TeslaModel 3

　　

2023 Tesla Model 3 Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　The Tesla Model 3 is Tesla's least expensive and most popular car. It's been a huge success for the automaker since the first one rolled off the lines in 2017 and can easily be considered the brand's bread and butter. With more than 300 miles of potential range on tap, the Model 3 is perfect for anyone who needs to scoot around a big city and can be stretched to work on longer road trips thanks to Tesla's built-out nationwide network of fast-charging stations.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Tesla Model 3 EV Insights

Trim:Model 3 Base

　　4dr Sedan (electric DD) - $40,240 MSRPLong Range 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $47,240 MSRPPerformance 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) - $53,240 MSRP

　　

Range

 zzdcar TESTED

　　261 miles

　　zzdcar Tested Rangezzdcar begins with a full battery charge and drives the vehicle on a mix of city and highway roads (approximately 60% city, 40% highway) until the battery is almost entirely empty. (We target 10 miles of remaining range for safety.) The miles traveled and the indicated remaining range are added together for the zzdcar Tested Range figure.

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 222 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　10.4 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　Tesla SuperchargerProprietary Tesla charging standard. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$54/mo

　　Model 3

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Car Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　It's easy to recommend the Model 3 to people looking for their first EV. It offers a spacious interior, a comfortable ride, and an appealing blend of sharp handling and rapid acceleration. But the same can be said of the rival BMW i4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Polestar 2. These recently introduced EVs mean the Model 3 isn't the only game in town anymore. Check out the Expert Rating below to learn more from our test team's full evaluation of the 2023 Model 3.

　　

What's it like to live with?

zzdcar bought a 2017 Tesla Model 3 Long Range not long after it originally went on sale, keeping it for nearly two years and about 24,000 miles. Our car was an early model, so we had a few hiccups during our test, but many of them have since been addressed. Tesla has made a variety of improvements since then. But you can still glean many ownership insights by checking out our Recurrent.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　8.0

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the Model 3 drive? The Model 3 feels sporty and engaging thanks to strong off-the-line performance, intuitive and responsive steering, and nimble handling. The straight-line thrust we admired in the early Long Range models can still be found in the base model trim. In zzdcar' testing, the base Model 3 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. That's impressive for an EV with a single electric motor. The higher-end Long Range and Performance models that have dual electric motors are in another league of "quick."

　　The base Model 3's 18-inch all-season tires aren't the grippiest, but they offer sufficient stick to live up to most of the spirited driving you'll be doing on the street. True high-performance driving, however, is limited by the heavy-handed stability control. Still, this Tesla delivers a laudable driving experience for an EV.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Model 3? We found the Model 3 to be a relatively pleasant place to sit, and that feeling held up for hours at a time. Our one gripe involves the non-perforated leather seats — they don't breathe all that well if you're in a warmer climate. Otherwise, the seats are cushy and provide nice support.

　　You have to adjust the climate controls through the touchscreen. You even direct air flow from the vents by way of the screen. It's a neat idea in theory, but we've found it's distracting to do while driving. The cabin is quiet and keeps wind, electric propulsion and most road noise at bay. Ride comfort is agreeable most of the time, but it can sometimes feel overly busy if the road surface is broken or uneven.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below