Car review –Tesla Model 3 Long Range

Outsider

There was a long wait for the Model 3 in Europe, but it has since integrated very well. It makes Tesla driving more accessible, but still isn't cheap.

Volatile price tag

Tesla’s prices change regularly, both in the positive and negative sense. At the time of writing, the ‘Long Range’ we tested cost €56,990 (VAT included). The Performance, which, like the Long Range, has two electric motors and four-wheel drive, costs €6,000 more, while the Standard Range Plus with rear-wheel drive is €8,000 cheaper.

For each model, what you get for your money is an electric car that remains technologically progressive and continues to set the standard in terms of range, thanks in part to the over-the-air software updates.

Minimalism is king

In terms of design, the Model 3 is reminiscent of the Model S, but it is less stretched and therefore also slightly less elegant. Inside, it’s all about minimalism. Grabbing your attention is the horizontal screen that serves both as a dashboard and a control centre for almost all the car functions.

This won’t be a major obstacle for anyone used to working with a tablet, but for others the ‘everything digital’ principle may take some getting used to. There is no normal key, but instead a badge, which you don’t even need if you’ve programmed your smartphone to act as a key.

Up to 580 kilometres

The most powerful Model 3 is the Performance. It accelerates to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds and promises a range of 567 km (WLTP). The Long Range even reaches 580 km according to the WLTP cycle, and with 4.4 seconds for the benchmark sprint, is almost as good as the Performance. We managed 450 kilometres during our test, which corresponds to an average consumption of 21 kWh/100 km.

The battery has a capacity of 75 kWh. For those who are fine with a little less (especially in terms of price), there is the Standard Range Plus. It has 20 kWh less and sticks to rear-wheel instead of four-wheel drive. With its single electric motor, it can reach 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. The WLTP range of the most affordable Tesla is 448 km.

A happy medium

You don’t need to opt for the “extremely fast” Performance if you think “very fast” is already fast enough. The Long Range claims to be the most homogeneous Model 3, because it has the four-wheel drive and two motors of the Performance, goes the furthest and offers everything you can expect from electric driving: flashy performance and acceleration, silence, comfort and a no-stress range. The fact that the steering wheel gives little feedback, the suspension is quite stiff and the seats could offer a bit more support can all be forgiven. The amount of space is more than adequate and the finish is a lot better than on the older Teslas, even though it still lags behind the best competitors in that area.

Its own fast chargers, above-average range, flashy performance, unprecedented ease of use: Tesla offers the full package, and a great one at that. The Model 3 really sets the benchmark too, although the competition is hot on its heels.

+ Impressive performance
+ Perfectly useable daily driver
+ Efficient handling
-Seats provide little support -Steering wheel feedback -Rigid suspension