Tesla Model 3 (2024) Review

Introduction

When you think about it, what Tesla has achieved is nothing short of remarkable.

In just a few years, it has gone from non-existence to being a credible rival for the biggest names in the automotive world.

Other brands that aspire to join them have had to launch off-shoot entities to even stand a chance, and even then, few have succeeded.

But one common criticism unfairly levelled at Tesla is that most people assume it's out of their price range.

That’s mainly because they focus on the Model S and Model X – not currently available to lease as a right-hand drive model in the UK - or have only paid attention to social media videos about the insanity of their performance-focused versions, which usually come with an expensive premium attached.

If you’re among those critics, then consider leasing the Model 3.

It is very competitively priced, which might make you reconsider, especially at the entry-level level.

The Model 3 is Tesla's all-electric competitor to the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloons.

That said, the all-electric competition has been gathering pace in recent years, with the electric duo of the BMW i4 and Polestar 2 among the rivals.

The Model 3 is Tesla's cheapest model to lease, sitting beneath the sportier (and still-on-hiatus) Model S.

So how good is it really? We have taken one for a test drive to find out.

At a Glance

Teslas looked a bit odd when they first came out with grill-less front ends. But we've got used to them now, no doubt helped by other grill-less all-electric cars that have arrived since.

As a result, the front end barely has anything to it, looking almost supercar sporty with its thinned-out, drooping bonnet.

The headlights look mean, and there's the tiniest lower grille beneath some pronounced, shapely creases. That is about it.

Around the sides, another prominent crease offers hints of additional athleticism and helps define the wheel arches, while the Model 3’s semi-circular silhouette becomes very apparent.

From the rear, it arguably looks like it should be a hatchback, given the boot doesn’t extend that far out. But it’s definitely a saloon, with a built-in spoiler looking like it’s been carefully plucked from a molten boot lid before it set hard.

The taillights are in a ‘C’ shape (obviously laterally inverted on the other side for symmetry).

It is an attractive, if unusual, shape for a small saloon, and the specs of the top-of-the-range model suggest sportiness.

Key Features

The Tesla Model 3 has 18-inch black alloy wheels – or optional 19-inch ‘Nova’ alloys – as fitted to our test car, a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, digital radio, and satellite navigation.

You also get a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, synthetic leather upholstery and keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, climate control, a panoramic roof, LED lights and a powered boot lid.

There aren’t trim levels, as such, but there is a choice of powertrains and a handful of significant optional extras.

The entry-level model comes with a single motor and rear-wheel drive, producing 283PS.

There are two dual-motor variants with all-wheel drive, with the Long Range version producing 498PS and 510PS, respectively.

Opting for the range-topping Performance version adds a bit of extra kit, including 20-inch alloys, sports seats, adaptive suspension, and a Track Mode.

Range & Batteries

The Model 3's single motor version has a 60kWh (57.3kWh usable) battery, good enough for a claimed 318 mile range.

The dual-motor versions get a larger 82kWh (77kWh usable) battery, with the Long Range version managing 390 miles and the Performance version accomplishing 328 miles.

In practice, don’t expect to achieve these figures, but if you’re able to manage anything above 75% of the claimed range, you’re about on par.

Performance & Drive

Given that the majority of Teslas we see on the roads appear white or grey, we're delighted that ours is in ‘ultra red’, which looks sporty and classy.

That said, sports fanatics may be disappointed, as we're also testing the slowest in the range - the rear-wheel drive single-motor variant.

Mind you, it's not sluggish – 0-60 mph takes just 5.8 seconds – much quicker than many of its entry-level foes.

Granted, you’ll get an even bigger smile in the dual-motor versions, where the Long-Range variant will manage it in 4.2 seconds, while the Performance edition will do it in 2.9 seconds.

In terms of handling, even though we have the lowest power in the range, we hope the existence of the Performance model means Tesla has considered cornering. Thankfully, it has.

Ride comfort isn’t bad, but its suspension is firmer than some rivals, so you’ll feel bumps in the road and the thud of evil potholes, but it’s by no means the least comfortable car in its class.

The even better news is that a firm suspension means the Model 3 controls body roll in the bends very well and has oodles of grip.

Cornering is quite entertaining, thanks to very precise steering. Although the feedback can be quite limited, the wheel firms up nicely in the bends, providing a composed level of agility.

We say ‘composed’ because the Model 3 does all this quite calmly, and it’s not especially playful or hellraising. Yes, it’s a show of performance, but in a fairly sophisticated way.

Those seeking ultra-thrilling experiences may want the customisability that the Performance model provides, given that its infotainment tablet allows you to tweak almost everything, including the amount of understeer or oversteer you want.

We have to make do without such luxuries, but who needs to determine how sideways you want the car to go when heading to the supermarket?

It won’t beat a BMW 3-Series M Sport for refinement or outright fun, but the Performance version will at least give it a go, while the two standard versions are more sensible.

Speaking of sensible, you'll be pleased to hear the Tesla Model 3 has good brakes and the smooth and consistent regenerative braking common to electric cars.

Charging

Tesla has its own network of charging points, and since Teslas can also top up from any public charging point used by other vehicles, you get the best of both worlds.

The rear-wheel drive version we’re testing can charge at a maximum rate of 170kW, while the dual-motor versions can charge at a faster 250kW.

That means both can achieve a 10 to 80% top-up of the batteries in under half an hour.

A 0 to 100% charge at home using a 7kW wall box will take around nine hours in our test car and about 12 hours in the Long Range and Performance versions.

Running Costs & Emissions

With no engine, there are no emissions and no miles-per-gallon figures to worry about.

Road tax is also free, although the UK Government will begin charging electric cars from next year.

Benefit In Kind tax is where electric vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 win big, attracting meagre rates to tempt company car drivers into going emissions-free.

Yes, any other electric car will get the same treatment, but the Model 3 makes far more sense as a company car than any other form of power, even a plug-in hybrid.

As you’ll be leasing this car, you won’t need to worry about a warranty, but it’s worth knowing that Tesla offers a four-year, 50,000-mile one. That shows how much faith Tesla has in its products. Meanwhile, just for your information, the battery is covered for eight years up to 100,000 miles in our test car and 120,000 miles on the dual-motor variants.

Tesla has been quick to address early criticisms about its reliability or build quality and now generally ranks above average. However, it is still behind the extremely reputable brands from the Far East, such as Hyundai and Kia.

Interior & Technology

Minimalistic interiors were arguably pioneered by Tesla when it launched its first models.

Many other manufacturers have followed suit, but in a Tesla, minimalism really means minimalism. There is a steering wheel, pedals, a huge infotainment screen, and that's about it.

You don’t even get interior door handles (they’re buttons instead), let alone indicator stalks.

It looks smart, if a tad bare, and doing just about anything involves the touchscreen.

At 15.4 inches, it's one of the biggest offered in any road car and dominates the experience, apart from the basics of driving the car itself.

As you’d no doubt hope, given how reliant you’ll be on it, Tesla’s system is nice to use. It is much like navigating your way through a posh smartphone menu, and it resembles Apple's iOS interface. It is lovely and nicely laid out, and the system is responsive with a crisply clear screen.

However, things can feel excessively gimmicky – the indicators, for example, must be operated by touching haptic feedback buttons on the steering wheel, which takes some getting used to.

You can also play games on it like a smartphone or tablet.

Yes, that is undoubtedly very gimmicky, but these features, much like the horn’s ability to play a tune, are offered more as tongue-in-cheek novelties to show off to your friends rather than things intended to be used day-to-day.

Voice control works well, which is just as good given the lack of buttons to operate anything. Still, Tesla – pioneers of modern automotive infotainment – staunchly refuses to offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone mirroring. Tesla's stance is that its system is so good, you won’t need either.

That argument may hold water for now when many of us still drive around in cars without such facilities. Still, we suspect that as more people get used to having Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the future, they will expect it to be in a Tesla, too.

The overall quality seems decent, and the cabin is nicely presented with lots of soft, plush materials and a divided section beneath the infotainment tablet where you can wirelessly charge two smartphones at once.

While the cabin looks impressive and will certainly wow people for its lack of buttons, a BMW or Audi interior will likely continue to impress more in terms of day-to-day versatility.

Boot Space & Practicality

Finding a comfortable driving position in the Tesla Model 3 is relatively straightforward, though unsurprisingly, it requires using the infotainment tablet to do. In fact, adjusting anything requires the tablet.

Once that’s been done and you’ve looked out of the window, you’ll notice that front visibility isn’t the best, with fairly thick windscreen pillars not helping your view. At least the driving position is relatively high up for a small-ish saloon.

Likewise, the thickness of the rear pillars, especially towards the bottom, hampers the rearward view. However, there's less of a difference between the front and rear pillar sizes compared with other cars.

All models include front and rear parking sensors as standard, and they also benefit from a surround-view camera.

The front seats are spacious and give you plenty of room to sprawl out, so even taller drivers won’t be found complaining about a lack of headroom or legroom.

Indeed, the minimalist interior and glass roof help in this regard, as the decluttered cabin gives the illusion of even more space.

There is also a charitable amount of space in the rear, given that the Tesla isn't huge, with lots of room for passengers, although under-thigh support is a bit limited.

Three adults in the back is a squeeze, as it would be in any car this size, but a flat floor means the passenger in the middle won’t have to straddle a hump between their feet.

The boot space measures an impressive 594 litres. It offers plenty of underfloor storage - although that figure is split between the boot and another storage area under the bonnet (informally known as a ‘front trunk’ or ‘frunk’ if you didn't know).

The actual rear boot capacity is 425 litres and expands by folding the rear seats down in a 60:40 split. This isn't as versatile as a 40:20:40 split in some rivals, but it is typical for this class.

Tesla doesn’t provide a measurement for boot capacity with the seats down, but it’ll more than meet your needs.

Admittedly, despite having a generously sized boot, it’s not as accessible as in hatchbacks due to its shallow opening. But then that’s naturally true of any direct rival and is a compromise that comes naturally with leasing a saloon.

Inside the cabin, there are plenty of storage spaces, with big door bins and various cubbies, including beneath the central armrest in the front.

Safety

Safety experts Euro NCAP tested the Tesla Model 3 in 2019 where it earned a five-star rating, although the testing criteria periodically get stricter as technology improves.

Nevertheless, it scored an impressive 96% for adult occupants, 86% for children and 94% for safety assists.

The Model 3 includes automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane assist, collision avoidance assist, and speed assist.

However, Enhanced Autopilot, which offers some autonomous functions like Navigate on Autopilot and automatic lane change, is an expensive added extra.

Tesla’s famed ‘Full Self-Driving Capability’ add-on costs exactly twice as much as the Enhanced Autopilot, although if you go for the latter, you also get the former included.

Options

There are five body colours to choose from, including pearl white, deep metallic blue, solid black, stealth (dark) grey and our personal favourite, ultra red, which is the colour of our test car.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, you can upgrade to 19-inch alloy wheels if you wish, although the Performance version mandates the use of 20-inch rims.

All models have black upholstery, but a dual-colour layout, which turns the seats and interior door panels white, costs extra.

Furthermore, as we’ve already said, the most desired Tesla feature is the self-driving system – but it’s an expensive option.

Charging accessories, including a wall box charger, are also available.

Rival Cars

There is plenty of competition for your money. The Polestar 2 would have been the obvious all-electric alternative, but nowadays, it's joined by the BMW i4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6, which looks like a cross between a Mercedes-Benz CLS and a Porsche 911.

Volkswagen recently launched the ID.7, which might be worth checking out. Also, BYD, a name you might not have heard of, has the Seal, which doesn't look too dissimilar to the Hyundai. Indeed, it appears Tesla-like from some angles, too.

Of course, if you're not sold on an all-electric car, there's a very long list of alternatives, including the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and the Jaguar XE, not to mention the BMW 3-Series and the opulent Genesis G70.

Verdict & Next Steps

The Tesla Model 3 is cheaper to lease than many of its rivals, and it offers good looks and a very smart, minimalistic interior.

What’s more, it’s quite practical for a reasonably small saloon, nice to drive, and convenient to charge, thanks to Tesla’s exclusive charging network.

Granted, the almost complete absence of buttons in the cabin means it’s a faff for some, to the point of being gimmicky, given it even replaces the indicator stalks with (ironically enough) a couple of buttons.

While it doesn't have the best handling in its class, it’s still agile, has a good range, and is superbly cheap to run.

The Long Range and Performance models are tempting, but unless you need the former for long journeys or the latter for thrill-seeking, we reckon the rear-wheel drive version offers the best value for money. It is more a case of ‘what’s not to like?’

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Tesla Model 3.

**Correct as of 20/09/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £4,849.92 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.