Used Tesla Model 3 Performance long term test: report 2

The car 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance Dual Motor | Run by James Tute, Content Editor

Why it's here To see if running an older Tesla is hassle-free or a headache, and whether full Supercharger access is a game-changer

Needs to be Wieldy enough for city-centre driving, comfortable on long trips and as fun to drive as its performance tag suggests

Mileage on arrival 40,181 Mileage now 41,261 List price when new £56,545 Value on arrival £16,500 Official range 329 miles Test range 286 miles

26 June 2025 – Sorted for ease and whizz

This is more like it! My Tesla Model 3 hit 852 miles an hour the other day and it was, as you’d expect, a thrill. Not 852mph in a straight line of course – the Model 3 Performance is fast but not land-speed record fast.

No, the speed I was delighted to hit was the rate a Supercharger in Ipswich was powering up my car’s battery. The Model 3’s touchscreen display showed a charging speed of 212kW and helpfully converted that into the 852 miles figure.

That’s a lot of numbers, but what it means is that even if I had another 100 miles to drive that day, I could hit the road 10 minutes after first plugging in and get to my destination with miles to spare.

Not all Tesla Superchargers are created equal though. So far I’ve plugged in my Model 3 in London, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Essex and Suffolk.

The most disappointing experience was on a Sunday afternoon at Keele Services on the southbound M6, where I had to queue for one of just four chargers. When I did plug in, the rate was 51kW – limited, according to my car’s touchscreen – by the Supercharger itself.

In fact, I’ve seen several Superchargers limit charging speed, but usually to a decent 112kW (more than 400 miles of range an hour).

Another time I saw a lacklustre 82kW due to what my Model 3 would call “user error”.

Why? Well, I didn’t put the Superchargers at Rugby Services as my sat-nav destination so the car had no warning that I'd be charging there. So when I stopped for an impromptu rest and plugged in, I took it by surprise.

That made a difference, because when it knows I’m going to charge, my car starts to prepare the battery temperature so it can accept electricity more quickly.

The Model 3 has more charging tricks up its sleeve. When I put a route into the sat-nav, for example, it adds a charging stop if needed – and when I get to the charger, I can decide how full I want the battery at the end of the entire journey. Very handy.

That works hand in hand with range predictions that seem more accurate than in other electric cars I’ve run.

When it comes to charging, this six-year-old Tesla is proving to be a superstar.

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