Tesla Model 3 review: Runs well, but wrinkles abound, says Edmunds

With the Tesla Model 3 set to come out… well, sometime, depending on where you are in the queue, anticipation is high among consumers who want to get their hands on Tesla’s first mass-market car, or at least its most affordable one yet.

The Model 3, which starts at $35,000, isn’t for sale to the masses yet. Many folks have put down $1,000 deposits on the car and, due to Tesla’s production delays, most of them are still waiting for the chance to actually buy a Model 3. But some early reviews are in.

The latest well-known auto review organization, Edmunds, has come out with its initial take on the Model 3, and while it’s not a thumbs down by any stretch, it’s also one that says the car has a few wrinkles that Tesla needs to iron out.

“Tesla’s scramble to increase its Model 3 production seems to have adversely affected Model 3 build quality, at least on the basis of our tiny sample of one,” said Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing at Edmunds. “Body panel gaps are inconsistent, reflecting a lack of attention to detail, and this applies not only to our own car but even to Model 3s we’ve seen on display.”

Edmunds went on to say that after bringing the Model 3 to Edmunds’ testing facilities, the car was found to have a cracked vanity mirror and its driver’s seat shell was broken. The car, loaded with touchscreens, eventually suffered so many technical glitches that, “We’ve had to do the equivalent of a Windows PC’s Ctrl-Alt-Del reboot of the all-important touchscreen about a dozen times.”

Edmunds was also critical of Tesla’s service department’s response to his car’s issues, saying that it was difficult to get a service appointment, drive-up appointments weren’t welcome, and parts had to be ordered solely upon photographs and without anyone actually seeing the car.

“Weeks later, we’re still waiting for word and it’s hard to get answers,” Edmunds said.

Still, Edmunds said that the Model 3 drove well and he praised its 310-mile-long battery life. However, Edmunds noted that Tesla is currently only producing Model 3s with the more-expensive 310-mile battery, and production of the Model 3 with a less-expensive 220-mile battery remains months away.

“The new Model 3 sets a new standard for what an affordable electric vehicle can be,” Edmunds said. “But initial problems highlight Tesla’s inexperience with mass-market production.”

Edmunds’ mixed review is similar to a recent one by Consumer Reports, which liked the Model 3’s handling but not its stiff ride.

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