Tesla Model 3 Owner Review - The first year with Tesla Model 3 Long Range

Tesla Model 3 Pros and Cons

Pros:

cameras around the entire car + possibility to record everything on the hard drive
single pedal control (after taking the foot off the accelerator, the car brakes itself to a stop), it’s almost addictive
excellent infotainment, plus constantly being improved through regular updates via WI-FI
drag coefficient Cx only 0.23 - i.e., excellent aerodynamics
can charge at a rate of up to 250 kW (up to 300 km gained in just 25 minutes of recharging!); the remaining 95% of electric vehicles cannot charge so quickly
superb battery thermal management
5 stars, the highest rating in the EuroNCAP crash test, the Top Safety Pick +, the highest IIHS rating (USA)
AC charging - the best - 11 kW AC charger (amps can be adjusted to just the values you need)
overtaking I dare say is more like "teleporting"; you never have to think about what gear you’re in like with an ICE - engines are ready in any gear to accelerate instantly and strongly
the rear trunk also has a deep part (see photo), total capacity 542 liters
excellent audio, 15 speakers
the car knows on the way to Supercharger to preheat the battery so that rapid charging would be the fastest, while protecting battery life
the power to weight ratio is 171 W/kg - a great value, cca two times better than most competitor machines I’ve driven
WLTP range was set at 560 km (my experience: summer mix of highway and city cca 450 km, summer city only up to 600 km, winter mix cca 350 km)
the car sits beautifully on the road due to the low battery positioning; it takes bends with absolute certainty, and sometimes I find cornering truly thrilling
own network of charging stations called Supercharger - this is a crucial advantage for Tesla owners - I’ve never experienced Supercharger not working when I pull up, or that all the stands would be occupied
In my opinion, the Tesla Model 3 LR has an excellent price/performance ratio
even if it’s "only" the LR version, it accelerates to 100 km/h in an unreal 4.4 seconds, and its top speed is 233 km/h
pleasantly small steering wheel with thick ring
the charging connector is at the end of the car (in the corner by the taillight), so even short DC charging cables easily reach
performance increased several times by software updates up to today’s 333 kW
this car actually has far more power than I need, so I also use the “chill” drive mode, in which the accelerator response is smoother
can have a towing device, 750 kg/1,000 kg
lots of legroom for rear passengers including the middle seat
despite the higher weight at 1,931 kg including the driver, Tesla does a great job at disguising it by the sheer power of its engines and stiffer chassis and brakes
standard warranty of four years/80,000 km, battery covered for eight years/196,000 km
it has a trunk in front, the estimated 80-liter capacity beautifully accommodates all cables, a warning triangle, compressor, fire extinguisher and other small accessories that would otherwise take up space in the back
the service interval is only recommended; I am going to have it serviced once every three years for replacements such as brake fluid
really dig the car design; it looks way better in reality than in the pictures
very rigid body
comfortable seats with reasonable lateral support
quality - mostly soft plastics in the interior
very well built, high-quality interior (model 2020)
despite the bad reputation of Teslas in the early years of production, in my car nothing creaks, and I am satisfied with the refinement
interior noise at higher speeds is decent, but it’s definitely not tops
large wheelbase of 288 cm

Cons:

not many service centers - only in big cities
the hazard switch is poorly positioned in the ceiling
it’s a sedan; a liftback like the S model would be better
serious upcharge for the red paint job, but it seems to be high-quality
opening the car via a "mobile phone key" is sometimes not entirely reliable, sometimes it takes a while before the car opens
seats not ventilated (cannot be ordered yet)
heated steering wheel cannot be ordered (starts with the 2021 model)
low-positioned rear seats
for some perhaps the chassis is too stiff, but due to the power exceeding 300 kW, it is an about must
the rear door windows don’t go down all the way
The model 3 generally has an extremely low ride height of only 144 cm (e.g., VW ID.3 has a height of 156 cm), so getting in and out is more difficult than with a higher-riding vehicle
the rear-view mirror could be bigger
glossy "piano" black elements in the interior - fingerprints and scratches are clearly visible

Considered buying

Hyundai Kona Electric

64 kWh 2020

The Attractions:

heat pump, higher seating position and visibility, low power consumption, heated steering wheel

The Dealbreakers:

small interior, it was not possible to order a three-phase charger (today it is possible), it does not have a Supercharger network like Tesla, only slightly cheaper than the Tesla 3

Owner Review

The first year with Tesla Model 3 Long Range

After a year and 15,000 km, I’d like to share with you my experience with my Tesla Model 3 Long Range. It is a 2020 model.

I have listed its basic pros and cons above. The battery of this design has a nominal value of 75 kWh, with 72 kWh usable. Consumption is officially 16 kWh. Realistically, you can ride in the summer without limitation at around 16 kWh, and in the winter, the need to heat the interior raises consumption to 20 kWh, so my annual average reached 17.7 kWh per 100 km. By very efficient driving, up to 13 kWh per 100 km can be achieved.

I consider this the best car I’ve ever owned.

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