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Tesla Model 3 is “Not Fully Baked” According to Consumer Reports

Ever since the Model 3 came out, the cheapest and smallest Tesla in production nowadays has been subjected to countless opinions and reviews from just as many people and journalists. But among them, Consumer Reports holds a special status thanks to the credibility and readership of the magazine.
Tesla Model 3 7 photos
Photo: Tesla
Tesla Model 3 configuratorTesla Model 3 ConfiguratorTesla Model 3 ConfiguratorTesla Model 3 ConfiguratorTesla Model 3 ConfiguratorTesla Model 3 Configurator
Remember the 103 score out of 100 possible points episode with the Model S P85D? Through that shameful circumstance, we can ascertain that not even Consumer Reports is 100-percent objective in its… well, reports. But with the Model 3, the magazine took a different approach.

From an initial review with plenty of arguments against the mid-sized electric sedan, Consumer Reports now published the full review of the Model 3 Long Range with the rear-wheel-drive setup. Titled “fully electric but not fully baked,” the stance differs from the original story thanks to the improvements that Tesla brought to the car.

In addition to the over-the-air update that solved the anti-lock braking system’s problem, Consumer Reports didn’t repeat their complaint about the wind noise. Of course, this change of heart came after a visit to the service bay.

But on the other hand, some of the issues persist. The “overly stiff” ride, somewhat uncomfortable rear seat, the fact that it takes some time to get used to having all of the controls on the somewhat distracting infotainment screen, and the list goes on and on.

On the flip side, the 310-mile range seems like an understatement if you’re the kind of driver who uses regenerative braking as often as possible. This way, Consumer Reports managed to squeeze 350 miles from the Model 3 Long Range with rear-wheel drive, translating to 563 kilometers.

As a brief refresher, the $35,000 entry-level version of the Model 3 still isn’t available to order. The price as tested for this vehicle is $59,000 according to Consumer Reports, up $10,000 from $49,000 listed in the configurator (including the Premium Interior option). The Long Range Dual Motor starts at $54,000 while the Long Range Performance comes in at $64,000.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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