![]() If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that you can head straight out onto twisty B-roads then you’ll quickly realise that the basics of a good driver’s car are there: the low seating position, low centre of gravity, rear-wheel drive chassis (there would be too much torque for front-wheel drive), sharp and well weighted steering, and lots of instantly available power and torque. To get underway you need to push down the gear selector stalk on the right-hand side of the steering column into Drive. The touchscreen can also be prone to reflections, but the main issue is having to look away from the road to try and find various buttons to press, which is all the more of a challenge when driving at speed, especially on bumpy roads. The latest BMW 3 Series, a Tesla Model 3 rival, has dials in front of the driver, together with satnav information, which is also in the head-up display, and also in the central touchscreen – a much better solution in our view. There’s a big area of nothing right in front of the driver – why not use that to display key information (yes, like almost all other cars on sale). In fact, while we’re on the subject, we’re not fans of having all controls on the touchscreen, or having to look to the left every time you want to see your speed or satnav instructions. ![]() In our humble opinion, this is a step too far. The steering wheel and the mirrors have to be adjusted through the touchscreen, and you even have to change the direction of the ventilation via dragging the air flow on a graphic on the screen with your finger. Although the electric seat has traditional controls for adjustment, that’s where the normal approach ends. Unlike many pure electric cars, you sit low down in the Model 3 and you can get a good driving position. Once you’ve unlocked the car, there’s a bit of fiddling with the door handles, and once you’re in, the car is already switched on automatically. The Model 3 is accessed by an app on your smart phone (which also gives you charging information). This Standard Range Plus version comes with 18” Aero wheels as standard. We think it looks good on the outside, with a downsized Model S look at the rear and at the side, but with a front end that many people think looks similar to a Porsche. The interior is extremely minimalistic there are virtually no buttons or other controls, with the 15-inch centre touchscreen being the only main feature on the dashboard. However it’s worth noting that the rear seats are better suited to children than adults. There’s also lots of storage space in compartments between the two front seats. All these different storage areas provide a total of 542 litres for luggage. This results in a large boot (and the rear seats fold down), with additional storage space under the boot floor for the charging cables, and there’s even more space in the ‘trunk’ under the bonnet. Like most other EVs, the battery is in the floor, freeing up space compared to a petrol or diesel-engined car. It’s also rear-wheel drive (although the other two Model 3 variants are all-wheel drive). That’s right, it’s not an SUV, or even a hatchback, as it has a boot. The Model 3 is a five-seater, all-electric saloon. ![]() It aims to be the first mainstream all-electric family saloon, so should you take the plunge? Design & Engineering We’ve had the highly impressive Model S and Model X from Tesla, and now – after a long wait – the ‘more affordable’ Model 3 has finally arrived in right-hand drive form in the UK. This version has 254 mile range compared to 348 miles of Long Range Model 3. ![]() Interior is minimalistic and technology-focused.Excellent to drive and more agile than a Model S.Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus Summary The Tesla Model 3 is here at last, promising sports saloon agility with zero tailpipe emissions so is the Standard Range Plus model the one to go for? Model/Engine size ![]()
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