Why should I get a 3 instead of a Y?

[Mo City]

We have a 3 LR and Y LR.

From the driver's perspective, the 3 is better in every way. It accelerates, handles and flat out responds better than the Y. Only (possible) drawback is it is lower to the ground. Low enough that some people are bothered by it.

From a utility standpoint, the Y blows away the 3. Passenger's will be more comfortable and it has way more cargo space. If you like being higher off the ground, the Y is for you.

My advice:

If you are single, don't have passengers often and don't mind being low to the ground compared to other vehicles, the 3 is the best choice. I got mine in 2018 and wouldn't trade it for any car (except a newer 3). It feels like you are one with the car and it will do anything you ask.

If you have a family and this will be your #1 car, take a close look at the Y. It's clearly better to ride in as a passenger, feels roomier and is a superior all-purpose vehicle.

My 3 was our #1 vehicle for two years but my wife hated the low ride and the jerkiness (the car's responsiveness doesn't feel good to passengers). Got the Y last month and she's on cloud 9. It smooths the rough edges of the 3.

Bottom line: If you have a family, the 3 may not be a good #1 car. If it's just you, the 3 is an awesome driving experience.

 

[LoganNolag]

@LoganNolag, sounds like you’re core considerations are range/price (3) and space (Y). My suggestion, get the Y. Under most conditions, the range difference won’t make a difference. Price? My wife and I have a saying “spend money once.” If you get a 3, you’re likely going to regret spending that little bit extra to get what you really want; space.

My considerations for a 3 don’t line up with yours at all, so my perspective won’t help.

Yeah thats basically what I'm thinking.

 

[JBT66]

I love my 3, but am trading it in for a Performance Y. When my wife’s Explorer lease is up we are going to give 1 car a shot for while. Not sure what we’ll do after that. Probably get an S or Cybertruck.

 

[father_of_6]

To me, the Model Y is a slower, more expensive, worse handling version of the same car I already have now

Same here. I saw a red Y with white interior recently and it was really nice looking, but personally I prefer the form factor of the M3. My last car (ICE) was a sedan, my new car (M3LR) is a sedan, just *much* better.

I actually need someone to explain to me what the Y has over the 3... I just don't see it. Are hatchbacks somehow *better*? I put my M3 rear seats down today and transported a big orange U-Haul furniture dolly in it. I've also "camped" in the trunk with the rear seats down and hung out with my kids with the Nintendo Switch up on the back... 3 of us laying down in the back playing Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune ... does the Y really have "better" space?

The one factor I can understand between the two is the height at which you sit. Some people just like sitting higher up. I get that. For me, M3 was the right choice.

 

[JohnnyEV]

Same here. I saw a red Y with white interior recently and it was really nice looking, but personally I prefer the form factor of the M3. My last car (ICE) was a sedan, my new car (M3LR) is a sedan, just *much* better.

I actually need someone to explain to me what the Y has over the 3... I just don't see it. Are hatchbacks somehow *better*? I put my M3 rear seats down today and transported a big orange U-Haul furniture dolly in it. I've also "camped" in the trunk with the rear seats down and hung out with my kids with the Nintendo Switch up on the back... 3 of us laying down in the back playing Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune ... does the Y really have "better" space?

The one factor I can understand between the two is the height at which you sit. Some people just like sitting higher up. I get that. For me, M3 was the right choice.

Yes, a lot more space all around. There are videos on YouTube that show the differences. You should go see one in person if it's possible for you. My M3 is fine for small trips with fam (3 kids, Two are teens the size of adults lol) around town and dropping the kids off at school. However if we are traveling for any real amount of time (longer than 30mins) we take the Y. The difference in back seat legroom/sitting position is major for your rear passengers and your sanity if you have kids.

 

[Ferengii]

If you’re planning to sleep in the car, the Y is a much better choice. Overall, I think if you take long trips, the Y’s utility also makes it more advantageous. Other than those two significant items, I prefer the 3.

 

[RedWhite19]

I agree that the Model 3 is quicker. I also don’t believe they are the same at the 0-60 times. Either the Model 3 SR+ is faster than 5.3 or the SR MY is slower than 5.3. No way are they the same. I’ve driven the SR MY for a few days now and when I hop to the SR+, I can definitely feel the difference. But I’ve been looking at some pictures of Model Y dolled up, they look great(Like this picture below). I’ll definitely need to put some new rims on it.

 

[LoganNolag]

If you’re planning to sleep in the car, the Y is a much better choice. Overall, I think if you take long trips, the Y’s utility also makes it more advantageous. Other than those two significant items, I prefer the 3.

I don't really do that very often but I really like having the ability to if I want.

 

[Bet TSLA]

Why did you buy a 3 instead of Y or vice versa?

There was no Y when I bought my 3. Hell, there was barely a 3 at that time. I've had a Model Y reserved since reservations became available, but in this plague year my cars mostly sit in my driveway, so I've put off my purchase. If choosing between the 3 and the Y now, I'd get a Y LR 5-seater, for the hatch and the additional room, and the towing capability. Range is more important than extra performance.

 

[LoganNolag]

There was no Y when I bought my 3. Hell, there was barely a 3 at that time. I've had a Model Y reserved since reservations became available, but in this plague year my cars mostly sit in my driveway, so I've put off my purchase. If choosing between the 3 and the Y now, I'd get a Y LR 5-seater, for the hatch and the additional room, and the towing capability. Range is more important than extra performance.

Yeah my last car was a lemon and it was bought back last March. Due to Covid and the fact that I haven't really left my house in a year I didn't bother to replace it. I'm not going to buy a car until things have cooled down but I have a vaccine appointment for next week some I'm starting to think about what car to get since hopefully it will be safe to start doing things again in the next few months.

 

[Kandiru]

Super happy with my 3. I prefer better performance rather than more space.
Ideal would be a 3 with a hatchback, though.

This is why I may just move into another MS in 2023.

 

[one2many]

Who cares about the "use model" . Buy the fastest biggest battery Tesla
you can afford. I say let the others walk, where is my beer.

 

[techzelle]

One more consideration, if you buy into the robo-taxi story, is that the Model Y makes for a better taxi.

 

[holmgang]

3 looks more like a car and less like a computer mouse

 

[techzelle]

Are hatchbacks somehow *better*? I put my M3 rear seats down today and transported a big orange U-Haul furniture dolly in it. I've also "camped" in the trunk with the rear seats down and hung out with my kids with the Nintendo Switch up on the back... 3 of us laying down in the back playing Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune ... does the Y really have "better" space?

For the most part it doesn't matter.
As you start putting in more and larger boxes, it becomes more convenient to have the larger opening of a hatch.
It gets to a point where a box is too large to fit in the sedan opening, but could fit into a hatch.
Sometimes you can put it in the passenger seat with the seat reclined, sometimes it just won't fit in the car.
That's when you pull your hair out and phone a friend who has a hatchback.

So the pain factor is a matter of how often you put large items in the trunk.
For me it's not that often. Most things I order online and get delivered to the front door.

The point though, all things considered the hatch back access is simply better than a sedan trunk.
There is no practical advantage of the sedan trunk. It's just cosmetics for some, or design tradeoffs, etc.

That said, while the model Y hatchback is an advantage, it comes with far too many negatives for me to choose it over the model 3.

 

[father_of_6]

Makes sense. It's like a desk worker owning a truck. That one time a year it really comes in handy.

 

[Mahamilto]

You really have to go drive them. I knew I was going Performance model, and both the MYP and the M3P were insanely good. Lots of things about the Y I liked, but one thing held me up and it was a non-starter.

Drivers position.

With the 3 you slide into the car, and feel more like your legs are extended and the steering whee comes out to you. For lack of a better description, you sit under the wheel in a way.

The Y I felt like a bus driver. No matter where I put the seat, the wheel never felt in the right place, and my legs were more bent like being in a chair at a desk. I actually went back again to drive the MYP (because the space and stuff really was appealing) and loved it. Then I sat in a 3 (not even drove. Just sat) and it was game over. Felt like home.

 

[bjrosen]

One more consideration, if you buy into the robo-taxi story, is that the Model Y makes for a better taxi.

That's about the worst reason for buying a Model Y. Even if you believe that FSD will reach Level 5 in the next few years why would anyone want to turn their personal car into a taxi? I don't want strangers and their germs in my car, I don't want drunks throwing up in my car, the idea of owning a taxi is incredibly unappealing. I also don't think there is any money in it, Uber drivers barely make minimum wage. The only place that taxis make sense is in big cities where parking is difficult and expensive. There is a reason that towns and suburbs have never had taxi services, aside from airport limos they don't serve a purpose. When every place you go has ample free parking why would you want to wait for a taxi when you can just take your own car.

 

[arghx7]

You'd be surprised how much space a 3 has. It's actually more usable space than a lot of smaller ICE crossovers and mid sized ICE sedans. It's not as much as a Y but if you are familiar with a lot of "family car" segments like a Camry it's not so different. For example the rated trunk space in a Camry is 15.3 cubic feet and a Model 3 is 15 cubic feet.

 

[arghx7]

The point though, all things considered the hatch back access is simply better than a sedan trunk.
There is no practical advantage of the sedan trunk. It's just cosmetics for some, or design tradeoffs, etc.

It's true that you can fit more into a hatchback, especially with the seats down. However if you care about rear visibility you can only put so much in there. That matters less for short trips than for road trips. So it's pretty helpful to do your stereotypical IKEA or Home Depot run. However I think most people don't want to pile the hatch up to the ceiling of the car and then drive 5 hours. In that case the space difference between having a trunk and a hatch is less than it appears.