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Tesla Model 3
Owner Verdict · Mid-size electric sedan

Tesla Model 3

One reviewer drives a car for a week. We read what owners and long-term testers say after living with it, in Australia and the US.

Owner Verdict score
Efficient, quick and quiet. Screens and camera-only aids divide owners.

Editorial score from 6 owner and expert sources (how we score). Not a statistical average. October 2026. Covers 2020–2025 cars; the 2024 'Highland' update rides better and is quieter, but drops stalks and parking sensors.

Score breakdown

Running costs9.0
Cheap home charging and little routine maintenance
Charging network9.0
Superchargers make long trips easy; a 5,540 km owner trip went smoothly
Performance & handling8.5
Responsive, fun and planted
Cabin quietness8.0
Highland owners compare highway noise to a Mercedes E-Class
Software & updates7.5
OTA updates and cameras liked; no CarPlay; voice commands misfire
Real-world range6.0
Owners report well below the claim, especially older RWD cars
Driver assist & parking aids5.5
Phantom braking reports; camera-only parking distances unreliable
After-sales service6.5
Generally good, but centres far from regional owners; slow replies for some

What owners love

Cheap to runEspecially with home solar or off-peak charging.
Fun to driveQuick, responsive and stable on the road.
SuperchargersInterstate trips without charging stress.
Comfort (Highland)Speed bumps "perfectly without discomfort", vented seats work well.
Software that improvesTrouble-free OTA updates for years.

What owners complain about

Touchscreen for everythingWipers, climate and, on Highland, indicators and gears are on screen or buttons.
Phantom brakingSudden braking reported at highway speed, including while overtaking road trains.
Range shortfallOne owner gets mid-300s km against a claimed 480 km.
Camera-only parking aidsHighland parking distances judged untrustworthy.
Low ride heightOne owner bottomed out on rutted roads several times.

Real range vs the brochure

Older Rear-Wheel Drive (pre-2024). Claimed range 480 km, as quoted by the owner.

Claimed (owner-quoted)
480 km
100%
Owner, real world
350 km
73%

A single ProductReview owner's figure; treat it as one data point. The 2024 Highland RWD has a higher claimed range. Range drops faster at highway speed and in heat.

Known issues & fixes

Power-steering assist may drop (2022–23 cars)Fixed
Recall, 297 cars

OTA update; software 2023.38.4 or later is not affected.

Phantom or unexpected brakingHigh
Sometimes

Report it; OTA updates have reduced it for many owners.

Voice commands misfireLow
Common

Use steering-wheel controls for key functions.

Camera-only parking distance errors (Highland)Low
Common

Use the camera views, not the distance readout.

Suspension bushing and control-arm wearMedium
Common at high km

Check at service, especially on older cars.

Seat creak, rattles, water at boot or lightsLow
Sometimes

Warranty fixes; one seat creak needed two visits.

Hot cabin under the glass roofLow
Common

Sunshade and cabin overheat protection.

Owners in their own lives

Summarised in our words from the reports listed below.

NSW Central Coast · 5,540 km trip

Long Range owner who toured NSW, Victoria and SA, including dirt roads. No faults or warranty claims; nearest service centre over an hour away.

NSW highway driver

Sudden braking at about 70 km/h while overtaking road trains; posted as a safety warning.

Recent buyer · 3-year-old car

Likes the drive, but range in the mid-300s and the car bottomed out on ruts six times.

Early Highland owners (US)

Much more comfortable and solid, but the camera-only parking aids are "rubbish".

What it costs to drive 100 km

Using the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive's official energy use of 10.1 kWh/100 km and today's Melbourne prices.

Home, standard rateiSource: Essential Services Commission – Victorian Default Offer 2026–27 (flat rates 26–32c/kWh across Melbourne networks) · checked 31 Oct 2026$2.83per 100 km at 28c/kWh
Home, overnight off-peakiSource: Essential Services Commission – Victorian Default Offer 2026–27 time-of-use off-peak (9pm–11am, 21–23c/kWh) · checked 31 Oct 2026$2.22per 100 km at 22c/kWh
Public fast chargeriSource: Canberra Times – cost of fast charging (Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla, BP Pulse: 59–79c/kWh, July 2026) · checked 31 Oct 2026$7.57per 100 km at 75c/kWh

Compared with petrol, hybrid and diesel

Tesla Model 3 · home chargingElectric · charged at home
$2.83
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (2WD)Hybrid SUV · 4.5 L/100 kmiSource: CarsGuide – 2026 RAV4 hybrid official fuel use
$10.71
Mazda CX-5 G25Petrol SUV · 7.4 L/100 kmiSource: Cars24 – 2026 Mazda CX-5 price and specs
$17.60
Toyota HiLux SR5 2.8 dieselDiesel ute · 7.2 L/100 kmiSource: CarExpert – 2026 HiLux SR5 price and specs
$20.15

Your yearly fuel bill

This EV$424
Petrol SUV$2,641
Hybrid SUV$1,606
You save vs petrol$2,216$11,082 over 5 years

Electricity: Victorian Default Offer 2026–27iSource: Essential Services Commission – Victorian Default Offer 2026–27 (flat rates 26–32c/kWh across Melbourne networks) · checked 31 Oct 2026. Public charging: typical network pricesiSource: Canberra Times – cost of fast charging (Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla, BP Pulse: 59–79c/kWh, July 2026) · checked 31 Oct 2026. Fuel: Melbourne median prices, 29 Oct 2026iSource: FuelCrisis.com.au – Greater Melbourne median unleaded 91, 29 Oct 2026 · checked 31 Oct 2026. Energy and fuel use are official laboratory figures (WLTP for EVs, ADR 81/02 for petrol, hybrid and diesel). Real-world use is usually higher for every car, and EVs also lose a little energy while charging. Solar or an EV electricity plan can cost much less. Checked 31 Oct 2026.

Buy it if…

  • Running costs and efficiency matter most
  • You want easy interstate trips on Superchargers
  • You enjoy a sporty, responsive car
  • You mostly drive on sealed roads

Sources (6)

Every claim on this page comes from these reports. AI-assisted research, checked by a human editor. We don't accept payment for verdicts.
  1. ProductReview.com.au – Model 3 RWD owner reviews (3.9/5, 18 reviews)
  2. Owner blog – Model 3 Long Range, NSW Central Coast
  3. InsideEVs – First Model 3 Highland owner opinions
  4. Recharged – Model 3 common problems 2026
  5. Basenor – Model 3 Highland problem guide
  6. The Courier – Model 3 and Model Y steering recall (Australia)

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