Summary
The Tesla Model 3 is a mid-size premium saloon and the third model in the Tesla family. Like all Tesla models, it is only available with an electric motor supplied by a battery pack.
The Model 3 was first unveiled in 2016, but enormous American demand combined with numerous production problems meant that it only arrived in the UK in Spring 2019.
The Tesla Model 3 has received unanimously positive reviews from the UK motoring media, with most scores indicating very good or outstanding results. It doesn’t have any directly comparable rivals, as there are no other compact executive saloons available as fully-electric models. Some, like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C Class, have plug-in hybrid options, while other similarly-priced electric cars include the Kia e-Niro.
The Model 3 has received particular praise for its performance, driving dynamics and minimalist style. Criticisms mainly relate to the questionable ergonomics of some of the functionality required by having everything controlled by a central screen, and the usual electric car concerns over range and charging time.
As of June 2023, the Tesla Model 3 has an Expert Rating of 86% based on 39 reviews, which puts it ahead of the BMW 3 Series and comfortably beyond the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and most other rivals.
Model 3 highlights
- Comes with a heap of on-board tech
- Long battery range
- Practical and comfy interior
- The brand’s charging infrastructure
- Punchy performance
Model 3 lowlights
- Some all-electric rivals are quieter
- Rather rigid ride comfort
- Controls are a bit fiddly
- Expensive, entry-level and up
- The brand’s questionable reliability
Key specifications
Body style: Mid-sized saloon
Powertrain: electric motor and batteries
Price: From £42,990 on-road
Launched: Spring 2019
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus
“It might not appeal on an emotional level, but the Tesla Model 3 manages to be fast yet serene, packed full of appealing tech, and practical to boot. With low running costs thrown into the mix, there’s not much going against it.”
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Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is one of the best EVs around: practical, high-tech and boasting great performance and range. Its understated styling hides a sophisticated electric drivetrain and an ultra-modern interior that’s dominated by a huge touchscreen.”
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Model reviewed: 2021 update
Score: 10 / 10
“Minor cosmetic tweaks have given the Tesla Model 3 a sportier look outside and a more premium feel inside, while the continual software upgrades keep edging Tesla further ahead of its rivals on the tech front.”
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Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus 2020
Score: 9 / 10
“The updated Standard Range Plus version of Tesla’s Model 3 is the most accessible in the line-up but still shows that star quality.”
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Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus
Score: 9 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is more affordable than ever in Standard Range Plus guise, which makes it even more appealing.”
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Model reviewed: Long Range AWD
Score: 10 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is in a class of one at the moment, but that shouldn’t detract from Tesla’s achievement with its first ‘more affordable’ model. Yes, it’s still pricey, but it’s a car that drives brilliantly, looks great, seems to be built just as well as other cars at the price and is full of the most advanced tech. That all adds up to make it just about the coolest car you can buy right now.”
Read review
Score: 9 / 10
“This is the Tesla to buy, full of EV pep and at a more affordable price. It competes well with other sports saloons around the same price point and looks future-proofed when it comes to self-driving tech.”
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is nothing less than a game-changer, with range, performance and tech that set the benchmark for what an EV should be.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 has the pace and agility to match the quicker German sports saloons but ride comfort and rolling refinement undermine the serene powertrain.”
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Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus
Score: 8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is difficult to look past at this price-point. Kia’s excellent e-Niro is perhaps a more rational choice, being similarly spacious and with 282 miles of range, but the Tesla is out of sight in terms of performance and general fizz, before you consider the Supercharger network.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is not the perfect car, but what is? After two days in it, I rather liked it. And that’s my gig: to separate the metal from the noise.”
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Model reviewed: Model 3 Performance
Score: 8 / 10
“The Model 3 Performance easily answers that question about suiting British drivers and roads – it’s made for them.”
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Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 has an impressive real-world battery range, a roomy and airy cabin, is decent – if not outstanding – to drive, and offers driver-assistance tech that largely works well in the UK.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 feels like a breakthrough car.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8.8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 brings world-beating performance, range and tech to the mainstream executive class.”
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is Tesla’s cheapest electric car, but in many ways the best. That said, it’s still more expensive than many petrol and diesel alternatives.”
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Company Car Today
“As sensible and affordable as executive-level EVs get; updates make the Tesla Model 3 even more appealing.”
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Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus
Score: 8.1 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 takes EVs into new ground in terms of a compact exec saloon with a competitive price and serious range. It’s not perfect, but does plenty very well.”
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Daily Mirror
Score: 10 / 10
“Car of the future not only makes sense but is a brilliant drive.”
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Model reviewed: Long Range
Score: 10 / 10
“This is the best Tesla yet. Best made, too. And one of the most entertaining cars I’ve driven this year.”
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Discover EV
Model reviewed: Long Range
“The 2021 facelift hasn’t revolutionised the Tesla Model 3 – rather evolved it, which isn’t a bad thing as it is a very good EV to live with, and one of the best cars currently available, giving owners of even the most sporty conventionally fuelled cars something to think about.”
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Model reviewed: Performance
Score: 9 / 10
“If you regularly do high mileage and you are in the fortunate position of having at least forty grand to spend on an electric car, then this is the EV to get. Put it this way, we were so impressed, that we bought one. And after we bought one, two of our friends then bought one. I think that says it all really.”
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“Tesla’s best car yet is also its most affordable and has a great range. Safe, fast, technologically advanced and cheaper to run than an Audi A4.”
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Evo
Score: 8 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 delivers incredible, otherworldly performance with some genuine dynamic nuance.”
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Model reviewed: Range review
“The Tesla Model 3 is finally on the road, but away from the hype we debunk what is, electric or not, one of the most fascinating cars in decades.”
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Model reviewed: Performance
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s fight or flight time for Tesla, as its new Model 3 Performance promises to quash the M3 at its own game.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: Long Range Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive
Score: 10 / 10
“The main issue that we had with the Tesla Model 3 when it was first launched was the poor ride quality and the various rattles from the suspension. Our latest [2022] test car had much better ride quality than early examples, and much better ride quality than the Model Y, resulting in it being more agile and a much-improved car to drive.” (Paul Clarke)
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Model reviewed: Long Range
Score: 10 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 Long Range is an excellent car. It has zero tailpipe emissions yet it also has amazing performance. It’s rewarding to drive but it’s also practical (if you can live with a boot rather than a hatchback). Compared to the entry-level Model 3 Standard Range Plus, it’s around £10,000 more expensive, but you get all-wheel drive and almost an extra 100 miles of range.”
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Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus
Score: 9 / 10
“The long-awaited Tesla Model 3 is an impressive car. Even in Standard Range Plus form, the performance is very good, the handling is rewarding, and the steering is sharp and well weighted. There’s also the very minimalistic interior, with the large touchscreen featuring virtually all controls – which some people might like, others may not.”
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Move Electric
Model reviewed: Long Range
Score: 10 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is the best-selling electric car in the world, offering excellent value for money, terrific range, strong practicality and a variety of technological features that set it apart from its rivals.” (Sam Phillips)
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 9 / 10
“Lowered prices raise Tesla Model 3’s appeal”
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The Sun
Model reviewed: (range review)
“The Model 3 is easily my favourite Tesla. I’ll go further, it’s probably my favourite electric car, full stop. If the Yanks can ship them here quick enough and keep chipping away at the price, it’s game on.”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Long-range
Score: 8 / 10
“There’s no official measure on the Tesla Model 3’s range, but we’ve been achieving more than 200 miles on a single charge.”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“Undeniably special to drive and sit inside, the Tesla Model 3’s statistics make impressive reading, although the ‘affordability’ of this car is highly debatable and it simply isn’t built as well as it should be.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Standard Range Plus
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s spacious, efficient, comfortable, reasonably-priced and well-equipped.”
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Model reviewed: (range review)
Score: 8 / 10
“Everything Tesla has done up to this point has built towards the Model 3… and it’s been worth it.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“The Tesla Model 3 is good to drive, packed full of tech, fast and even reasonably practical. Yes, it is firmer-riding than some of its executive car rivals, but it’s never uncomfortable, even on beaten-up UK roads. It’s also competitively priced and well equipped.”
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Which EV?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9.2 / 10
“The 2021 Tesla Model 3 takes the electric car to beat and makes it even better. Tesla maintains its lead by adding a heat pump and further enhancements that extend battery range across all three cars. There are mild exterior and interior improvements, too. The Long Range is the best buy of the three, but the Standard Range Plus is supremely capable, and the Performance is the electric heir to the BMW M3.” (James Morris)
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Which?
Model reviewed: Range overview
“The Tesla Model 3 has plenty going for it: it’s rapid, refined and practical, and it suffers very few of the issues that affect other electric cars, particularly in terms of usable range. However, its lack of connectivity, poor build quality and unreliable Autopilot system mean there’s plenty of room for improvement.”
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: July 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 96%
Child protection: 86%
Vulnerable road users: 74%
Safety assist: 94%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
Model tested: 208 kW Electric RWD Automatic
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2022
Read the full Green NCAP review
Energy Efficiency Index: 9.6 / 10
Greenhouse Gas Index: 9.8 / 10
Reliability rating
As of June 2023, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Tesla Model 3 to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Model 3, we’ll publish the score here.
Security rating
Independent vehicle theft and security ratings from Thatcham Research
Rating: Superior | Good | Basic | Poor | Unacceptable
Relay Attack: Pass
Date: March 2020
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Tesla Model 3 has received
2023
- Auto Trader Awards – Best Car for Long Distances
- What Car? Awards – Best Executive Car + Efficiency Award
2022
- What Car? Awards – Best Large Electric Car
- What Car? Electric Awards – Best Executive Car + Best Used Executive Car
2021
- Auto Trader New Car Awards – Best Car for Families
- Electrifying.com Awards – Technology Award + Efficiency Award
- News UK Motoring Awards – Best Electric Car
- What Car? Awards – Best Large Electric Car
- What Car? EV Awards – Best Electric Executive Car
2020
- Auto Express Awards – Best Compact Executive Car + Best Premium Electric Car
- Auto Trader Awards – New Car of the Year + Best Electric Car
- Carbuyer Awards – Best Company Car
- Parkers New Car Awards – Best Large Electric Car
- What Car? Awards – Best Large Electric Car + Best Executive Car over £40K
- What Car? Electric Car Awards – Best Electric Executive Car
2019
- Auto Express Awards – Car of the Year + Best Premium Electric Car
- carwow Awards – Game-changer Award
- News UK Motor Awards – Green Car of the Year
- Parkers Awards – Car of the Year + Best Electric Car + Best Company Car + Safety Award
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Tesla Model 3, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Alfa Romeo Giulia | Audi A4 | BMW 3 Series | Hyundai Ioniq Electric | Hyundai Kona Electric | Jaguar XE | Kia e-Niro | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Polestar 2 | Volkswagen ID.3 | Volvo S60
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