Model 3 Notchback Trunk - Deal-Killer?

[eloder]

No, the vehicle we are looking for is a 5 door. The "three box" sedan design is inferior, and this vertical trunk hole appears particularly inferior.

Yea, and five door barely exists in this segment.

And those that do, tend not to have gorgeous, spacious long glass roofs like the Model 3.

They've chosen a design direction for the M3 just like they did the MX. Whether you like it or not, that's the direction they're going.

The Model S is your big, bulky, plywood-hauling vehicle. The Model 3 and Model X are more practical people movers, and their cargo capabilities reflect being good people movers.

With shorter wheelbases you tend to get hatchbacks or notchbacks, this isn't some sort of Tesla oddity but a practical design decision well-established by the automotive industry. Having good rear headroom with a liftback of a short wheelbase just doesn't tend to be possible.

 

[thelastdeadmouse]

I'm not cancelling my reservation, but the trunk is VERY disappointing for me. My current car is a Volt, and its liftback\hatchback design has allowed me to haul:

A pellet stove
A 5 foot tall four drawer antique wooden filing cabinet
A cabinet saw
A 22-inch drum sander AND dust collector
An antique dining table with a full set of chairs.
Sheets of plywood cut into thirds (32x48)
Multiple sets of tires.
40 gallon hot water heater

Out of all of these, only 1 or 2 could possibly fit through that trunk opening. Its really disappointing that I'll be switching to a car that has more cargo room, but much less cargo utility. This is why hatchbacks \ liftbacks are such a superior design, they just offer so much flexibility for their form factor. I'm really hoping that part of the Part 2 future announcement will be a liftback or hatchback option.

 

[dctrombly]

People are talking against the idea of a hatchback/5 door like it's some kind of technical impossibility in this segment. Ummm VW Golf, Audi A3, Ford Focus, Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Chevy Cruze; I'm confused why this is such a feat. Tesla literally just had to add another bar & joint for the trunk to pivot, exactly like the Model S, which they've already implemented perfectly. The body shape of the Model 3 begs for a hatch even more than the Model S, with its steeper rear downward slope. This is a massive disappointment for a company who constantly brags about the functionality and versatility of their vehicles. Luckily it's just a prototype so I really doubt such an oversight won't be addressed, so I'll be holding on to my spot in the queue.

 

[gregincal]

I just hope the frunk will be more convenient to use than the model S (no push down with one hand and bump it closed with my bottom while holding groceries).

 

[PaulJB]

I'm not cancelling my reservation, but the trunk is VERY disappointing for me. My current car is a Volt, and its liftback\hatchback design has allowed me to haul:

A pellet stove
A 5 foot tall four drawer antique wooden filing cabinet
A cabinet saw
A 22-inch drum sander AND dust collector
An antique dining table with a full set of chairs.
Sheets of plywood cut into thirds (32x48)
Multiple sets of tires.
40 gallon hot water heater

Out of all of these, only 1 or 2 could possibly fit through that trunk opening. Its really disappointing that I'll be switching to a car that has more cargo room, but much less cargo utility. This is why hatchbacks \ liftbacks are such a superior design, they just offer so much flexibility for their form factor. I'm really hoping that part of the Part 2 future announcement will be a liftback or hatchback option.

Dang, dude, you need a truck. JK. I'm impressed with what you're doing with the Volt. I, personally, would rather beat up an old truck with that stuff than a new $35K+ car.

 

[PaulJB]

People are talking against the idea of a hatchback/5 door like it's some kind of technical impossibility in this segment. Ummm VW Golf, Audi A3, Ford Focus, Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Chevy Cruze; I'm confused why this is such a feat. Tesla literally just had to add another bar & joint for the trunk to pivot, exactly like the Model S, which they've already implemented perfectly. The body shape of the Model 3 begs for a hatch even more than the Model S, with its steeper rear downward slope. This is a massive disappointment for a company who constantly brags about the functionality and versatility of their vehicles. Luckily it's just a prototype so I really doubt such an oversight won't be addressed, so I'll be holding on to my spot in the queue.

How many of the cars you mention are long range EVs starting at $35K? Its not the liftback portion that is a technical impossibility. Its making a sexy looking, highly aerodynamic sedan with good interior space, and long range (200+ miles) for $35K that is near technological sorcery to achieve. I was quite impressed with their scheme for making the car more aerodynamic while maintaining rear headroom using a glass roof.

I doubt they change the design. That would require a substantial redesign of the structure of the vehicle pretty late in the game.

 

[ucla107]

Man I was hoping it'll be a lift back

 

[sg021]

Would have preferred a lift back, but what they showed is fine. At least there's a frunk for extra storage.

I already went through the can model x haul all the things and all the kids on all the trips. This car only needs to fit two forward facing and one rear facing car seat across the second row with room for groceries somewhere and it's a done deal.

 

[jdorff]

while maintaining rear headroom using a glass roof.

I've owned a BMW 3-series and an Audi A4. I've also known many people shopping in this segment. Not once was "rear headroom" a consideration. I transported my kids in the A4 frequently, and head room was never a consideration.

Unless you are an Uber driver, who frequently transports adults in the rear seat of a small car?

 

[Red Sage]

People are talking against the idea of a hatchback/5 door like it's some kind of technical impossibility in this segment. Ummm VW Golf, Audi A3, Ford Focus, Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Chevy Cruze; I'm confused why this is such a feat.

Well, those cars are mostly rather ugly. And, generally speaking only the A3 and Prius are anywhere near being competitors with Tesla Model ☰. Most expect that a 'hatchback' in this segment would be along the lines of the supremely ugly Lexus CT 200h. I was very much hoping for the utility of a Liftback, because it would have made purchasing a Sedan more palatable to me. As I mentioned before, I think I can settle in and wait for a Coupe at this point. Or, at least until the Tesla Model ☰ Reveal Part II comes along.

I doubt they change the design. That would require a substantial redesign of the structure of the vehicle pretty late in the game.

What I gathered from watching the animation behind Elon last night was that the car was very much designed from the inside out to accomplish a particular set of goals. So, yeah... Even though this is still pretty early in the game, I expect quite a bit is set in stone for this particular vehicle already. But, it would be really, really nice if the guys at Tesla Motors were to switch this car to a Liftback, even if it meant three pieces of glass instead of only two from front to back across the roof.

 

[dhanson865]

The major benefit of the Model 3 trunk design is the lack of damage that can occur when a large hatch hits a garage ceiling.

For what I carry 99% of the time, this design works fine. Recycling may require some smaller containers or the use of the side doors. Furniture delivery can be done by the store. Not everything fits in Model S or X, it isn't a problem for me.

The thing I used to love a hatch for is TVs from best buy or another box store. Amazon and ups/fedex/usps fixed that one for me. Besides with 70" to 100" TVs likely to be common in 2018 and on will you really try to shove one of those into a hatch?

 

[Kyuu]

I don't really get all the defense for this decision. If you don't care about usable cargo space, that's fine. But all the arguments thus far are nonsense.

This is NOT a compact car. It's well into mid-size sedan territory. Even if it was compact, there exist compacts with liftbacks.

It's irrelevant whether whatever other cars you cherry-pick to compare it to have liftbacks or not. Other vehicles in the Model S's "class" don't have liftbacks either. Yet the Model S still does. And I haven't heard any complaints about the Model S's liftback impeding rear seat headroom; unsurprising, since the presence or lack of a liftback has nothing to do with rear headroom.

The only reason not to have a liftback is to keep the glass roof as a single piece. Sure, it's nice aesthetically, but the utility gained by a liftback far outweighs concerns over having to separate the glass roof into two separate pieces. Not to mention those who choose a conventional roof get screwed out of a liftback for no reason whatsoever.

I'm not cancelling my preorder because I'm hoping that they simply weren't able to get the final liftback design ready in time for the unveiling or somesuch, and will have something to show later. But if they keep the crappy little trunk-hole, it's a really bafflingly bad decision in what is otherwise a wonderful vehicle.

 

[TaoJones]

If I bought a 100" tv, I'd have it delivered.

Anyone care to take a stab at the linear distance between the front seatbacks and the aft end of the interior with the rear seats folded down and ostensibly flat?

Curious to know if there's enough room to sleep back there without doing an impression of a corkscrew during camping trips.

 

[808?]

Looks perfectly fine for me, why do people carry around so much junk?

 

[WarpedOne]

Looks perfectly fine for me, why do people carry around so much junk?

Just because they can.

My first car had a liftback, I used it once or twice. My current car is a notchback coupe.
I cannot even fit 4 replacement tires in there any more. What do i do? I just don't.

I will be happy if 3 gets a hatch, and am ecstatic I am finally in the process of getting a tesla.
Notch, hatch, blahblah, don't really mind. I am also very happy there are reservation cancellations, don't expect me trying to talk you out of it.

What I am thinking about is why go this notch route.
Lower chassis weight? Lower cost? Higher strength? Probably all of it.

 

[Kurt Foster]

Okay, the Model 3 is a mix of ALL previous Tesla cars... Just think about it:

- Its got the front hood (area where logo is) of the Roadster
- The front hood edges of a Model S
- And the Rear of a Model X

Notice any other similarities? Please reply to comment. Thanks!

 

[irvineboy]

Will this tiny trunk fit a baby car stroller?

Will the back middle seat fit a backwards baby car seat?

 

[neroden]

I believe this is the best possible way to make an electric car at this price point as of now. Some compromises are definitely there. But as of now, this decision has a benefit for Tesla that it will discourage people to go from Model S to Model 3.

As an investor I have to second this opinion. The Model S will avoid the "Osborne effect" partly because the hatchback makes it a definite improvement over Model 3 for a lot of people.

 

[neroden]

If you can get a bike in back without removing handlebars I am good with it.

This should be the standard Tesla should aim for. It's a straightfoward test and a lot of people care about it.

 

[ggnykk]

Man I was hoping it'll be a lift back

Model 3 will have fold-down rear seat like the Model S. It has to, otherwise the 7 foot surf board that Elon mentioned in the event won't fit in Model 3.

I bet some people don't want a lift back, especially in cold climate. Your rear passengers get very cold whenever you lift the back and the cold air rush in.