Tesla Model 3 Standard Range 2019 Review

The Tesla Model 3 is claimed to be an electric car for the masses, but after its belated arrival in Australia, the US EV-maker’s entry-level model reveals it is much more.

In entry-level ‘Standard Range’ form, the Model 3 is a perfectly conceivable foe to the German triumvirate of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series and Audi A4; in mid-trim level it promises almost peerless long-journey amenity for an electric price point; while in top-spec, the venerable BMW M3 is in the sights of the flagship Model 3 Performance.

Tesla’s history may not be exceedingly rosy, but there’s a sense that everything that’s led up to the Model 3’s arrival in global markets including Australia is now in the past. And all told, it hits the mark.

Pricing for the Model 3 range starts at $66,000 (plus on-road and delivery costs) for the entry Standard Range driven here, climbing north of $90,000 for the flagship Performance.

In a nutshell, that’s $113,000 cheaper than the Model S and $16,000 more than the new Nissan LEAF, which offers less range, equipment and performance.

At a pinch under 4.7 metres long, the Model 3’s interior proportions allow it to pitch to executive buyers, along with family types – even though it’s not an SUV.

The Standard Range Model 3 offers 460km of driving range using the WLTP standard, a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 225km/h.

The entry Model 3 boasts a 15-inch touch-screen, keyless entry and remote climate-control via app, voice-activated controls, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and the latest safety aids including Tesla’s Autopilot system.

The standard equipment is supported by first-rate safety, ensured in part by eight cameras, 12 ultra-sonic sensors and a forward-facing radar. With the right option boxes ticked, that brings semi-autonomous features, but even in standard guise, the Model 3 is purportedly one of the safest vehicles on the road.

The cameras support driving functions, but they also support security. A dash camera is available while moving, while a security camera operates while the car is stationary in Sentry mode, each storing their recordings in a USB memory device.

The Tesla Model 3 is supported by a four-year, 80,000km warranty in Australia, with the battery backed by a further four-year, 80,000km scheme.

It makes use of Tesla’s over-the-air software updates to make changes to infotainment, driving assistance, battery or performance features remotely.

Like so many elements of the Tesla Model 3, its cabin has encouraged something of a rethink compared with conventional automotive interiors.

Aside from two ‘wheels’ on the steering wheel and a hazard light button in the roof, there are no physical buttons and switchgear, and there is no traditional driver instrument cluster.

The layout is clean, simplistic but aesthetically-pleasing all at once, endowing the Model 3 with a futuristic, airy feel that is bolstered by its full-glass roof.

Instead, a mammoth 15-inch touch-screen is your portal to all things Model 3, controlling everything from opening the glovebox and setting up your steering wheel and side mirror positioning, to changing music, searching the Google Maps-oriented sat-nav and checking the car’s range or nearest supercharger stations.

The screen is effective once you’ve got your head around its various menus, removing unnecessary clutter and condensing lots of information into orderly menus.

One notable absence from the Model 3’s cockpit is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Put simply, Tesla doesn’t see a need of either, such is the confidence in its own infotainment operating system… which a more thorough road test ought to decide.

Crucially, the screen also conveys speed and road readouts, meaning the driver needs to glance away from the road slightly to monitor those figures. While it screams distraction initially, the truth is the sideways glance becomes second-nature and doesn’t take a huge focus away from what’s in front.

Elsewhere, interior space is strong across both rows and the boot in spite of the Model 3’s relatively compact footprint. Front-seat passengers are afforded excellent knee and head room, while the rear boasts adequate space for a couple six-foot adult passengers, or a couple of baby seats, with ISOFIX attachments on the outboard pews.

The one caveat with space is a relatively perched floor, necessitated by the bank of batteries underneath. This can result in slightly raised knees relative to the seat positioning, and is exacerbated by limited toe room. But it’s hardly deal-breaking.

The Model 3’s boot is long and broad, albeit accessed via a relatively small opening aperture. The boot hinges hardly scream sturdy, but Tesla claims it has poured all of its attention into the contact points; the ones you interact with every time you’re in the car.

Between the boot and the front trunk, or frunk, there’s a sizeable 425 litres on offer. Incidental storage through the cabin is likewise strong, comprising bottle-friendly door pockets, open cubbies and a deep centre bin up front. And tech-centric types will appreciate two USB ports up front and two in the rear.

One missing piece of the puzzle is a spare tyre or inflation kit; the Model 3 has neither.

Tesla has enjoyed a lot of success – and fair degree of criticism – for the way it shirks automotive conventions, from over-the-air updates to its strict stipulations around press interviews.

However, sitting in the Tesla Model 3 playing ‘Asteroids’ (one of several hidden arcade games) while waiting for a Supercharger to replenish the car’s battery in the NSW town of Goulburn, it’s hard not to admire Tesla’s trailblazing path.

The Model 3 feels like the best execution yet of Tesla’s unorthodox ways, from the way the cabin and tech work in real-world driving, to the network of 30-odd supercharger stations in Australia. It’s difficult to think of another company that has disrupted the automotive industry as significantly in the past 10 years.

With the battery charged (see costs and timing further down in the review), the watershed moment is over and we’re on the road.

The initial dynamic impression is largely defined by the Model 3’s ride. It’s jiggly at low speeds and firm at all speeds, shaking off pitter-patter bumps admirably but unable to isolate cat’s eyes, road joins or sharp imperfections as effectively.

It’s hardly a deal-breaker, but it does reinforce the thinking the Model 3 is not another soft, cushy electric car; it’s much more performance-oriented.

A relatively light (for an electric car) circa-1800kg kerb weight, fast 10.3:1 steering rack ratio and excellent road holding endow the baby Tesla with a surprising degree of agility on a twisty road.

And equally, the Model 3 gets the little things right: throttle tip-in is linear and predictable, allowing the car to pull away from a set of lights smoothly, and the stability control system is swift and calculated with its interventions.

The upside of the firm ride arrives in corners, where the Tesla arrests its weight with control and poise. Through longer bends, the body settles and the chassis grips tenaciously, allowing almost laughable apex speeds. Mid-corner bumps are happily swallowed and the Model 3 feels precise and rock-solid in wet conditions as well.

The middle setting of the Model 3’s three selectable steering modes tends to impart the greatest degree of speed and weighting. If anything, you don’t quite get the desired feel and feedback in faster corners, lending the car a slight artificialness, but these are minor gripes rather than deal-breaking complaints.

Road noise is generally strong, the Model 3 suppressing tyre noise adequately but without setting any new segment benchmarks, while the car’s turning circle feels relatively big for this segment.

Then, there’s the drivetrain. A 5.6-second dash to 100km/h is hardly otherworldly on paper, but in reality the Model 3 feels brisk and rewarding with the way it bursts out of corners.

Offering all of its torque from a standstill, the forward surge is initially strong and then meters out into a linear spread to 100km/h and beyond. Rolling acceleration is equally admirable and an eye-opener considering the fastest Model 3 Performance promises a claimed 0-100km/h time of just 3.4 seconds.

At highway speeds, middling pace or tootling around-town, the electric drivetrain is adequate and tractable, with considered throttle response and a broad spread of power.

The Tesla Model 3 uses an increasingly common CCS Type 2 Combo plug that offers access to most public infrastructure. It is also the first mainstream model to land in Australia capable of utilising 250kW DC fast charging, which ultimately means the Model 3 could hypothetically charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 22 minutes.

Across our 500km loan, we made use of Tesla’s Supercharger network (of which there are more than 30 stations around the country), and an NRMA-supplied electric car charging station.

At the supercharger station, it took 70 minutes to fully replenish the Model 3’s battery from 13 per cent change. Doing so cost $18.90, or .42 cents per kiloWatt hour, and gave the car an estimated range of 297km.

In fact, based on our entire driving experience, which comprised highway, rural and urban driving, we’d estimate a range of 350km from a full charge – well short of Tesla’s 460km claim based on the laboratory-rated NEDC cycle.

By comparison, the NRMA facility brings 50kW DC charging and is free to use – for now. It is expected the motoring body will eventually charge users to utilise its infrastructure, but may offer free or discounted rates to members.

In many senses, Tesla is right to claim the Model 3 is an EV for the masses, but not because it is cheap or rewrites the rules on electrification.

Rather, it succeeds in making the electric car interesting and relevant right here in Australia. In entry form, the electric sedan will ask genuine questions of established brands and could ultimately become the foundation for Tesla’s long-promised success.

How much does the 2019 Tesla Model 3 cost?
Price: $66,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: Electric motor, 50kWh battery
Output: 225kW
Transmission: Single-speed, reduction gear
Range: 460km (NEDC)
Storage: 425 litres
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP