Used Tesla Model 3: Superiority and Eco-Friendliness at Advantageous Price

The Tesla Model 3 electric car is a mid-size, all-electric, five-passenger premium sedan and the first vehicle of California-based Tesla, Inc. aimed at the mass market. In the brand lineup, it is the Model 3, with which other market players are trying to compare. Today, we prepared an overview of this popular electric car.

The design team gave the Model 3 a perfect and stylish exterior. The Tesla car has stylish front headlights with LED filling, a neat bumper with strips of horizontal running lights, body panels with unique ribs, elegant mirror housings, and pleasant LED lights with a three-dimensional optical effect.

The American electric sedan looks a bit like recent futuristic concept models. Some even say the Model 3 car takes the best from previous S and X models.

Also among the differences is that the luggage compartment opens without a rear window, which found its place in other Tesla cars.

When you get into the Tesla Model 3 cabin, you feel what minimalism is. All the necessary information for the owner appears on a 15.4-inch screen with touch input support. You can also control the climate control system, navigation, and audio system from it. On top of that, the designers provided two joysticks on the steering wheel. A little surprising, but there is no projection on the windshield in the Model 3.

The heating filaments in the panoramic roof are only at the lower edge of the massive glass. 

To open the door from the inside, you should use buttons similar to those responsible for the power windows. The Tesla Model 3 has frameless doors with electric locks.

The interior of the American sedan is designed to emphasize the maximum free space for five people and provide comfortable seating for all passengers.

The seats used in front turned out to be ergonomic and have good lateral support, the most favorable filler in terms of rigidity, and a considerable list of settings. The back row received a thoughtful profile, with a folding armrest in the center.

The Model 3 can open doors and start when detecting a signal from the smartphone. If you forget the device, you can use a key in the form of a credit card.

The Tesla Model 3 provides two luggage compartments - in front and behind. Their total volume is 24.1 cu ft of usable space. On top of that, you can fold the rear seats according to the standard 40/60 ratio.

There are several modifications with rear-wheel and all-wheel drive to choose from. The standard version comes with an electric motor with a power of 235 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.

Thanks to this power unit, the car reaches 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, and the maximum speed is 130 miles per hour.

The standard Model 3 version has a lithium-ion battery with 60 kW/hour capacity. On one charge, the electric car can travel a minimum of 220 miles. If you charge the Tesla car using a standard outlet, then in 1 hour, you will charge the batteries for 30 miles. If you use the Supercharger terminal, 30 minutes of charging will be enough for 130 miles.

There is also a Long Range package, which receives batteries with an increased volume of 85 kW/h. Acceleration to sixty will be already 5.1 seconds, and the maximum speed limit will not exceed 140 miles per hour. A full charge lasts for 310 miles.

The battery is located under the floor, which is a good solution in terms of aerodynamics, balance, and safety.

The price for a new Tesla battery ranges from $5,000 to $20,000. Specifically for the Model 3, the replacement cost is roughly $16,000, with the battery accounting for over $13,000 and labor costs totaling around $3,000 in Indiana. But if your battery degrades by more than 70% in 8 years, or either 100,000 or 120,000 miles (for standard or long-range trims), Tesla will replace it for free — not necessarily with a brand-new one, but with one that surpasses the 70% threshold.

Like used cars for sale in Indianapolis, Indiana, this car was designed around a flat aluminum vault, to which a steel body and subframes were attached using winged metal.

The chassis of the car is fully independent. A double-lever architecture is installed at the front, and a multi-link at the rear. You can add air suspension as a paid option.

The Tesla Model 3 has ventilated brake discs on all wheels. The steering can boast a rack and pinion mechanism and an electric power steering with variable characteristics.

The Tesla Model 3 has the most primitive autopilot - the car can independently move along the lane but requires help to change lanes.

For the vehicle to have an improved autopilot, with the ability to independently switch between lanes, additional cameras, and a more powerful computer for processing information, you will need to pay another $5,000.

Once the American company makes a full-fledged autonomous autopilot, it can also be installed for $3,000. The autopilot function is so significant for the company that it is placed on the gearshift lever along with the “park”, “reverse”, “neutral” and “drive” modes.

In December 2023, Tesla announced a recall of 2.031 million electric vehicles in the United States, including the 2017-2023 Model 3, to update the Autopilot software.

As noted in the company's application to the NHTSA, the recall is necessary to reduce the crash risk if the driver does not comply with instructions to use the Autopilot function. Tesla disagrees with NHTSA's conclusion but decided to include additional controls and alerts beyond those already in place to encourage the driver further to comply with their duty of continuous monitoring whenever Autopilot is engaged.

The Tesla Model 3, along with Model S, Model X, and Model Y, have achieved the lowest overall injury probability of any vehicles ever tested by the U.S. government's New Car Assessment Program. Regarding passive safety, Tesla focuses on Volvo cars, which are considered the leaders in this segment.

All Model 3 cars have eight airbags and a full set of auxiliary electronics, which includes 8 cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors.

The 2024 Tesla Model 3 is priced between $40,630 and $54,630, depending on the trim and options, according to Edmunds. But you can find a used Model 3 in good condition for around $30,000.

Fans of minimalism will undoubtedly appreciate the Tesla Model 3. Moreover, it costs significantly less than its “bigger” brothers. The fact that the car is the cheapest among the entire model range of Elon Musk’s company in no way means that it lags in any other parameter. 

At Indy Auto Man, you can test drive a used Model 3 in the Indianapolis streets and feel the comfort, dynamics, and smoothness it offers. Check our inventory of Tesla cars and buy your favorite model at an attractive price - new arrivals each week!