Is the 2021 Tesla Model 3 a good car?
Yes.
5 of 7checks
- First car: 3 of 5. Price $44,990. Class median $38,950.
- Off-road: 5.5 in clearance. Top 100% of 132.
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $3.20. Power 17 cents per kWh.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | Yes | 3 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 3 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | Yes | $35 vs $107 a month |
| Seniors | Yes | 2 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | No | 5.5 in, top 100% |
| Worth the money | Yes | 1% below predicted |
| Good buy | Yes | No rival beats it |
- Each check compares the cheapest trim with the number to its class.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of its checks.
Is the Model 3 a good family car?
Yes. Passes 3 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 35.2 in | Median 35.9 in | 80 | No |
| Rear headroom | 37.7 in | Median 37.3 in | 80 | Yes |
| Cargo behind the last row | 19.8 cu ft | Median 14.7 cu ft | 74 | Yes |
Is the Model 3 a good first car?
No. Passes 3 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $44,990 | Median $38,950 | 83 | No |
| Horsepower | 271 hp | 147 hp to 335 hp | 86 | Yes |
| Length | 184.8 in | Median 192.9 in | 81 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 38.8 ft | Median 37.9 ft | 82 | No |
| Fuel cost per mile | 4.0 cents | Median 12.3 cents | 81 | Yes |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the Model 3 a good commuter car?
Yes. $35 a month to commute. Class median $107.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $35
- Median of 81 sedans
- $107
Is the Model 3 a good car for seniors?
Yes. Passes 2 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 5.5 in clearance, 56.8 in tall | 5.1 to 5.5 in clearance, 56.4 to 57.9 in tall | 59 | Yes |
| Front headroom | 40.3 in | Median 38.6 in | 79 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 38.8 ft | Median 37.9 ft | 82 | No |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the Model 3 a good off-road vehicle?
No. 5.5 in clearance. Top 100% of 132 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- Long Range AWD, 5.5 in
- Cohort
- 132 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the Model 3 worth the money?
Yes. Priced 1% below cars like it.
- Price, Standard Range Plus RWD
- $44,990
- Predicted price
- $45,481
- Gap
- -$491 (-1%)
- Model error
- 14% median, 277 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2021 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the Model 3 a good buy?
Yes. No rival beats it on all four.
Compared with 497 trims of other makes, sedans, 2021.
What this cannot tell you
No safety, reliability or insurance data.
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
- 2 or more sources
- 1 source
- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree