Tesla Model 3 pros and cons: I love it! I hate it! I can’t decide!

Of all the cars that I’ve ever driven, the Tesla Model 3 is the one I’m most on the fence about. I love it! But I also hate its guts (to put it mildly).

Long story short, it’s a fantastic daily driver. It’s comfortable, very efficient, and extremely practical. It’s surprisingly fun to drive as well.

On the other hand, build quality is horrendous. Even worse is that it’s easily one of the most politicized vehicles on the market. That alone makes it a no go for me.

Awkwardly trying to open the door of a Tesla model 3 but not knowing how to grab the door handle — Kicking off an entire list of Tesla Model 3 pros and cons with a picture of how awkward it is to grab the door handle just felt like the right thing to do. I think this was the very moment that I developed arthritis in my left hand.

Note: the following list of pros and cons isn’t tied specifically to any particular year of the Model 3. It doesn’t change all that much from year to year, so everything I’m about to say applies to them all.

The pros

It’s brutally simple. There’s something really refreshing about getting into a car that isn’t crammed full of features that you’ll never use. It’s just a car (an appliance actually), but a really, really good one. It’s the ultimate daily driver IMHO.
Fewer parts means fewer things to break. The Model 3 contains just a fraction of the parts that a traditional gas powered car does. That means less stuff wearing out, less stuff failing, lower maintenance issues over time.
Acceleration is absolutely insane. Even in the base model faster in a straight line than my 2012 Mustang GT. And the performance version? Hoo boy! It’s straight-up fun. And ridiculous. In a good way.
It’s shockingly fun to drive. The Model 3 isn’t marketed as a sports car. It doesn’t look like one. But driving it feels like a go-kart. The windshield starts practically at your knees, which gives a commanding view of the road.
The air conditioning is legitimately world-class. I’ve driven a few Model 3s in some very hot places (Southern California, Hawaii, deep south) and the AC in every single one of them has been ice cold. Even with that big glass roof overhead.
The glass roof. Okay, I also listed this under cons (you’ll see), but purely as a “wow factor” feature? I like! It also helps to make the interior feel more spacious than it actually is.
Visibility is outstanding. The windows are huge, offering clear views in all directions. Blindspots are minimal.
The steering wheel is F’n perfect. It’s thick, slightly small in diameter, and feels amazing in my hands. Just like a go kart!
The touchscreen UI is genuinely well-designed. Even though I have complaints about putting everything into it (see below), the interface itself is really good. It’s responsive, intuitive, never lags, never crashes, and doesn’t take long to figure out.
Tons of storage space. Both the frunk up front and huge hatchback area in the rear are huge. The low loading lip in the back makes it easy to slide heavy stuff in (which sounds an awful lot like something she would say).
Buying one is painless (and kinda fun). Configure it online, click buy, car shows up. No dealership. No salesperson. No negotiating.

Scott driving a 2023 Tesla model 3 — On my way to the store to buy a “I bought this before Elon went crazy” bumper sticker. Thankfully I was able to do it fast because of how quickly the Model 3 accelerates away from stoplights (and Elon haters). This is my *“holy moly that’s fast!”* face BTW.

The simplicity of the 2023 Tesla model three interior door handle with window switches — I (and my hairy knees) quite like how simple and spartan the Model 3 interior is. It’s too bad that more cars aren’t like this.

The cons

Questionable build quality (especially early cars). The first Model 3 I drove rattled and creaked like an old UPS truck. The newer ones are getting better, but they’re still not perfect.
Everything is buried in the touchscreen. This is my biggest frustration, and I say this as a person who is very into tech. Turning up the volume? Touchscreen. Adjusting the AC? Touchscreen. Simple functions that you should be able to do without taking your eyes off the road shouldn’t be so buried into a user interface like this.
The glass roof creates a greenhouse effect. In extreme heat (like 110°F+ at noon) the sun coming through the glass roof beats down hard (~~often~~ always requiring wearing a hat).
Aggressive driving will kill your range. Fact: you will drive like an a**hole in a Model 3, because it’s almost impossible not to. Even a long range model is extremely fast (and fun) in a straight line.
No Apple CarPlay. Okay, I will agree that Telsa’s built-in mapping system is kinda good. The audio system UI is decent as well. But I’d rather use Apple CarPlay, thank you very much.
The interior feels cheap for the price. It’s minimalist, which I personally appreciate. But if you’re expecting luxury, you’re going to be disappointed. There’s a steering wheel, a big screen, and some seats. That’s it. The materials are fairly basic as well.
Door handles are confusing. Still, after all these years, I still can’t help but to stop and think how to grab the handle whenever I attempt to open the door on one. Maybe I’m just stupid. I don’t know.
Charging at home is almost a requirement. To really enjoy the Model 3 the way it’s meant to be enjoyed, you need to be able to plug in overnight at home. Relying entirely on public chargers is doable, but it’s going to get annoying (and expensive) real quick.
The whole “Elon” thing. ‘Nuff said.

Large display screen in the interior of the 2023 Tesla model 3 showing trunk opening menu on the left, and a navigation map on the right — Need to quickly stuff a dead body in the trunk before making a daring getaway? The Model 3 probably isn’t for you considering that opening the trunk requires poking through the user interface to find the appropriate menu. Once there, you have to decide if you’re going to put the body in the trunk or the frunk. Too much wasted time!

Blue 2023 Tesla model 3 with interior panels coming apart — My most excellent moment with the 2023 Tesla Model 3: taking a step back from the demon door handle (giving my arthritic hands a rest before trying again), only to realize that there are interior bits coming apart that I didn’t notice before.

Two reasons why you should buy a Model 3

It’s the ultimate daily driver. The Model 3 is extremely easy to drive (especially if you get one with the full self driving option). It’s perfectly sized for anyone with an active and busy lifestyle. It’s brutally simple. Comfy even.
The total cost of ownership is relatively low. Fewer parts means less maintenance, so you’re not going to have to do much to keep a Model 3 going for many years. For me, driving a car that I don’t have to get smog checked every two years sounds amazing. No more oil changes either? That’s like heaven.

Center console of the Tesla model 3 with dual cupholders

Two reasons why you should NOT buy a Model 3

You don’t have a place to charge at home. Having to use public chargers all the time will get annoying. I promise. Not only is it extremely inconvenient, it’s more expensive than charging at home. This is the primary reason I don’t drive a Model 3 (or any electric vehicle) BTW. I know me, and I know that I would lose patience very quickly.
You want a premium, luxurious interior. Make no mistake about it. The Model 3 is as minimalist as it gets. Sure, it looks fancy with white leather seats. And that huge display looks like something straight out of Star Trek. But I can tell you from experience that it’s got more in common with a bare-bones work truck than it does with, say, the 2025 Mercedes C300 that I recently drove.