Tesla Model 3 Performance is here. Here are 5 things that make it great, and 3 drawbacks. (2024)

FAQs

What does the Model 3 performance have? ›

New Model 3 Performance has significant design differentiation compared to base vehicles, including front and rear fascias, spoiler, front splitter, and rear diffuser. These new design elements are not just aesthetic – they provide significant aerodynamic performance and better end-to-end air flow.

Model 3 benefits from the same features that make our other vehicles so safe: energy-absorbing side sills, a fortified battery pack mounted low in the vehicle to reduce rollover risk and a metal body structure that can withstand many times the car's weight.

Opting for the Model 3 Performance brings added power and performance parts that significantly elevate the capabilities of the car. The Performance upgrade includes visual enhancements like 20-inch wheels, upgraded brakes, carbon fiber trunk lid spoiler, and aluminum alloy pedals.

The Tesla Model 3 has the best value retention at a five-year depreciation rate of 42.9%. That outpaces the average for the segment by 6.2 percentage points, but still lags the industry average of 38.8%.

For the Model 3, it's sticking to Performance. The performance trim of the company's top-selling electric sedan will get 510 horsepower and 741 Nm of torque — a step above the 470 horsepower that was achievable in the 2019 performance trim — and can hit a top speed of 163 mph.

Tesla took a unique approach to establish itself in the market. Instead of trying to build a relatively affordable car that it could mass-produce and market, it took the opposite approach, focusing instead on creating a compelling car that would create a demand for electric vehicles.

All new Tesla cars have the capability for full self-driving. Intended to enhance safety and make driving easier, the autopilot feature can steer, accelerate and brake, all on its own. There's also a Smart Summon feature that's a part of the Tesla autopilot and lets you park or retrieve your car using a command button.

An analysis of car recalls from 2014 to 2023 by US automotive research firm iSeeCars shows that Tesla's Model Y was the most recalled car in the US. Between September 2020 and November 2023, Tesla had 24 Model Y recalls, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Is the Tesla Model 3 reliable? Tesla came a respectable tenth (out of 32 brands) in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. The pre-facelifted Model 3 (2019-2023) did quite well too, coming eighth out of 20 models in the electric car category.

What is the main problem with Tesla? ›

The brakes will sometime slam without warning. The range is often inflated. Autopilot is a mess. And now, according to Reuters, the suspension and steering columns on “tens of thousands” of Tesla vehicles are experiencing premature failure — sometimes after just a couple hundred miles of ownership.

The new-for-2024 Performance trim ups the ante with a host of upgrades. This model is the only Model 3 that comes with a sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers.

A dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, which supplies 510 horsepower, powers the 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance. According to Tesla, this system can rocket the Performance from zero-to-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds. With an estimated range of 296 miles, the Performance sacrifices range for enhanced speed.

There are three core trim levels for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles — the Standard Range RWD trim, the Long Range AWD trim, and the Performance AWD trim. The Performance version of the car comes with more power, is quicker, and is more expensive than the Long Range version.

The Model 3 can get up to 374 miles of range, while the Model S can travel up to 394 miles on a single charge. You also benefit from self-driving capabilities, which take the strain off motorway slogs because the car can take the wheel and use an advanced adaptive cruise control system to do all the heavy lifting.

Autopilot is a suite of advanced driver assistance features that are intended to make driving safer and less stressful. None of these features make Model 3 fully autonomous or replace you as the driver. Autopilot features come standard with all new Tesla vehicles.