TESLA MODEL 3 FIRST DRIVE REVIEW

[Aieukl378]

I ordered my Model 3 day1 hour1 before seeing the reveal. Once revealed it blew me away...then pics of the new body tweaks started circulating...further blown away...now this Motor Trend Review with quotes like: " At speed, it gains a laser-alertness I haven’t encountered before....2.0-liter Alfa Romeo Giulia...feels like a wet sponge by comparison" further validates my decision to plunk down a grand 16 months ago. Tesla Rules!

Here's the full Motor Trend review:
EXCLUSIVE: TESLA MODEL 3 FIRST DRIVE REVIEW

 

[Candleflame]

should have spent some time on the trunk and frunk and a box test.... but meh better than nothing

 

[Stolz25]

Reading the reviews it almost sounds like Tesla paid them off. I haven't read a single negative thing about the drive. If the reviews thus far are to believed, this is the best driving car ever built.

It has made me more excited, that's for sure, but I'm trying to temper that some.

 

[AceSkywalker]

Reading the reviews it almost sounds like Tesla paid them off. I haven't read a single negative thing about the drive. If the reviews thus far are to believed, this is the best driving car ever built.

It has made me more excited, that's for sure, but I'm trying to temper that some.

This. Its too positive to take without a grain of salt. We're going to have to wait for a proper review from other automotive news outlets. Though availability of press cars could possibly not be a thing until early next year.

should have spent some time on the trunk and frunk and a box test.... but meh better than nothing

You're asking the wrong people. Motortrend's methods of testing and review cater to automotive enthusiasts, who care about driving dynamics and handling more than the typical person on this forum. Kinda like how they pushed the V8 Camaro as a superior car to a BMW M4, despite the reality that it would be like cross shopping a Tesla with a Dodge Hellcat.

 

[JeffK]

Well, I mean the whole viewing of it was under supervision. We will see real reviews later.

 

[boaterva]

Well, this is Motor Trend, it's a sports car test. It's not Consumer Reports or Edmunds (let's not start a CR thread...).

I thought it was pretty good for what it was.

Edit: And, yes, Franz was there, it was his car. They didn't hand over a real test vehicle.

 

[aronth5]

should have spent some time on the trunk and frunk and a box test.... but meh better than nothing

Here is the link to the 40 pictures they took which include both the frunk and trunk.
Exclusive: Tesla Model 3 First Drive Review - Motor Trend

 

[SDRick]

Very impressive so far!

Without seeing it or driving it, the biggest shortfall I see is the lack of steering wheel or hard button controls. This is a mistake in my opinion and somewhat dangerous. It is one thing moving vents, fan speed control, volume or answering a phone call when you are parked. In an urban environment with bumpy roads and traffic give me steering wheel controls any day.

 

[McRat]

T... they pushed the V8 Camaro as a superior car to a BMW M4...

Flying Car Logic for the win!

The retail Camaro lapped the 'Ring in about 7m16.04s. With a top speed north of 200mph, can a Camaro be considered (shudder) a SuperCar????? OMG!! The end is near, flying pigs are blocking out the sun, hell is now being used for cryo storage. The Mullet-Mobile showing $500,000++ cars it's tail-lights in their OWN DAMN BACKYARD????

An M4 might be more fashionable for hanging at Starbucks, but it's not exactly a Chevy Killer. The real sport model is not even the Camaro, which is the entry level sport model. The Corvette is the serious sport model with pricing 20% less than that of the M4, except it's a bunch faster on the track. Not even sure an M4 could catch the Cadillac 4-door.

But back to the new Camaro.

What a view from the inside! If this doesn't bring a smile to a gearhead's face, they are dead. GM Engineer Bill Wise, on OEM tires, and no engine recalibration, using the conventional 6-speed manual, nearly catches Team Porsche's professional racecar driver running non-OEM calibration, PDK, in a ultra limited edition GT3. The Camaro slaughtered the normal GT3's and 488 and Enzo Ferraris, etc.

Enjoy 7 minutes of scenery going by really fast:

 

[McRat]

I can't help but think Car & Driver was excluded due to the recent "Long Term Test Review" they published on the P85D.

 

[Aieukl378]

Since I already have a Model S I was pretty confident the 3 would perform well regardless. Just though is was nice validation from such a performance first organization such as Motor Trend.

 

[Waiting4M3]

Very impressive so far!

Without seeing it or driving it, the biggest shortfall I see is the lack of steering wheel or hard button controls. This is a mistake in my opinion and somewhat dangerous. It is one thing moving vents, fan speed control, volume or answering a phone call when you are parked. In an urban environment with bumpy roads and traffic give me steering wheel controls any day.

The test drives at delivery event shows some interesting details on the controls:

This one has some good details on door handle, HVAC, steering wheel movement, center console

Another video on how to adjust steering wheel, side mirror

one last one, not as much detail on controls

 

[BOOMER7]

 

[BOOMER7]

Elon just tweeted the above pic ^^^^

 

[Aieukl378]

Reading the reviews it almost sounds like Tesla paid them off. I haven't read a single negative thing about the drive. If the reviews thus far are to believed, this is the best driving car ever built.

It has made me more excited, that's for sure, but I'm trying to temper that some.

The reality is it's increasingly difficult to "poke holes" in a Tesla. I gave some friends a ride around town today who were all blown away...(even in my older model w/0-60 5.5 and AP1) and as I'm explaining everything I love about this vehicle...I again validate to myself "I love everything about my Tesla". The automotive press may need to find or exaggerate some perceived negatives of the Model 3 or be perceived as losing objectivity...so I thought this reviewer was showing some courage by not making anything up at the risk of being accused of being "paid off"

 

[JeffK]

They are all available in the presskit
https://teslamotors.box.com/pressfiles
tesla1press

 

[kort677]

I ordered my Model 3 day1 hour1 before seeing the reveal. Once revealed it blew me away...then pics of the new body tweaks started circulating...further blown away...now this Motor Trend Review with quotes like: " At speed, it gains a laser-alertness I haven’t encountered before....2.0-liter Alfa Romeo Giulia...feels like a wet sponge by comparison" further validates my decision to plunk down a grand 16 months ago. Tesla Rules!

Here's the full Motor Trend review:
EXCLUSIVE: TESLA MODEL 3 FIRST DRIVE REVIEW

with all due respect this review has been posted already, I was hoping for a review from an actual person in their model 3

 

[Mo City]

with all due respect this review has been posted already, I was hoping for a review from an actual person in their model 3

Might be a few weeks considering Tesla employees are first in line.

 

[Aieukl378]

with all due respect this review has been posted already, I was hoping for a review from an actual person in their model 3

Huh...I launched a search before posting and didn't see anything. Would love to see real owners in their Model 3s as well of course.

 

[Stolz25]

The reality is it's increasingly difficult to "poke holes" in a Tesla. I gave some friends a ride around town today who were all blown away...(even in my older model w/0-60 5.5 and AP1) and as I'm explaining everything I love about this vehicle...I again validate to myself "I love everything about my Tesla". The automotive press may need to find or exaggerate some perceived negatives of the Model 3 or be perceived as losing objectivity...so I thought this reviewer was showing some courage by not making anything up at the risk of being accused of being "paid off"

Fair enough. I have not gotten to drive in them, only sit, so it's possible it is as described. I just prefer to manage my expectations. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised by the car than let down because I got all hyped up for no reason.