Introduction
What Car? says...
From Elon Musk’s late night tweets to seemingly endless speculation about share prices, there’s so much noise around Tesla it’s sometimes easy to forget that the company makes cars. Some of you will doubtless know plenty about this one already, but for those who don't, what exactly is the Tesla Model 3?
Well, it's a fully electric car – Tesla doesn’t do petrols, diesels or even hybrids – and it’s the US brand’s smallest and cheapest model to date. The Model 3 sits below the Model S luxury saloon, and the Model Y and Model X SUVs.
Stay with us over the next few pages and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Tesla Model 3, including what it’s like to drive, how practical it is and how many miles it can really do on a charge. We’ll also run you through some of the car’s impressive safety and self-driving tech, as well as some of the less serious aspects of ownership (Netflix, anyone?).
If you fancy taking the plunge, search our free What Car? New Car Deals service to find yourself a great discount. You'll find lots of tempting electric car deals.
FAQs
The Model 3 is the cheapest (and smallest) Tesla. It's still way more expensive than some electric cars, though, including the Cupra Born and MG4.
Tesla cut its prices in early 2023, and the Model 3 now undercuts rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Polestar 2. You can find out the latest prices using our New Car Deals pages.
The Model 3 is usually more expensive to insure than rival electric cars because Thatcham has given the car a relatively high insurance group rating.
Generally speaking, you'll pay less to charge at home than at one of Tesla's Superchargers. There are exceptions, though. For example, early versions of the Tesla Model S and X were offered with free lifetime Supercharger access.
The Model 3's battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles on the entry-level RWD model, or eight years and 120,000 miles on Long Range and Performance versions. During the term, Tesla guarantees a minimum 70% retention of the original battery capacity.
| RRP price range | £42,990 - £57,990 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 3 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 3 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | electric |
| Available doors options | 4 |
| Warranty | 4 years / 50000 miles |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £86 / £116 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £172 / £232 |
| Available colours |
