Tesla Model 3 2021 Review

The Tesla Model 3 has come in for a host of upgrades for the 2021 model year, while pricing has actually fallen by several thousand dollars for some variants.

At the entry level, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus starts from $66,900 plus on-road costs – now with a 490km NEDC range, up 30km – while at the top end the Model 3 Performance is set at $94,901 plus ORCs, now with a claimed 628km range which is 68km longer than before.

The launch vehicle provided for us to drive sits between these two variants – the dual-motor all-wheel drive Tesla Model 3 Long Range, priced from $83,201 plus ORCs and now with a 657km range, up 37km.

Tesla is light on detail in specifying the mechanical changes wrought on the Model 3 – indeed, our request for basic specs such as electric motor output and battery energy capacity was denied – but the US car-maker claims “ongoing quality and efficiency improvements” are behind the longer range.

These include adopting the heat pump HVAC system seen on the newer Tesla Model Y, fitting new tyres with lower rolling resistance – Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 – and making unspecified powertrain and software tweaks.

Standard carry-over equipment on the Model 3 Long Range includes 12-way power-adjustable heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, Autopilot semi-autonomous driving aids, keyless entry and start, power-folding and heated side mirrors, and plenty more.

Having driven the Tesla Model 3 not long after its Aussie arrival in 2019, the interior in the updated MY21 series is a clear step forward.

For example, the high-gloss piano black plastic trim – always ready to collect fingerprints, scratches and swirls – has been replaced with satin-finish metallic grey surfaces, while the centre console has two felt-lined wireless phone charging pads that are right-sized to hold phones securely in place and fit the latest iPhone 12 Pro Max.

There’s also a nicer lid for the central cubby hole that replaces the confusing twin sliding door unit, with two USB-C charging ports inside along with plenty of storage.

Other upgrades include an additional USB-A port inside the glovebox, satin black kick plates, graphite-finished seat controls and sun visors that snap magnetically back in place.

A redesigned steering wheel now uses metallised scrolling wheels, which feel better under thumb than the previous plasticky ones. Meanwhile, the boot lid can open at the touch of a button or from the touch-screen or Tesla app.

On the outside, the 2021 Tesla Model 3 receives a black-out treatment, with all previously chrome components now finished in matte black. These include the side repeater/camera housings, door handles and ‘brightwork’. There’s also new alloy wheels for every variant: 18/19-inch on the Standard Range Plus/Long Range, up to 20-inch Uberturbine rims on the Performance.

The Tesla Model 3 has a four-year/80,000km factory warranty, while the battery and drive unit is covered for eight years or 240,000km, whichever comes up first.

ANCAP awarded the Tesla Model 3 a maximum five-star rating when it arrived in 2019, which should hold firm for this MY21 update.

Standard equipment includes front, front-side and head-protecting curtain airbags across the front and rear compartments, plus a swag of advanced driver assist safety systems that come under Tesla’s Autopilot banner.

Of course, Tesla builds its cars for all jurisdictions and regulations that aren’t even in force yet, which means that while they’re loaded with tech now, not all of it is ready to be used on Aussie roads.

For example, adaptive cruise control works as well as you’d expect, but the self-driving, hands-off functionality can’t be employed here yet.

What you can use, though, is an array of quirky ‘Easter Eggs’ built into the Model 3’s touchpad – most of which we’ve already touched on in previous reviews. Some of these include a warming fireplace, arcade games and on-demand fart sounds. They’re not for everyone, but there’s no arguing Tesla’s, umm, originality?

Of the few complaints, driver visibility is our biggest area of concern. The interior rear-view mirror is small, the rear glass is high-mounted, and the upward tapering sills at the rear corners of the vehicle all make it more difficult than it should be to see surrounding traffic, especially when doing blind-spot head checks.

There are cameras to help, and Tesla’s driving aids are pretty spot on, but we’d prefer not to rely solely on the tech.

Chunky A-pillars up front also obscure a fair whack of vision, but elsewhere from the driver’s seat the large windscreen provides an otherwise good view of the road ahead and the glass roof makes the cabin feel wonderfully light and airy.

The sheer acceleration on offer with the Tesla Model 3 has stunned us before, and the latest Long Range model has done it again.

While the super-quick Model 3 Performance can hit 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.3 seconds, the dual-motor all-wheel drive Long Range is also seriously quick, hitting triple digits in 4.4sec on its way to a 233km/h top speed. We didn’t officially test those claims, but don’t doubt them.

Those worried they’ll miss the sound of a V8 engine might be surprised once they experience the instant power and brute acceleration of a car like this; it’s difficult to imagine anyone growing tired of it.

While you can adjust the level of acceleration (Chill or Standard) through the vehicle menus, Tesla has taken away the ability to adjust the Model 3’s regenerative braking as part of the update, in order to simplify the driving experience.

If you’ve driven a current or older Tesla before, that means you may have to adjust your driving style and pedal controls. But, as we found, it also means you barely have to touch the brake pedal, as coming off the ‘gas’ (or electric power, we should say) slows the sedan down quickly.

It’s probably a good thing though, as the few times we needed to use the brake pedal it felt an odd and unnatural mix of firm with a degree of sponginess.

As we only had a brief window to drive the new Tesla Model 3, we can’t delve into what the updated model is like to charge – but we’re covered this in detail before.

Our drive – a two-hour, circa-90km return trip from Alexandria in Sydney to the Royal National Park – took our range from 503km (90 per cent battery) to 373km on return. Keeping in mind, that included a range of highway driving and city traffic.

Once you’ve got your head around the huge 15-inch touch-screen and its multitude of functions, getting down to the business of driving the 2021 Tesla Model 3 is a breeze.

You don’t tend to miss having the speedo and driving range right in front of you, as they’re easily visible on the top right corner of the screen.

The first thing that stands out when you set off is just how easy it is to drive. Steering is light and nimble – and can be adjusted for a sportier feel – and the vehicle is easy to manoeuvre on the road.

Behind the wheel, it feels bigger than it looks from the outside, and at 1850mm in width the Model 3 takes up as much lane as a Toyota Camry and just a little more than Hyundai’s IONIQ Electric (1820mm).

Tesla’s electric mid-size sedan rides over bumps and imperfections with no trouble, and aside from when you’re travelling on coarse-chip surfaces, road noise inside the cabin is minimal.

The vehicle sits flat and proves quite sporty during spirited driving, but as we noticed during this drive – and previous outings in the Model 3 – it tends to feel unsettled and knocked around on particularly windy days.

The driver’s seat is trimmed in leather-like upholstery and provides good comfort, however more bolstering is needed to hold you better in position during enthusiastic driving.

Rear seat passengers are also well looked after with air-vents, two USB-C ports, door bins with a good amount of storage space, and decent headroom and legroom for taller passengers.

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, now might be the time to get your bum into an electric car.

Charging infrastructure in Australia, while still not perfect, is constantly improving and the ability to drive further on a single charge is making range anxiety a thing of the past.

From our brief test of the updated 2021 Tesla Model 3, it’s clear to see why the American car-maker has a loyal following of fans across the globe, including Australia.

There’s a fine line between feeling like you’re driving a sports sedan and a spaceship-on-wheels that the Long Range model tends to blur.

It was already an absolute hoot to drive, but the lower price, extra range and improved cabin materials of the 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range make it a better proposition than ever.

How much does the 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range cost?
Price: $83,201 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous AC electric motors
Output: 307kW/510Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 75kWh lithium-ion
Range: 657km (NEDC)
Energy consumption: 15.5kWh/100km (US EPA)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

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