto when embarking or disembarking from the car
11. Kerb Rash– Due to the size of the Tesla rims, they stick out further than the low profile tyres. This means that drivers can expect some “kerb rash” to happen as it is difficult to avoid especially with some of Australia’s narrow car parks and driveways.
12. Resale Value – Tesla’s direct distribution model means that prices of new cars can be discounted en masse at any time in response to the market, competitors, supply, demand, new model releases, etc. This adds a bit of volatility when it comes to resale. It means the resale value may not be as high or linear. This is more of an issue if you are planning to sell. The second hand market was also stronger when new car shipping times were lengthy but this is no longer the case.
13. Stereo System – The stereo system on the base model 3 is a bit meh. Unlike the wheels and paint, this is not an upgrade option. You need to opt for a different model such as the performance or long range to get an upgraded stereo.
MODEL 3 VITAL STATS
1. Length – 4694mm
2. Weight – 1760kg
3. Power – 190kW
4. Torque – 390Nm
5. Range – ~440km when fully charged
6. Acceleration – 6.1 seconds (0-100)
7. Towing Capacity – 1000kg
8. Warranty – 4 years / 80,000kms *
* 8 years / 160,000kms on battery & drive unit
ORDERING OPTIONS
1. Variants – At the time of this article, there were 3 Variants. The Model 3, Model 3 Long Range or Model 3 Performance. Key differences are acceleration, range, top speed, wheels and drivetrain.
2. Wheels – With the base Model 3, you get a choice of 18 inch Aero Wheels or 19 inch Sport Wheels. The 18 inch has more rubber and less rim hence the ride is more comfy, has less drag, so provides more efficiency and better economy. The 19 inch has a firmer ride so you do feel the bumps a bit more, there is more wear and tear and it is less economical but is a better looking wheel (in my subjective view!) with better handling, better stopping distance, better acceleration and better performance. If you buy the 18 inch, you can also experiment with looks of the wheel by removing the hub cap to expose the alloys.
3. Paint – You get a choice of 5 colours. Pearl White, Solid Black, Midnight Silver, Deep Blue and Red. There is a premium for metallic paint. Colours are very limited but after market wraps are available if you get bored!
TESLA OWNER TIPS
1. ChargeHQ – If you have Solar, ChargeHQ is an App that automatically tops up your car with excess solar produced by talking to your inverter, charger and car using APIs
2. PIN Code – You can set a car PIN code for additional safety / theft prevention. Hoping that Tesla introduce fingerprint or facial ID in future to make this step quicker
3. Fast Charger – You can buy a fast charger for home especially if you have solar, this is a useful accessory. If you have single phase, this will charge at up to 32A whereas three phase will charge at up to 16A
4. Comfort mode with Standard Acceleration – Experiment with different steering modes to find your sweet spot. Comfort mode with standard acceleration was mine.
PERKS FOR AUSSIES *
1. Transit Lanes – With an EV you can drive in transit lanes in NSW at any time provided you have the EV triangle on your number plate (check this when your car is delivered). At the time of this article, electric vehicles will be given access to transit T2 and T3 lanes until 31 October 2023, unless revoked earlier.
2. Stamp duty – You currently pay No stamp duty in NSW on electric vehicles. This exemption is automatically applied for all new cars.
3. EV rebate – You can get $3k back if your car meets eligibility criteria for NSW. There are still plenty of rebates left for grabs before the limit is reached
4. Free Chargers – Free chargers are available at most shopping centres these days. However there is also growing demand so you may have to pick your time and day. This provides you with a free parking spot as well as the opportunity to top up your vehicle while you are at the gym or shops
5. FBT Exemptions– You may be eligible for an FBT exemption. Check with your Accountant for more details
TESLA ALTERNATIVES
Some alternative EVs to compare with are
1. BYD – Build your Dreams
2. Hyundai Ioniq and Kona
3. Polestar
4. Kia EV6
SUMMARY
The Tesla Model 3 gets you a lot of car, features, tech and performance for its price point. It is a car that makes you want to keep on driving. It is very easy to drive, it will significantly reduce your fuel bills and running costs and won’t produce any noxious emissions. It has a solid build quality with class leading safety and it is quiet, compact and practical for every day use. It has no exhaust note to turn heads and while it may lack some of the glamour, badge, prestige, history or gravitas of its German & Italian counterparts, it makes up for this by being fresh, contemporary, progressive, fun and likeable. Tesla brings a new age appeal and tech driven buzz that has generated a cult following and topical conversation point. With stunning performance at an attractive price point, it is game changing enough to challenge the status quo. The future is here.
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