Item: Tesla Model 3 2017-2023
Rating: 4

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The Tesla Model 3 overcame the stereotypes to prove that EVs could go toe to toe with the very best combustion cars – and range anxiety be damned.

Six years on from its UK launch, this sleek electric saloon still has bags of appeal, thanks to its practical interior, class-leading technology and impressive long-distance credentials.

The Model 3 was the product that Tesla had always wanted to make: a high-volume, low-cost EV that would enable families to wave goodbye to their oil-burning wagon and embrace ‘clean’ propulsion.

And that prospect has proven hugely appealing: it has found more than a million homes worldwide to date and continues to sell strongly.

Now that prices have tumbled to just £12,000 for earlier examples, it’s a great time to snap up this world-changing EV.

A sub-£15k budget will restrict you to the Standard Range Plus model: it has a 252bhp motor for the rear wheels and a 50kWh battery that was officially good for 254 miles on a charge from new (but expect more like 200 miles in reality).

Our pick was the 346bhp dual-motor Long Range, which got a larger, 75kWh battery for a 348-mile range. Around 300 miles is more realistic in practice, but that’s still good going even today.

Then there’s the hopped-up Performance, which sacrificed a bit of range in favour of supercar-aping acceleration: with a 444bhp dual-motor powertrain, it can hit 60mph in a BMW M3-like 3.2sec.

It got bigger brakes, 20in wheels and a dedicated track driving mode too, but while it certainly has whip-crack acceleration, its chassis lacks the finesse to deliver a truly engaging experience.

Modifications therefore aren’t a bad idea if you’re a really keen driver. Specialists such as UK-based Tevo offer pretty transformative brake, wheel and suspension upgrades – although its trick dampers will set you back around £8000.

The Model 3 is quite a stiff-legged and firm-riding car, especially in Performance form. Rolling refinement isn’t great and the numb steering provides little feedback, but for mooching around town and punting along rural back roads, it’s generally well mannered. The one-pedal driving mode is a nice touch, too.

Tesla fettled the chemistry of its batteries in 2020 to boost official range up to 305, 374 and 340 miles for the three variants.

Another update came in 2021, bringing subtle styling tweaks, a standard heat pump to improve efficiency and a larger (82kWh) battery for the Performance.

There was then a comprehensive update in 2024, but we won’t cover those cars here as prices haven’t had time to come down yet.

Thanks to Tesla’s brilliant Supercharger network, you won’t have any issues charging on the go. There are more than 1000 devices dotted around the UK. Most offer speeds of up to 150kW, while newer ones can give you 250kW for a sub-30-minute 10-80% boost.

They’re a doddle to use: plug the car in and then hit start on the touchscreen or Tesla’s smartphone app.

Families will have little trouble using the Model 3 as their main car. It has a practical 425-litre boot, and while its sloping roofline limits rear head room, it’s still fairly spacious.

There’s plenty of tech wizardry to play with, too: the 15in tablet-like touchscreen even offers streaming and Atari arcade games.

The screen is a bit of a swine to use on the move at first – there being no buttons or switches – but it shouldn’t take you too long to get used to it.

Combustion-loving EV sceptics are quick to judge the Model 3 for its perceived lack of charisma and questionable build quality.

But you will have the last laugh when you fizz past them in smooth, zero-emissions silence.

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Used Tesla Model 3 2017-2023 review

Wrinkles aside, the Model 3 delivers on performance, practicality and price

Good

It has the pace and agility to match the quicker German sports saloons

Tesla charging infrastructure allows for more convenient long-distance travel

Bad

Ride comfort and rolling refinement undermine the serene powertrain

Autopilot functions need greater finesse and can’t be entirely trusted

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Sleek, well-packaged design optimises aerodynamics

Broad mix of trims and batteries

Cons

Pretty featureless front end

Standard Aero wheels are plastic covers not alloys

Tesla’s goal was to enusure that the Model 3 was “smaller, simpler and more affordable” than the Model S that preceded it, so this meant it went without air springs or adaptive dampers.

Instead, Tesla opted for a passively damped, coil sprung arrangement, although the suspension itself was of a double-wishbone design at the front axle and five-link rear – the expensive, favoured set-up of traditional sporting saloons.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the almost entirely aluminium Model S, the Model 3’s body-in-white consisted of mainly high-strength steel. Several exterior panels – notably the bonnet, boot, doors and roof – were made of aluminium, though, which meant the electric saloon had a reasonably low kerb weight of 1645kg.

‘Reasonably’ low because, as a purely electric car, the Model 3 needed to carry a substantial battery pack.

In the case of the entry-level Standard Range Plus, Tesla mounted its own 2976-cell pack, with a 50kWh usable capacity, in the skateboard style we’d seen before. It powered a rear-mounted transaxle electric motor that drove the wheels through a single-speed gearbox.

Long Range and Performance versions of the Model 3 got a larger 75kWh battery, which pushed the car’s WLTP driving range to 348 and 329 miles respectively.

Each of those models also got four-wheel drive courtesy of a second electric motor that sat within the front subframe. Attached via two mounts, it was designed to pivot backwards into a vacant space during a collision.

The Stand Range Plus car's 254-mile range made it competitive against rivals at price points both below and above.

Aesthetically, the Tesla sidestepped the predictable machismo almost always present in cars of this size and price, but it was hardly devoid of presence.

Its footprint was not only marginally larger than that of the new BMW 3 Series but the high roofline also meant you were unlikely to lose it in a busy car park.

There’s some good old-fashioned aggression provided by the frowning headlights, too, and with a grille-less front bumper, the nose had something of a grimace about it.

Without an engine, Tesla had been able to capitalise on packaging and nowhere was this more apparent than the cabin.

INTERIOR

Pros

Large touchscreen is crisp and clear

Spacious second-row is big enough for taller passengers

Cons

Not enough phyisical buttons and switches for secondary controls

No hatchback boot restricts access for bulky items

Can't match German rivals for material quality

As an example of how the principles of minimalism can be applied to the field of automotive interior design, you needn’t look much further than the Model 3.

So extreme were the lengths to which Tesla’s designers went to remove as much switchgear from its cabin as possible that you could count the number of physical controls on one hand. Almost.

Past the window switches on the doors, you were left with two stalks mounted either side of the steering column (one for the gearlever, the other for the indicators), roof-mounted buttons for the hazard lights and emergency assistance services, and two multi-function rotary dials on the steering wheel. That was it.

A long with the enormous, 15.0in touchscreen slap bang in the middle of the pared-down, slimline dashboard, these were used to control and adjust practically every aspect of the Model 3.

From the wing mirrors, to the steering wheel position, to the sat-nav, headlights, cruise control and windscreen wipers – all were operated through screen, steering wheel nipple and column stalk.

There was no instrument binnacle, either. That job had also been given to the touchscreen.

Such an approach to cabin architecture did take some getting used to. But once you’d learned your way around the various sub-menus and figured out what every thing did, it worked well enough – if not perfectly.

By using the screen not only as a means of controlling most of the car’s features but also as a medium for displaying important driving information, there was inevitably a heightened need to remove your eyes from the road that didn't feel particularly comfortable.

Elsewhere, oddments storage was plentiful and a combined luggage space of 542 litres (split between a small compartment at the front and a traditional rear boot) was usable enough and more than the 480 litres you got from a 3 Series.

Two adults could fit in the second row in reasonable comfort, too. Vegan leather and glossy piano black trim did a convincing job of lifting the Model 3’s material appeal, but there was still work to be done to truly match the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Smooth, quiet and brisk electric powertrain

Crisp response when you jumped on the throttle

Cons

Performance feels a bit characterless

No modes for regenerative braking

The pure-electric powertrain felt like it was finally delivering on its full potential in the Model 3.

In terms of measurable performance, in the lower-middle specification form, this car operated on a level beyond most compact saloons you might compare it with, even in their quicker guises.

It was also considerably swifter than any other electric passenger car we’d tested at a comparable price.

On a warm dry day, and with around 90% of charge in its drive battery, the Model 3 took 5.8sec to hit 60mph from rest. That was 0.6sec faster than the BMW 330e that we road tested in 2017.

The car launched itself from standing on a wide open throttle in surprisingly smooth and contained fashion, without ever threatening to break tracktion but also with plenty of gathering urgency.

Once rolling, it would gather speed towards the national limit strongly and it felt much more potent at times than even its generous power and torque-to weight figures would promise, since it responded so crisply and stoutly the instant you jumped on the accelerator.

On our most useful benchmark of real-world performance – 30mph to 70mph – the Model 3 proved quicker even than the last 330d we tested back in 2012 and it was within 0. 5sec of the current Volkswagen Golf R.

Real-world pace, in its richest supply from everyday speeds, wasn't something that most Model 3 owners were yearning for.

All that perfromance felt a bit characterless given the car was so quiet and smooth – and there were no swithchable 'enigine noises' or sounds to give you a sense of road speed.

Brake pedal progression was good by EV standards, so it was not at all hard to slow the car precisely and smoothly.

A sophisticated method of cycling the car’s regenerative braking calibration was the only thing really conspicuous by its absence in the driving experience.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Impressive handling with good front-end bite

Good body control thank to firm suspension

Cons

Poor rolling refinement

Numb steering

It was interesting to observe that the Model 3 steered, in some ways, like a mid-engined supercar.

You could argue that it probably shouldn’t have; that such directional sensitivity made the car more demanding to drive than Tesla’s self-proclaimed “world’s first truly mass-market electric vehicle” ought to have been.

But whatever you thought about it, with just under two full turns between extremes of steering lock and a usefully tight turning circle as well, the Model 3 really felt as rampantly agile, up to certain speeds, as something built very expensively in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna.

But the Model 3 didn’t weigh the same as a Ferrari, a Pagani, or a Lamborghini, and wherever it hid away the majority of its mass, you could feel its influence in almost every move that the car made.

So although the front axle bit into a bend almost the instant you moved the wheel off dead centre and the firmly set suspension resisted body roll very effectively, it took an instant or two for the car to settle into a cornering stance and feel stable enough to allow you to begin driving it out.

The numb-feeling steering was too often obtrusively heavy, yet it also failed entirely to telegraph the moment that you began to load lateral forces into the front sidewalls.

Both of these aspects were also clear contributory factors to the sense of darting nervousness you felt while getting used to the sheer keenness of the Tesla’s handling.

The good news was you did get used to it, and once you had, you could enjoy the Model 3 in faster-paced driving – on the motorway, on A-roads, and on cross-country lanes – in a way not unlike how you might have enjoyed any sports saloon.

Vertical body control was firm, slightly fidgeting, and animated almost everywhere, but there was decent sophistication to the car’s damping so that ride composure didn’t deteriorate as much as you expected it might on really testing B-roads.

Comfort and Isolation

Despite its eerily strong performance and impressive dynamics, the Model 3's rolling refinement was pretty substandard.

We were disappointed by how much road roar the stiffly set suspension conducted into the cabin, and by how much high-frequency audible buzz the car’s body structure would generate on a rough surface.

State-of-the-art noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) insulation techniques evidently weren’t budgeted for when Tesla designed and engineered the car.

Given that it didn’t have a clamoring piston engine, and it was also the firm’s cheapest model, you could understand why; and yet you still might not have been minded to overlook the decision entirely when you realised just how much background roar was allowed into the car at cruising speeds.

The Model 3 was short of Tesla’s own NVH standards, as set by the Model X and Model S, and well short of the refinement level that many had hoped for.

The car’s ride comfort was also below par, albeit less conspicuously so, for suppleness and bump absorption over less-than-smooth roads.

The firm suspension springing made the body busy and fidgety. However, ultimate body control was retained and handling security wasn’t compromised.

The heavy, inert, high-geared steering we referenced earlier did at least make for reasonable high-speed motorway stability, and it was seldom affected by bump steer.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Pros

Access to excellent Supercharger network

Cons

Charging can be a challenger on the motorway due to high demand

The Model 3 has a massive advantage when it comes to charging due to the widely available and generally reliable Supercharger network.

Because it’s fitted with a regular CCS charge port, not only can you tap into Tesla’s widespread charging network, but you can also draw power from any compatible third-party provider.

Of course, the Supercharger network remains the car’s default choice and is what the sat-nav will automatically guide you to if you don’t have enough range to complete your journey.

But there’s no apparent penalty for using another network, and plugged into a 350kW Ionity charger, the Model 3 was still adding 300 miles of range per hour of charge.

LONG-TERM REPORTS

How practical is the Model 3 for a family?

It’s a shame the Model 3 doesn’t have the hatchback its shape implies, but it’s still very roomy in the front and back with plenty of load space - 425 litres if you combine the front and rear boots - aided by rear seats that fold.

Storage for everyday essentials is excellent, too: there’s a deep well in the back for charging cables and more, plus up front there are two large cubbies.

How useful is Enhanced Autopilot functionality?

All Certified Pre-Owned Teslas get a software upgrade to the latest operating system, along with the addition of Enhanced Autopilot (an option on new cars). Or even steer, accelerate and brake, should you use Enhanced Autopilot, although I prefer to stick to adaptive cruise, which at least leaves me with the sense that I have an influence over my own destiny.

How was your experience of the Tesla service centre?

Booking in is easy and you don’t even have to hand over your key, you simply check in on the app then go and take a seat. There is a quiet, pleasant environment to work with good coffee, so there was little interruption to my working day.

How responsive and intuitive is the infotainment system?

I’m used to Apple CarPlay, so the Tesla’s bespoke system took some getting used to, but once you’ve linked everything to your phone - easily done via QR codes for apps such as Spotify - it integrates seamlessly. The technology in what is now a four-year-old car continues to be cutting-edge, aided by regular software updates, with the central 15in touchscreen offering both driving insights and entertainment while charging.

Can a used Model 3 make the most of the battery range and infrastructure in the same way as a new car?

Absolutely. The Supercharging network in the UK is second to none, with more – and better – chargers than anyone else, usually at a lower cost. And the way the navigation system plots when and where to stop on your journey means minimal disruption. As for battery life, Tesla claims average degradation of 12% after 200,000 miles, and my four-year-old car was easily capable of averaging more than 4mpkWh if driven sensibly, giving a range in excess of 300 miles.

VERDICT

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Used Tesla Model 3 2017-2023 review

Wrinkles aside, the Model 3 delivers on performance, practicality and price

Good

It has the pace and agility to match the quicker German sports saloons

Tesla charging infrastructure allows for more convenient long-distance travel

Bad

Ride comfort and rolling refinement undermine the serene powertrain

Autopilot functions need greater finesse and can’t be entirely trusted

The Model 3 delivered huge success for the Tesla brand.

But there was more the Model 3 than its badge and affordable price.

It combined truly realistic and practical usability with competitive saloon-car practicality, striking performance and handling dynamism that didn't lack anything for the want of ambition.

That being said, it was notably short on refinement, easy drivability and thoroughly ironed-out completeness to battle the world's best compact executive saloons.

Still, more than one million motorists have come to embrace this car – and who can really blame them.

Sam Phillips

Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website.

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport.

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.