Tesla Model 3 Review

• Typical used price (UK): £13,000–£22,000 (2019–2022 Model 3, depending on battery and spec)
• This car: £14,999 (ML71EGF, HPL Motors Barnsley)
• Insurance group: 48P
• Range (WLTP): 278 miles (Standard Range Plus, LFP battery)
• CO₂: 0 g/km
• Best for: Drivers wanting a fast, high-tech EV with the easiest long-distance charging

Is It a Good Choice?

If you want one electric car that does almost everything well, the Tesla Model 3 is one of the smartest used buys on the market. It's quick, quiet and superbly refined, it's packed with technology, and crucially it comes with access to Tesla's Supercharger network — still the fastest, most reliable and easiest way to charge on a long journey. For many buyers, that one advantage is what makes the Model 3 so easy to live with.

This example is the Standard Range Plus, the entry model, and it's arguably the sweet spot of the range: rear-wheel drive, brisk performance and the robust LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery that's happy being charged to 100% every day. It's well equipped, with Autopilot, a glass roof, heated front and rear seats and a heat pump. At £14,999 it's keenly priced, and while the mileage is higher and it's had three previous keepers, the long battery warranty and HPL's own checks and guarantee make it a reassuring way into a premium EV for the money.

Pricing & Running Costs

The Model 3 arrived in the UK in 2019 and quickly became one of the best-selling electric cars here, so there's a healthy used choice. Prices depend on age, mileage, battery size and which motor setup the car has.

Typical UK Used Price Ranges:

• Early Standard Range Plus (2019–2020): roughly £13,000–£17,000
• Later Standard/Standard Range Plus (2021–2022): roughly £15,000–£20,000
• Long Range and Performance models: typically several thousand pounds more

At £14,999 this 2021 Standard Range Plus is priced to reflect its higher mileage and three former keepers, which is exactly why it represents a lot of fast, high-tech electric saloon for the money. It's worth viewing the car and its history in person, as always.

Running Costs:

• Charging: charged at home on a cheap overnight tariff, the Model 3 costs a fraction of a petrol saloon to run; on the road, Supercharging is quick and convenient.
• Insurance: group 48P — this is high, reflecting the car's performance, value and specialist repair costs, so it's worth getting a quote before you buy.
• Servicing: with far fewer moving parts and no oil changes, EV maintenance is minimal; Tesla uses a condition-based rather than fixed-interval schedule.
• Road tax: EVs now pay VED, and because the Model 3 cost over £40,000 new it may also attract the expensive-car supplement for part of its life (see Range, Charging & Tax below).
• Clean air: as a pure EV, it's exempt from ULEZ and Clean Air Zone charges.

Performance & Driving Experience

Even in entry-level form, the Model 3 is seriously quick. The Standard Range Plus produces 241bhp and dispatches 0–62mph in just 5.3 seconds, with the instant, seamless response that makes electric cars so effortless. There's no gearbox and no fuss — just smooth, silent, strong acceleration whenever you want it, which makes overtaking and joining fast roads a doddle.

On the road it's composed and grippy, with quick steering and rear-wheel drive that give it a pleasingly agile feel for a saloon. The flipside is the ride, which is firm and can feel busy on poor urban surfaces — this is a car set up to feel sharp rather than cosseting. Refinement is excellent otherwise, with very little wind or motor noise, and the low-set battery gives it a planted, stable feel at speed. It's a genuinely enjoyable car to drive, provided you can live with a firmer edge to the ride.

Key Performance Figures:

• Power: 241 bhp (245 ps)
• Battery: 53 kWh (around 50 kWh usable, LFP)
• Drive: rear-wheel drive, single-speed automatic
• 0–62 mph: 5.3 seconds
• Range (WLTP): 278 miles

Interior & Technology

The Model 3's cabin is famously minimalist: almost everything is controlled through a single 15-inch central touchscreen, with no instrument cluster in front of the driver and very few physical buttons. It takes a little getting used to, but the screen is fast and crisp, the software is slick, and features are updated over the air, so the car can gain improvements over time. This example also has a glass panoramic roof that makes the interior feel light and airy, plus heated front and rear seats and a heat pump that helps efficiency in cold weather.

One honest point to flag: the Model 3 does not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Tesla uses its own built-in navigation, media and phone system instead, which is excellent in its own right — the navigation is tied into the Supercharger network and plans charging stops for you — but if you're wedded to CarPlay, this is something to be aware of. Build quality is good rather than plush, with a clean, modern design and plenty of space up front, though some early cars had minor fit-and-finish niggles worth checking on a used example.

Space & Practicality

For a car of its size, the Model 3 is very practical. It's a five-seat saloon with generous room front and rear, and because there's no transmission tunnel, the flat floor makes the middle rear seat more usable than in many rivals. Storage is a real strength: as well as a 425-litre boot there's an 88-litre "frunk" under the bonnet — a handy, lockable extra space for cables or bags — giving well over 500 litres in total. The one caveat is that it's a saloon with a conventional boot opening rather than a hatchback, so very bulky items are harder to load than in an estate or SUV.

Dimensions:

• Length: 4,694 mm
• Width: 1,849 mm (excluding mirrors)
• Height: 1,443 mm
• Boot: ~425 litres, plus ~88-litre front boot (~513 litres total)
• Seats / doors: 5 / 4

Range, Charging & Tax

As an EV, the Model 3 is cheap to fuel and clean to run, and charging is where it really shines, but it's worth being clear on the numbers so you buy with your eyes open.

• Official range (WLTP): 278 miles for this Standard Range Plus.
• Real-world range: expect roughly 210–240 miles in mixed use, dropping in cold weather or at sustained motorway speeds. That's comfortably enough for most commutes and plenty of longer trips with a quick top-up.
• Home charging: an 11kW on-board charger gives a full charge in around 7 hours on a home wallbox — ideal for overnight top-ups.
• Rapid charging: this is the Model 3's trump card. It uses the universal CCS standard and has access to Tesla's Supercharger network, charging at up to 170kW and covering 10–80% in around 25–30 minutes. The Superchargers are fast, plentiful and reliable, and the car routes you to them automatically — long journeys are genuinely easy.
• Battery note: this car has the LFP battery, which is robust and, unlike some EV chemistries, is designed to be charged to 100% regularly — handy for maximising range day to day.
• CO₂ and tax: 0 g/km at the tailpipe. Since April 2025, EVs pay road tax (VED), so the Model 3 now attracts a low first-year rate and then the standard annual rate. Because it cost more than £40,000 new, it may also fall under the expensive-car supplement for part of its life — check the current DVLA figures for this car's exact position.
• Clean Air Zones: as a pure EV, it's exempt from ULEZ and Clean Air Zone charges.

Safety & Reliability

Safety is a major strength. The Model 3 earned the maximum five stars from Euro NCAP, with some of the highest scores recorded at the time, and Autopilot — Tesla's advanced driver-assistance system, with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control — is standard. The large battery mounted low in the floor also gives the car excellent crash structure and stability.

On reliability, the Model 3's electric drivetrain is simple and well proven, with far fewer moving parts than a petrol or diesel car, and the LFP battery in this version is known for its durability and long life. Teslas do get regular over-the-air software updates that keep the car current. The points to check on any used example are the usual EV and early-Tesla ones: confirm battery health (this car is guaranteed above 90%), look over the paint and panel fit, and check the touchscreen and door handles work perfectly, as these have been occasional niggles. Reassuringly, the battery and drive unit are covered by Tesla's 8-year/100,000-mile warranty, and HPL adds its own 128-point check and warranty. Given the higher mileage and three former keepers, a thorough look at the service and charging history is well worth it.

NCAP Ratings (Euro NCAP, 2019):

• Overall: 5 Stars
• Adult occupant: 96%
• Child occupant: 86%
• Vulnerable road users: 74%
• Safety assist: 94%
• Note: Autopilot with automatic emergency braking is standard; rating dates from 2019

Alternatives

• Polestar 2 — a classy, well-built electric fastback with CarPlay, if you prefer a more conventional cabin.
• BMW i4 — a premium, great-driving electric saloon with a plush interior, though usually pricier.
• Kia EV6 — a spacious, very fast-charging electric crossover with a long warranty.
• Hyundai Ioniq 6 — an aerodynamic, efficient EV saloon with excellent range.
• BMW 3 Series — the benchmark petrol and diesel compact executive saloon, if you're not ready to go electric.
• Volkswagen ID.3 — a practical, easy-going electric hatch, if you want something smaller and cheaper.

Verdict

The Tesla Model 3 is one of the most complete used electric cars you can buy, and this Standard Range Plus is the sensible, long-lasting version. It's quick, refined, superbly high-tech and (thanks to the Supercharger network) genuinely easy to use on long journeys, which still sets it apart from most rivals. At £14,999 it's a lot of premium electric saloon for the money, and the durable LFP battery, backed by a health guarantee above 90% and Tesla's long warranty, is reassuring. The things to weigh up are the higher mileage and three former keepers (so check the history), the firm ride, the high insurance group, and the lack of Apple CarPlay. For buyers who value speed, technology and the best charging experience around, though, it's a hugely appealing used EV.

Overall Rating: ⭐ 4.1 / 5