- We bought a 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance for our long-term test fleet.
- Over the coming months, we'll put at least 20,000 miles on the car and keep you updated with the good, bad and everything in between.
- The new Model 3 Performance did a surprising 306 miles in our official Edmunds EV Range Test.
- First impressions are strong, with more power, speed and a better ride quality to boot.
Need for Speed: We Bought a Tesla Model 3 Performance
How fast will we get to 20,000 miles? Stay tuned to find out
Tesla’s smallest and most affordable Model 3 was finally refreshed in 2024. Needless to say, this sparked our interest to jump into a new version — or two — ASAP. We initially purchased a Model 3 Long Range, and while we've still got that in our garage, we decided to level up to a Performance trim to see how it compares to its more pedestrian counterpart. Plus, the hype surrounding this car is never-ending, so we're curious to see if the combo of performance, range and price continues to make the Model 3 one of the best EVs in its class.
What did we get?
This is the seventh Tesla, fourth Model 3 and second Performance trim that Edmunds has owned. Our new Model 3 Performance has 20-inch wheels, a white interior, the heating package and Tesla’s base Autopilot system, all of which are included in the price. The only option we paid for was Ultra Red paint ($2,000). Throw in the $1,390 destination charge and $250 order fees, and we paid $58,360 for this car.
Why did we get it?
Simply put: We got FOMO. No sooner than we pressed the “purchased” button for our Model 3 Long Range, Tesla went and announced its most powerful Model 3 Performance variant to date, with a dual-motor setup producing 510 horsepower.
The Performance uses the Model 3 Long Range, and its bigger battery, as a baseline. As if that wasn't enough, Tesla says the springs, dampers, bushings and anti-roll bars have been designed to deliver an overall more competent chassis. The Performance has bigger brake discs, calipers and high-performance pads for better deceleration. There's even a new Drift mode and updated Track mode that sets the suspension and powertrain to a specific setting so you can customize handling balance, stability control and regenerative braking.
Oh, and did we mention that the Model 3 Performance's 0-60 mph time has been quoted at 2.9 seconds with top speed of 163 mph?
What’s happened so far?
The Model 3 Performance has been in our garage for less than a month, but we’ve wasted no time putting it to the test. And already, it offers quite a bit more jolt (in a good way) than its Long Range counterpart.
On our test track, the Model 3 Performance ran to 60 mph in 3 seconds and hit the quarter mile in 11 seconds with a top speed of 123.7 mph. (Note: Tesla's 0-60 mph time includes rollout, while ours does not.) However, while the Performance's braking was good, it wasn’t as mind-blowing as its acceleration. The Model 3 Performance stopped at 109 feet from 60 mph, just 1 foot short of its main competitor, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. The Model 3 Performance also pulled 0.97 g on the skidpad on all-season tires, slightly below the Ioniq 5 N.
We also put the Tesla Model 3 Performance through our Edmunds EV Range Test, where it surprisingly achieved 306 miles of range. That's 3 miles over the EPA estimate, which might not seem like much, but considering we've consistently had trouble meeting Tesla's range claims, this is a step in the right direction.
“This is fantastic range for the performance you are getting,” said senior reviews editor Brian Wong. “It seems going from the Long Range to the Performance, you are only giving up about 30 miles or so."
How does it ride?
"The suspension is stiffer than the Long Range, so you notice the bumps,” said Wong. “But, even though you might notice those bumps, it actually does a pretty good job still of isolating the cabin so you don’t jostle around.”
The Performance's ride is in no way punishing, making this Model 3 a much more livable vehicle on a daily basis. Additionally, there are new seats that have a bit more bolstering so it's a slightly more comfortable car overall.
So far, so good
You can't beat the performance-per-dollar factor here. You just can't. And while the jury is still out on if the Model 3 Performance is a genuinely fun car to drive over the long haul, it gets points for its good ride quality and for being the most livable performance car that Tesla has brought to the market. Plus, you don’t have to sacrifice a ton of range.
What you may have to sacrifice, however, is the federal tax credit. With a $55,000 cap on the tax credit, this vehicle only qualifies at its absolute base price, which means opting for the free Stealth Gray paint and forgoing any add-ons.
Be sure to follow all the updates from our long-term Model 3 Performance test here.