Consumer Reports, the product review and rating magazine, has decided not to recommend Tesla Model 3 to its readers after doing a series of tests on the vehicle. The tests, according to Consumer Reports, revealed that the Model 3 took longer to stop than comparable cars and that the braking test results were non-repeatable.
The magazine’s editors note that the first braking test revealed a shorter stopping distance than comparable cars, the next few tests that sought to prove the first result repeatable, ended with longer stopping distances. The results still could not be repeated a day later, after the brakes had been left to cool off, and with another Model 3 borrowed from a private owner to ensure the problem is not with the CR vehicle.
In a written response to Green Car Reports, which carried the CR story, Tesla said that "Tesla’s own testing has found braking distances with an average of 133 feet when conducting the 60-0 mph stops using the 18” Michelin all season tire and as low as 126 feet with all tires currently available. Stopping distance results are affected by variables such as road surface, weather conditions, tire temperature, brake conditioning, outside temperature, and past driving behavior that may have affected the brake system.”
It was the braking that stopped the CR editors from giving a recommendation to the Model 3, but it wasn’t the only issue they found with the car. The magazine’s editors were also unhappy with the touchscreen on the dashboard, noting that simple tasks required multiple steps that could make driving dangerous, the excessive wind noise at higher speeds, and the door handles. Also, they judged the Model 3 as a stiff ride.
On the plus side, CR had kind words about the Model 3’s range, which at 350 miles is the longest range of an electric car tested by the magazine. Other positive feedback had to do with its handling, steering, and power.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has been tweeting about a dual-motor Model 3 in a new version—all-wheel drive performance—that will have a range of 310 miles, a top speed of 115 mph, and will cost US$78,000, comparing it to a BMW M3 “but 15% quicker & with better handling.”
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
