Mashable Review on Tesla 3 Test Drive

[sperkin]

It may contain errors.

Glass roof only on premium ($44,000)
Tesla designed audio ($44,000)

I though glass is standard on all ($35,000) and only the premuim upgrades have the Tesla audio ($40,000).


Driving a Tesla Model 3 is pretty damn awesome

 

[Tam]

...glass is standard on all...

REAR glass for rear passengers is

but the one on top of driver and front passenger is not:

 

[Jason S]

I just now realized there is no sunroof option; can't open the roof. That'll be different.

 

[SoCalGuy]

I'm concerned that he said the rear was almost "uncomfortably" hot due to the glass roof - is this even with the UV coating that's supposed to block/reflect heat?

 

[sperkin]

REAR glass for rear passengers is

but the one on top of driver and front passenger is not:

Ok, I see! I thought that was all rolled into "glass top" (front and rear). The premium seats and glass top should make the $5k worth it then. Does premium include the bio-defense?

 

[McFlurri]

Nope

 

[JeffK]

I'm concerned that he said the rear was almost "uncomfortably" hot due to the glass roof - is this even with the UV coating that's supposed to block/reflect heat?

He got in a car that didn't have the AC running for very long. He noted that it was still blowing cold air. Keep in mind it's set by temp so once it hits that it shouldn't be as cool.
Any car in that situation is going to have a hot rear.

 

[Stolz25]

I'm concerned that he said the rear was almost "uncomfortably" hot due to the glass roof - is this even with the UV coating that's supposed to block/reflect heat?

He also said that the rear legroom was really tight. I've read the opposite about both of these things.

If the glass really let it heat up you'd think we'd have heard from plenty of S owners by now.

 

[JeffK]

He also said that the rear legroom was really tight. I've read the opposite about both of these things.

He probably neglected to check the position of the front seats too.

 

[Stolz25]

He probably neglected to check the position of the front seats too.

Well he sat in it to drive. Presumably the guy would have noticed if he had to move the seat forward to reach the pedals.

 

[JeffK]

Well he sat in it to drive. Presumably the guy would have noticed if he had to move the seat forward to reach the pedals.

It's difficult to tell on one hand he's writing as if in the front seat:

Above me was the all-glass roof, available only in the long-range model, and behind me and over the rear passenger's heads was the rear window glass that extends up toward the roof. This makes the rear compartment feel much more spacious, though there isn't much Tesla can do about the leg room back there which still felt cramped.

We don't know if this was from him getting back there, him looking in the back seat from the driver's seat, later that night during the Model 3 rides after the event, etc.

 

[Tam]

Ok, I see! I thought that was all rolled into "glass top" (front and rear).

For a better view from top:

Now you can 3 different sections of glass roof:

1) Windshield: standard
2) Above Driver and front passenger: Not standard. Costs more
3) Rear car window glass above rear passengers: Standard.

 

[bro1999]

He also said that the rear legroom was really tight. I've read the opposite about both of these things.

If the glass really let it heat up you'd think we'd have heard from plenty of S owners by now.

According to official specs, the 3's rear legroom is only a half inch more than the Volt. And TONS of people complain the Volt is too cramped in the rear.

 

[JeffK]

According to official specs, the 3's rear legroom is only a half inch more than the Volt. And TONS of people complain the Volt is too cramped in the rear.

It's also only 0.2 inches less than Model S.

 

[Jeff N]

It may contain errors.

Yes. It was a nice article, but it said:

This Model 3, by the way, was not the base-level, but the $44,000 model.

The car featured in the article photos was actually around $51,000 since it obviously included the premium option package, included the $1,000 premium non-black paint option, and would have included the ~$1,000 destination/delivery fee.

 

[onautopilot]

He also said that the rear legroom was really tight. I've read the opposite about both of these things.

If the glass really let it heat up you'd think we'd have heard from plenty of S owners by now.

The rear seat has really good leg room. I sat in it Friday. I was pleasantly surprised. I was even more pleasantly surprised by the head room. I have the glass roof on my S. There's more heat transfer than from a metal roof yes. But its minimal. I don't see any reason the 3 would be different.

 

[Canuck]

He said "fortunately" you can turn off the regen braking. In fact, you can only turn it down but why you would want to when one foot driving is so much better (even aside from saving the brakes and being more economical) shows he's a novice when it comes to EVs, which he readily admits.

 

[alseTrick]

I'm concerned that he said the rear was almost "uncomfortably" hot due to the glass roof - is this even with the UV coating that's supposed to block/reflect heat?

Was the car on? Was the a/c? Did he leave a door open when he sat in the back to look around? Did he adjust the back seat vents?

All unknowns. Either way, the glass is going to let in more heat than a metal roof. #science

But most comments I've seen by current owners say heat isn't a major issue. I have seen that cold coming through in the winter is a bigger concern.

Coldin Florida is a non issue for me. But I'll tint the roof with one of those solar energy blocking tints. I'm curious how the tint shop would do that on the back window though, with the two different shades of glass.

 

[alseTrick]

Did this madhable writer not do homework on the car before seeing it? He makes some decent observations but then says something about being surprised that the handles were flush with the body. I mean, wouldn't looking at a picture beforehand easily show you that?

And then he calls it a small sedan several times...before finishing by calling it a midsize sedan. Wut. Even motor trend called it a small sedan. What's up with that? Is it a "small" or "midsize"?

 

[tsla007]

What would be cool is if the middle glass piece is removable. Like a t top porsche.
Unlatch it from the inside and slide it into the trunk.