The 2023 Tesla Model 3 was easily the neatest car that I’ve driven in the last 20 years. It wasn’t the best. It wasn’t the most exciting. But it was certainly the most interesting.
It’s nauseatingly fast (in a fun way). It’s stupidly simple to drive. I found it to be such a great daily driver that I didn’t even mind all of the panels that rattled loose in the interior.
I’ve never wanted a more boring looking bean-shaped car in my life.
My full review of the 2023 Tesla Model 3
The car you see in these pictures is a 2023 Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor Long Range. That’s a mouthful for what is essentially a very simple car. But as you’ll see, simplicity is its virtue.
First impressions
Prior to this drive, my only experience with a Model 3 was from the backseat of an Uber. I vaguely understood how the doorhandles worked. I kind of knew what ride quality was like. But knowing how to drive one? I was going to have to figure that one out quick.
I was feeling more anxiety than excitement as I sat in the driver seat for the very first time. The only other electric car that I had driven up to this point was a 2022 Ford Mach E, but the Tesla felt different. It was an odd sensation feeling like a newbie driver all over again.
Styling and design
I don’t think there’s a person on the planet who has bought a Model 3 looks alone. It’s just not that kind of car.
One of the most unique aspects about the Model 3 is that it’s classified as a 5 door. Not a 4 door. Think of it as a station wagon that looks like a bean sedan.
Every little detail of this car (from the lights, to the door handles, to the turn signals) is very well styled. I like that the designers took their time to consider every little crease, corner, and cut line.
Performance
All you need to know is that I have never driven a car as fast as the Dual Motor Model 3. It would smoke my 2012 5.0 Ford Mustang GT from a dig. Like, bad.
Straight line performance is downright brutal. Acceleration is instant, ferocious AF, and seemingly never-ending.
Tesla claims a 0 to 60 time of 3.1 seconds. I can vouch for this. It’s quick! Easily quick enough to make even the most diehard internal combustion fan a believer in the electric car revolution.
Driving dynamics
Perhaps the most shocking thing about the Model 3 (at least to me) is how fun it is to drive. They didn’t design it to be a sports car, but believe you me – it’s sporty.
The small diameter (and thicc) steering wheel feels so good. Combined with the low center of gravity, it’s actually fun to toss around. It almost makes my Mustang feel like a top-heavy full size SUV in comparison.
The interior
I hated the idea of overly simplistic Tesla interiors when I first saw them. That all changed once I finally had the chance to drive the Model 3 you see in these pics. But you know what? It’s refreshingly nice to drive a car that is seemingly as simple as a golf cart.
Storage space is actually pretty good in the ’23 Model 3. The front “frunk” is a small, but the rear trunk will easily swallow up your most egregiously sized stuff:
Rant: I hate Tesla for coming up with the idea of putting nearly every control for every function of the car into one giant touchscreen at the center of the dashboard.
Although I’m happy that they had the common sense to leave things like the turn signal and windshield wiper control alone, it ticks me off that nearly everything else is relegated to the touchscreen. Even the button to open the glove compartment for crying out loud.
Build quality
I don’t normally dedicate an entire section to build quality in my car reviews, but here we go.
There’s simply no excuse for the poor build quality of the 2023 Model 3. Interior bits were literally falling off in my hands during my one day drive. It rattled like an old truck – even on smooth roads.
Thankfully I didn’t experience any performance or technology glitches. The car ran fine, but it felt like it was falling apart.
Battery range
I was especially looking forward to driving a dual motor Model 3 (the long range version). Mostly because those two features seem contradictory to one another. My assumption was that more motors would require more battery power (which would translate to shorter range). Basically, I was wrong.
I put 150 miles on this car. I was fairly aggressive with of the throttle. I drove it on the highway, and in city traffic. The result? Battery consumption was as expected. It was a bit disconcerting to watch the percentage drop every time I mashed the throttle ripping away from the stop light though.
Pros and cons
At the very top of this review, I told you that I want one of these things for my own. It’s true. The Model 3 is so fantastically boring and simple (and fast) that I just can’t resist lusting for one as my next daily driver.
Pros
- It’s so beautifully simple. Less parts means less stuff to break over time (which is kind of important considering how poorly this thing is built).
- Straight line performance is nothing short of incredible.
- It’s shockingly fun to drive. It’s a lot more sporty than it looks!
- I ain’t never experienced air-conditioning as cold as I did in this car.
Cons
- Build quality. It’s like “1980s American cars” bad.
- Having to use the touchscreen display for even the simplest of functions is maddening.
- “Long Range” won’t mean that much if you can’t resist ripping away from every stoplight at full throttle.
