Tesla Model 3 Highland review

Driving position

The entire interior of the Tesla Model 3 is very minimal, and that includes the seating position. There are no distractions to speak of.

Physical controls for the seating position are electric buttons on the side of the base, where you’d expect them, but mirror and steering wheel adjustments are done through the screen.

Thankfully, you don’t have to do this every time you change driver. You can save these configurations to different driver profiles, and even link these profiles to who’s driving based on which phone unlocked the car.

Everything being controlled through the screen is a good thing, though, because there’s nothing to get in your way. Slim A-pillars improve visibility further.

It’s not too dissimilar to the Polestar 2, but feels more open and airier. The BMW i4 feels more familiar if that’s what you’re after.

Because of its shape, the rear windscreen doesn’t give much visibility lower down, so while you can see the top of the car behind you, you’ll miss out on the lower portion.

At least you’ve got a reversing camera fitted to all versions to judge distance more clearly.

Tech and features

With many brands selling you multiple large displays, don’t feel like Tesla is underselling you with just one 15.4-inch touchscreen.

It’s the most powerful in the business, with computer-grade processing and super-fast responsiveness.

Built-in mapping is provided through Google Maps, and there’s a basic messaging app that can connect to your phone with a voice-to-text tool that’s hit and miss in our experience.

Apple CarPlay or Android Auto would be nice for this, but at least the Model 3 has built-in apps for Apple Music, Spotify and more. These may be coming in a future update.

Tesla was also one of the first to pioneer over-the-air (OTA) updates, which not only serve to fix any software niggles, but also bring new features over time.

A December 2025 update, for example, brought a new Photobooth app to take selfies via the in-car camera (which also works with the Zoom app, when you’re parked, of course).

Rear-seat passengers also got a smaller eight-inch screen when the Model 3 was updated in early 2024. It gives them access to media controls, seat heating, climate control, and even some games.

Some other upgrades that this second-generation Model 3, codenamed ‘Highland’, has over its predecessor is an upgraded 15-speaker sound system with dual subwoofers, cooled front seats and Tesla’s Hardware 4 (HW4) on-board computers and sensors, rather than HW3.

It includes higher-definition cameras, faster computing and a longer-range radar, which all help improve the Basic Autopilot driver aids (adaptive cruise control and lane centering).

While there are no trim levels, you may wish to upgrade to Enhanced Autopilot for self-parking, lane-change assist and more. It’s £3,400, but you can upgrade at any time through the app – so don’t worry if you’re buying second-hand.

Electric motors and power

Tesla Model 3 performance stats

– Power: N/A (not quoted)

– 0-60mph: 2.9-5.8 seconds

– Top speed: 125-163mph

– Driven wheels: Rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive

Tesla doesn’t publish power figures, and the acceleration times it publishes use the American 0-60mph standard, not the European 0-62mph standard (so you can generally add 0.1-0.3 seconds to make up that difference).

Still, 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds for the slowest Model 3 hardly means its slow. The other rear-wheel-drive option, with a bigger battery, is significantly quicker (4.9 seconds) despite the extra weight.

Long Range AWD is a popular option, and is the most affordable with four-wheel drive. With a sprint time of 4.2 seconds, it’s far quicker than your average hot hatch.

2.9 seconds for the Performance model is well into hypercar territory.

Not very much comes close – the BYD SEAL Excellence gets to 62mph in 3.8 seconds, the BMW i4 M60 in 3.7 seconds and the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N in 3.2 seconds.

What matters the most though is that, because there are no gears, acceleration is on tap whenever you need it. So whether that’s reacting to a sudden incline, going for an overtake or pulling up to 1,000kg on the tow bar, the throttle response is there.

Handling and ride comfort

Where the previous Model 3 received the most criticism was in the ride quality. It was often called out for being too firm, so this updated model brings a retuned suspension setup that feels more refined.

It’s still firmer than something like a Hyundai IONIQ 6 or BYD SEAL, but if you’re used to driving sporty setups like a BMW, then it’ll feel familiar.

There isn’t a huge amount of steering feel because it uses electric power steering instead of old-school hydraulics, but it does mean you can toggle between three different weighting modes that give the car unique characteristics.

You can drive into corners with more confidence than in the bigger Model Y, and it feels slightly more planted on the motorway because there’s less disturbance from the wind.

New wheel designs help improve aerodynamic efficiency to a value of 0.219, which is better than the Polestar 2 and BMW i4, but matched by the BYD SEAL.

It’s worth pointing out that some earlier Highland Model 3s came with no stalks at all – indicating moved to steering wheel buttons, which certainly requires a steep learning curve.

The indicator stalk was added back in response to customer feedback, and you can retrofit it to earlier models.

Selecting drive, reverse or park is done with a slider on the screen, but Tesla’s Auto Shift feature uses the many on-board cameras to guess which way you want to go (based on whether you’re reversed into a parking space, for example).

It’ll even automatically shift between drive and reverse if you’re doing a three-point turn. Of course, you can always override this on the screen.

Boot space

Tesla Model 3 boot space

– Boot space: 594 litres

– Front boot (froot): 88 litres

In theory, Tesla trumps key rivals for boot space across all the classes it plays in, including the Model 3, but it’s not entirely a fair story.

The Model 3’s 594-litre boot does include a pretty large under-boot storage area, so it’s not all entirely usable if you have the floor in place.

Still, it’s far more than the BYD SEAL (400 litres), Hyundai IONIQ 6 (401 litres), Polestar 2 (405 litres) and BMW i4 (470 litres).

The frunk/froot is also bigger in the Model 3 at 88 litres.

You will have to deal with the saloon-style boot, which is pretty narrow. The Polestar 2 and BMW i4 are both technically hatchbacks despite their saloon shapes – it means they have much wider boot openings.

Rear seats

Rear-seat space will never be great in an aerodynamically designed saloon – the sloping roofline does cut into headspace somewhat.

Leg room is also on the tighter side, especially compared with the larger Model Y, which is partly related to the Model 3.

Still, it feels more spacious than rivals thanks to the minimalism and full glass roof.

Storage solutions

The usual storage spaces all apply in the Model 3, and the Highland refresh only really finesses them rather than adding to them.

There’s a large centre console cubby, plus space under the front armrests and good-sized door bins.

The cupholders now have a sliding cover to help improve the minimalist design when they’re not in use.

Tesla Model 3 dimensions

– Height: 1,440mm

– Width: 2,089mm (including mirrors)

– Length: 4,724mm

– Kerb weight: N/A (not quoted)

Safety

Not only does the Tesla Model 3 have a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, but some of the highest scores ever recorded.

Standard autonomous emergency braking, lane assist, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring (which blind spot cameras that show on the screen when you indicate) are some of the best features.

Range and charging

– Range: 323-466 miles

– Battery size: 64-82kWh

– Max charging speed: 175-250kW

– Charge port location: Back left

– Charge time (AC): 0-100% in 9 hours 20 minutes (64kWh) or 11 hours 45 minutes (82kWh) using a 7kW charger

– Charge time (DC): N/A (not quoted)

– Efficiency: 3.8-4.6/kWh (claimed)

– Charging cost: From £4.48 (64kWh) or £5.74 (82kWh)

The Model 3 has long been praised not only for its exceptional efficiency, but real-world range.

Drivers often report getting well over 4mi/kWh over long-term use. The standard-fit heat pump reduces the amount of energy needed to heat the cabin in the winter, too.

Over 400 miles of range is genuinely attainable from the Long Range RWD model.

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 also performs well in efficiency tests, but can only manage up to 338 miles on one charge.

Reliability

Build quality improved pretty significantly with the Highland refresh, and owner satisfaction is generally very high.

Tesla’s battery and motor components are also very proven, and there are cases of these cars driving thousands of miles with minimal wear.

You get the industry-standard eight-year battery warranty as well as a four-year/60,000-mile car warranty.