Here's A Massively In-Depth Look At The Tesla Model 3's Good And Bad Bits

Doug DeMuro provides one of his most thorough inspections yet, as he casts an analytical eye over Tesla's 3-series rival

Matt Robinson

07 Nov 2017

We know by now that we can rely on Doug DeMuro to obsessively pick apart all the features and quirks of a car, but this latest video takes that ethos to a whole new level. With a 32 minute run time. But, it’s worth sticking with this one, as there is surely no other Tesla Model 3 video out there that goes into quite so much detail.

After watching through, we’re still a little unsure about the Model 3. The lack of speedo directly in front of the driver seems a real hindrance, and stuffing almost everything in terms of controls into that massive central screen looks to take minimalism too far. It also - like other Teslas - doesn’t look particularly well built. The interior looks cheap in places, and that door alignment is borderline upsetting.

Still, there’s plenty to like, with a ridiculous amount of storage and luggage space, a huge range and good straight-line performance. It sounds like it’s generally very good to drive, too. We can’t wait to get our hands on one.

Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.

Comments

Doug really needs to review Phill

We need this to happen!!

Yeyeyeeye

Only complaints no praise. Jkjkjk

I can honestly say that the Model 3’s interior is the most boring and lazy piece of design I have ever seen

Well it is Tesla’s economy car. Even at that price point…

eh atleast its selling.

With all the technical gimmicks like the automatically adjustable steering wheel, why haven’t they put a head-up display in?
Hard to imagine that it would cost that much.

The Tesla Model three is the Supreme of cars
It’s extremely minimalistic
People wait in line for over 6 hours for it
People love them to death even though they’re not the highest of quality.

You clearly did forget about the 2002 Toyota Echo

I cant begin to imagine the repair bills for these things in ten of fifteen years when stuff begins to break. It will be outrageous with that much useless tech in a car

That’s because they’re not supposed to. They’re designed to become obsolete and non-functional eventually ; that’s what we call programmed obsolescence. Same as your printer or lightbulb basically

Because of the simple design of an electric engine, they are actually alot cheaper to maintain than cars that run on petrol. Most of the “useless tech” in Tesla, you find in most other modern cars aswell.

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my tesla fanboy friends argue that the missing speedometer is a thing to get used to, even though I think it’s very dangerous. Anything to convince them?

Well, no, I think they’re right.
My mother’s car has a speedo in the middle and as far as I’m aware we never died

This car is hardware equipped to be fully autonomous, so having a speedometer would be pointless when the fully self driving software updates eventually come out. You can also just view the speed at the center console or follow the pace of cars around you. Anyone who has a license and common sense can have a rough idea of their speed judging from looking outside and you dont need a speedometer to know that you should drive fast on a highway and slow in neighborhoods.

Well you shouldn’t spend so much time looking at the speedometer while driving anyway, and everyone have atleast an idea of how fast they are driving anyway

The interior just screams cutting costs, I love minimalism but that is down right poor design.

Could you list a bunch of items in particular that should be there but aren’t?

It’s inferior looks like someome pasted a 12 inch iPad to an economy grade of an economy car
Everything is missing here

For instance?

I like it, but it won’t be good after a year when everything breaks.

While we petrolheads disagree with the tesla motor company, we need to understand its ever so important role for our planet’s future. I will never buy one, but its a very important car.

I rather buy a ZOE or a LEAF than a overpriced merican EV

It isn’t. Its like every other electric car. The Zoe, the Leaf but a lot more expensive and a bit posher. There is no real significance to Tesla’s technology, which has hardly progressed from the first electric cars from 100 years ago.