Review: 2024 Tesla Model 3 (Long Range RWD)

The Tesla Model 3 is an electric car done right. It’s quick, quiet, and surprisingly affordable when you factor in local incentives or financing deals. But Teslas, as a car brand, are… a bit polarizing. Fans love them. Critics love to dunk on them. And Elon Musk’s increasing tendency to say, well, stuff… doesn’t exactly help.

Talking Turkey: Tesla has the obnoxious habit of hiding their actual price behind rebates and theoretical “5-year gas savings.” I had to uncheck a few boxes to find the real price of this vehicle will be, which is $44,030 minus a possible $7,500 federal EV tax credit for as long as that lasts. Full Self-Driving (supervised!) is an extra $8,000.

But let’s set all that aside for a minute and focus on the car itself.

The Good: An EV That Gets It

Driving the Model 3 is a reminder of why EVs are exciting in the first place. The Performance rear-wheel drive version I tested was fun. Instant torque, smooth acceleration, and a quiet ride made for a genuinely great driving experience. If you haven’t driven an EV before, the lack of engine noise is borderline eerie at first — but once you get used to it, it lets your music come through that much clearer.

The pricing is also solid. Without incentives, you’re getting a well-equipped small EV that undercuts a lot of competitors. Factor in local rebates, and the Model 3 starts looking like one of the better EV deals out there. EVs are expensive, but this one is on the more reasonable end.

Did I mention, this car is stupid fast? 0-60 in 4.0. WOO, it’ll put a smile on your face!

The Bad: It’s Spartan (for the Price)

Tesla’s interior design philosophy is “less is more,” but at a certain point, less is just frustrating. Nearly everything — climate control, radio, even the gear shifter and e-brake — is accessed through the center screen. It’s clean, sure, but if I have to dig through menus just to adjust my air vents, I’m less that impressed.

Also, the order page brags about “refined materials.” Let’s pump the brakes on that one. It’s an improvement over the early, lousy models, but it’s not winning any luxury awards. If you’ve ever sat in a BMW i3, you know what “refined” actually feels like.

And then there’s build quality. It’s no secret that Tesla has long struggled with panel gaps, and the Model 3 is no exception. Some cars have tightly built panels, others… didn’t. If you’re buying one, inspect it thoroughly before you take delivery.

The Ugly: Full Self-Driving (Or, At Least, Attempting to Self-Drive)

I tested Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) for about 60 seconds, and that was enough.

First, the dealership just left it enabled. No training, no warnings—just, “Here, press this button.” That’s wildly irresponsible. Tesla owners tell me there’s a laundry list of precautions you need to take, but on the test drive? Nothin.

Second, the system itself was bad. It was beyond bad. The screen showed a live representation of what the car “saw,” and let’s just say it wasn’t seeing what I was seeing. Cars flickered in and out of existence. Lane lines jumped all over the place. The whole thing felt jittery and unpolished. I wear glasses, and I guarantee I see better than this particular Model 3.

Verdict: A Solid Car, A Questionable Tech Bet

The Model 3 is genuinely good. If you’re looking for an EV that’s quick, fun, and reasonably priced, it’s hard to ignore. The touchscreen-heavy interface isn’t my personal favorite, and Tesla’s build quality still has room for improvement, but as a vehicle? It’s solid.

But FSD? I wouldn’t trust it to drive me across a parking lot, let alone a highway. Tesla fans will say it’s a work in progress, and maybe they’re right — but right now, it’s nowhere near ready for prime time.

Would I buy a Model 3? Maybe. Would I let it drive me home? Absolutely not.