[karan561]

Likes;

- Acceleration & Instant Torque
- Gadgetry
- Space
- Ride Quality

Dislikes;

- Steering Feel (Vague for cornering & fun)
- Lack of Buttons (Everything, right from the mirrors to the AC vents have to be controlled via the screen which can be distracting & irritating)

Concerns;

- Long Term Reliability
- Battery Recyclability

VIDEO;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2vw63YXdew&t=173s

The video consists of some acceleration pulls, discussion on performance, ride quality & handling as a 1st time Tesla driver;



A talk about the minimalistic interior + the 15" screen;



& the recharging experience;



Other Key Mentions;

- The car can be accessed via its app, but as mine was a rental i had a KEY, just like a credit card or your hotel room key, TESLA provide this cool solution, impressive for short term but long term i think you will miss inserting the key & cranking the engine as that's a lot more emotional.



- Things like adjusting the steering too has to be accessed via the steering and adjust via the audio control knobs on the wheel.



- There are no door levers inside the cabin as the doors open with a push of a button.

- The maps were great & never lagged.

- The maps with the real time traffic also had some cool graphics of the cars around & those would turn red if they are too close & activate the steering correction.



- To open the trunk and also the glove box you have to access the screen.

- Roof is all glass and goes all the way upto the trunk. Point to be noted is that it doesn't open at all.



- The leather used for the seats is vegan (not sure why, may be just a fancy way for saying synthetic)



- Should have no maintenance and very low running cost in the initial years.

- Exteriors, the looks are subjective but my spec. did look the part in this white with dark rims combo;



- Ground clearance is kinda low, for India it will need correction. ​

- Cameras all around do record stuff too;



With no engine, even the front has decent storage;



Conclusion;

I had the Model 3 with me for about 3 days and drove aprox 300 miles in an around LA, California. To conclude things it will be fair to say that the Model 3 is an very attractive package for both the young and old audience out there. Even the enthusiast will like it for it's speed & performance.
But it still feels like an electronic appliance and in the long term if the parts start to fail, it may not be as easy to fix as our conventional mechanical cars & that time this may feel just like an disposable electronic device.
Being a petrol head & not much of a fan of EV's this was a refreshing experience for me, however I did not really fancy owning one after driving it.
If this is the future i'd like to own one eventually & not grab it immediately.

[bigron]

I share a similar opinion. I had the Tesla Model S with me for 2 days when I was visiting acquaintances in NY back in January this year. It had the space and the performance but I never felt comfortable in it nor sitting shotgun nor as a driver.
It had a very weird vibe to it all along and that front 50 inch(??) screen on the dash was one of the most frustrating things I had seen and used in a car. It is big, crowded, complex and frankly not really that slick. Sometimes you just want to press a simple hard button.

The vehicle is path breaking no doubt and makes you think that if this is available right now, the future looks bright for EV.
I for one will still stick to the oil burner for a lot more years.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by bigron

I share a similar opinion. I had the Tesla Model S with me for 2 days when I was visiting acquaintances in NY back in January this year. It had the space and the performance but I never felt comfortable in it nor sitting shotgun nor as a driver.

Well, good to know that. But let me also tell you that Model S though a Tesla feels old now compared to the Tesla Model 3. Do note the Model S is almost 7 years old now.
Also coming to the display of both the cars the Model S boasts two digital displays. The Model 3’s horizontal center display is smaller vs. ModelS' vertical, center display (17-inch), still the Model 3 ends up looking more futuristic from the interior (may be because of the bold move of eliminating the cluster). I personally preferred the 15-inch landscape display in Model 3.

The vehicle is path breaking no doubt and makes you think that if this is available right now, the future looks bright for EV.
I for one will still stick to the oil burner for a lot more years.

[51morris]

Originally Posted by bigron

I share a similar opinion. I had the Tesla Model S with me for 2 days when I was visiting acquaintances in NY back in January this year. It had the space and the performance but I never felt comfortable in it nor sitting shotgun nor as a driver.
It had a very weird vibe to it all along and that front 50 inch(??) screen on the dash was one of the most frustrating things I had seen and used in a car. It is big, crowded, complex and frankly not really that slick. Sometimes you just want to press a simple hard button.

The vehicle is path breaking no doubt and makes you think that if this is available right now, the future looks bright for EV.
I for one will still stick to the oil burner for a lot more years.

Although I have not driven a Tesla, but have spoken to quite a few people who have. Strangely, almost everyone had the same thing to say! The drive is exhilarating but something is missing. And that touchscreen, it is overly complicated. Perhaps because Telsa has tried to get rid of almost ALL buttons and controls and crammed them all into the head unit. I have never been a fan of touchscreen controls (even for small things such as switching radio channels). Its not an easy thing to do especially while driving. Tactile buttons (that stay where you last left them!) are always easy to hit without looking away from the road.

[dean5545]

Eye opening insights on the Tesla there. I feel it's more of a gadget than a car.
Tesla has managed to appease the demands of the gizmo geek in oneself, but can't say the same about the petrol head in me. It's a perfect upgrade to the Toyota Yaris I believe, taking people from point A to B in a much more environment friendly manner.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by dean5545

Eye opening insights on the Tesla there.

Thanks

It's a perfect upgrade to the Toyota Yaris I believe, taking people from point A to B in a much more environment friendly manner.

Yaris ? IMO you meant an upgrade for Prius owners ? Which is true as i think someone from our forum too who had an Toyota Prius got himself a Tesla Model 3

[RGK]

Thanks Karan for your detailed update about Tesla.

I too had small experience few months back and have updated my post below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...model-x-6.html

[dean5545]

Originally Posted by karan561

Yaris ? IMO you meant an upgrade for Prius owners ? Which is true as i think someone from our forum too who had an Toyota Prius got himself a Tesla Model 3

Sorry, I meant the Toyota Prius. Don't know why I wrote Yaris.

[karan561]

Some pics of the Model 3 loaded with luggage;



Making use of the 60:40 split seats;

[GTO]

Just took the Model 3 dual-motor out for a breakfast run. LOVED IT . It's fascinating how one company (Tesla) has made EVs "sexy" (they suffered from an image problem before) and is building so many of them now. The acceleration is absolutely addictive.

Originally Posted by karan561

Dislikes;

- Steering Feel (Vague for cornering & fun)
- Lack of Buttons (Everything, right from the mirrors to the AC vents have to be controlled via the screen which can be distracting & irritating)

Will also add price & quality to that. The one I'm driving is a $60,000 variant, but can't match the luxury cars of this price point in terms of quality. It feels very mass-market level. Other than the tablet, there is nothing that stands out on the inside. Boring + mundane + basic interior.

Turning radius is also bigger than I expected of a midsize sedan.

Loved the regenerative braking . For someone who loves engine-braking in ICE cars, this suits my style of driving.

The fact that I picked it first over a GLE-Class says a lot. Was very keen to drive a proper EV:

[vasoo]

Good write up. I just completed 20K on my Tesla Model 3 Performance and I am quite happy with the car so far. 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds is no slouch

[Harshal.Bhosale]

Awesome video @Karan! Always love watching your video reviews. I'm still working on my ownership review (been more than a month ), you drove the exact model I have, but I have the 18" stock wheels and blue colour.

One thing about the luggage loaded photo, don't know if you missed it but there's a sub-trunk too. There's no spare wheel, so they've carved it out as a storage area.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Good write up. I just completed 20K on my Tesla Model 3 Performance and I am quite happy with the car so far. 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds is no slouch

Originally Posted by Harshal.Bhosale

Awesome video @Karan! Always love watching your video reviews. I'm still working on my ownership review (been more than a month ), you drove the exact model I have, but I have the 18" stock wheels and blue colour.

Thanks guys. Good to see some appreciation coming in from actual TESLA owners

Also, as i mentioned in the video that many people (including some BHPians living in India) had pre booked (online) the Model 3. However there is no response/update from them about when they will get their model (In India) or will they get an refund ?

One thing about the luggage loaded photo, don't know if you missed it but there's a sub-trunk too. There's no spare wheel, so they've carved it out as a storage area.

While i had the car i wasn't aware of this storage compartment.

However got to know about it later while preparing the video & this thread.

Thanks for sharing the pic with other members here

[GTO]

Originally Posted by GTO

Just took the Model 3 dual-motor out for a breakfast run. LOVED IT . It's fascinating how one company (Tesla) has made EVs "sexy" (they suffered from an image problem before) and is building so many of them now. The acceleration is absolutely addictive.

Check this out, guys! Super, super cool. The car is a hit with the kids. Play video games with an amazing sound system + crisp display. Poor front tyres though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sElX8cclBYs

[M00M]

Originally Posted by karan561

However there is no response/update from them about when they will get their model (In India) or will they get an refund ?

Yes there is no clarity on future launch. No updates and no email announcements.

Regarding refund you go to tesla.com , sign in and then you request a refund. What happens after that I am not sure of, but I'm guessing a refund will be issued.

I know it will eventually come to India but when is a big question mark, it seems like all of Elon's plans this is another question mark and nothing new about the way he functions. Hopefully he launches soon in our country.