Why the Tesla Model 3?

[@dmac2573]

Being able to see the traffic lights through the massive sunroof is a bonus!

[@audigex]

The massive A pillar blocks a lot more than the sunroof gives you a view of! One of only two things I don't like about *driving* my Model 3. (There are other things I don't like about *owning* it)

[@GThenameisleo]

Passed my test this morning (2nd attempt). I learned with family so your videos were immensely helpful. I'm sure your channel will continue to help me grow as a driver. Thank you Ashley!

[@ashley_neal]

Great job!

[@JellyLancelot]

Congrats! Got mine recently too and absolutely loving it. The interior is so light and airy, really gets out of your way. Anyone who’s driven a mini will be used to the speedo. Build and paint quality was as solid as any Merc or Beamer. Tech is light years ahead of any other auto, same with dealer experience. Fuel and maintenance are cheap as chips compared to ICE. Superchargers are reliable, fast and easy, with enough of them spaced around the country and the car figures it all out anyway. Never see myself going back!

[@StevenGreenGuz]

Your comment about the behaviour of the Hyundai dealership manager reminded of something. Many decades ago when I was in my late teens and working for a well known Sydney electronics store, I made the same "high-horse" mistake. Long story short: I never made that same mistake again. If someone makes it to "manager" without learning that lesson, they don't deserve to be a manager of anything.

[@milyrouge]

I’ve been driving a Tesla since 2017 and had the same dodgy experiences with dealers of the other marquess which stood in stark contrast to the friendly, non-pushy approach of Tesla. Five years on and I would find it very difficult to consider any other brand after this experience. Hope you’re as happy with yours as I am with mine!

[@VoxelLoop]

I think the difference is that Tesla doesn't really have 'dealerships', their stores aren't required to sell you a car to stay in business. They're basically just a showroom and get no commision from Tesla for vehicle sales as they're owned directly by Tesla themselves. I totally agree that it's refreshing to have friendly staff who are interested in the vehicles they're selling, not trying to get a sale from you at any cost.

[@v8velocity446]

Can't get over how similar our experiences were! EV6 wasn't out, Ioniq 5, couldn't test drive the ultimate spec, and interior was very basic, didn't however even consider the Polestar 2 due to requiring options that made it more expensive than the Tesla, and the Q4 E tron likewise, after trim and options, seemed like poor value for money, and ended up going fir the Tesla Model 3 LR. Had mine for a few days now, and so far, no regrets!

[@williamfence566]

I'm still baffled how Dealerships who survive on purchases are so poor at basic customer service. I've experienced the same disinterest more usually at the " premium" brands . Not sure I'd ever get used to the huge screen and no dials though on a Tesla. On a safety note I think we've gradually introduced more distractions into driving than necessary. ( touch screen menu to change the heating - Just turn a dial )

[@margaretnicol3423]

I agree. Having to search through the screen is a pain. With dials your hand knew where to go.

[@jMewsi]

The voice recognition in the Tesla is pretty good, just click the right scrollwheel and say you are cold and it will turn on heated seats and the climate. No need to touch the touchscreen.

[@slmdaddy1]

@@jMewsi I drive a Tesla yes that's exactly what I do.Over 255 voice commands available. Voice recognition system works really well.

[@Ady-rt1yu]

Sadly dealerships make most of their money on servicing rather than direct sales. EVs don't have much to service, so they are more interested in selling you other vehicles.

[@kenbrown2808]

I was reminded of a time I was shopping for a used car, and looked at a Audi, but there were no salesmen who wanted to talk to me, so I went to the next door lot and bought an Acura.

[@KUDANTOURAGE]

I’ve been driving a Renault Zoe r135 since April , now it’s no Model 3 or anything but getting an EV has been the best decision I’ve made in a long time car wise , the serenity of driving daily and responsiveness of driving an EV is amazing even at a regular powered one , in general if you’re driving mostly A roads and B roads EVs are king .

[@Richard_Barnes]

Hi 🙂 what kind of mileage do you get from it? Although I bet you’ll be charging every night at home anyway. Sounds good and glad it’s working for you 👍🏻

[@KUDANTOURAGE]

@@Richard_Barnes Summer time about 230 miles on a full charge and winter like 170 , I use public fast chargers like InstaVolt, Osprey and Bp Pulse . I’ve looked into home chargers but for the most part my daily commute is only 40 miles so it’s not too necessary yet . However I would say for anyone looking to purchase an electric car it’s better to lease for now because the ranges are improving drastically yearly and running it on lease is ridiculous cheap .

[@Richard_Barnes]

@@KUDANTOURAGE 🙏🏻 thx. I was looking at leasing a Tesla tbh. I hear ya about range and the changes every year. The tech is incredible really.

[@AndrewEbling]

Been driving a 2nd hand 22kwh Zoe for 3 years now. Despite only having 60-80 miles range, it's perfect for 95% of trips we make and does 70% of our household miles every year. That's with 2 adults, 2 teens and a large dog.

[@scottlaaa]

How much does it cost for a full charge?

[@tomsixsix]

I'd love to see you covering long distance travel, planning to arrive at chargers at low state of charge, and the real world experiences of using fast chargers on the motorway network (reliability, availability, speed)

[@problemchild1976]

I’ve been driving EVs with sub 200mile ranges for about 4 years now and the charge network is pretty good now - motorway services, many petrol stations. I love how Ashley makes the most valid point around battery size - you don’t need to pay for extra battery size - especially as the charge speeds are getting so good :)

[@Richard_Barnes]

You went with Tesla for the camera quality and don’t you forget it! 😂 I’d have a Tesla. Supercharger network is the best out of all of them. I cannot charge from home so would need it. Love the tech. Just superb 👍🏻

[@owen_003]

I’m not sure if you already know this, but the wheels you’ve got on the model 3 have covers which you can take off to expose better looking alloys, at the small cost of efficiency.

[@Joshyg02]

I’d like to see that because those trims look hideous imo

[@Rachel_Tensions]

@@Joshyg02 who asked

[@ClarkeDesign]

Its the sad and obvious choice, but I feel the right choice too. Tesla's are just so good at what they do. They are ahead of the game, great cars and I'm considering one too.

[@Ep1cure]

Two things stand out as safety issues: 1. Silent engine - EVs have very little sound apart from at road contact. Ideas have subsequently come in to produce artificial engine sound to give a natural awareness to pedestrians 2. Tendency to underestimate power when driven - Power in an EV is a lot more direct with high torque and is independent of the usual ICE rev count. You can add maybe 100 or so extra hp to give you a more realistic picture of an EVs power. A consideration to make before buying and shortly after.

[@charlieretro]

The Silent Engines I don't like myself because some of the people that own these cars think they own the road, there is someone in my area that owns a red one and they go way over the speed limit half.

[@djtaylorutube]

Sounds aren't a new idea, we had a Nissan Leaf in 2015 which was already doing that. That said, a lot of more modern cars are already very quiet with the engine running. Pedestrians also need to look with their eyes and not just assume, cyclists are pretty quiet too!

[@guinnog2]

Where they have trams pedestrians have to get used to looking as well as listening. The lack of engine noise is a good thing!

[@ShaimingLong]

@@djtaylorutube I know of someone that stepped out in front of a car going the wrong way down a one way street. It really should be a pedestrian's priority to be vigilant of their surroundings, as they're the ones most likely to come of worse should an accident happen.

[@djtaylorutube]

@@ShaimingLong Always. Same reason I explained to my daughter during her driving training, just because the light is green for you doesn't mean it's safe to proceed, always check across the junction for people who have missed the light or emergency vehicles etc. Some people just feel entitled and don't want to accept personal responsibility for their actions.

[@evostu7814]

Definitely made the right choice as it’s not just the car, it’s the supercharging network.

[@fattyMcGee97]

My dad bought a Tesla model 3 long range. The Tesla supercharge network isn’t great around the north of Scotland and honestly the whole EV charging infrastructure could be better up here. We also have family all over the country so it made sense to get the long range one. He’s insured my mum, sister, and myself on it incase of the event we need to borrow his car (which happens semi frequently). I’ve driven it a few times now and it’s a wonderfully relaxed driving experience. Leave it in chill mode with the sport steering mode selected and it’s just glued to the road in such a nice manner. It’s not got the best suspension, I’ve definitely felt better suspension that offers comfort while being firm and responsive, but it’s still really good nonetheless. Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres from the factory is wonderful too. Same tyres I have on my mx5, and they are great in all weather conditions up until it’s properly icy or heavily snowy. For being such a heavy car, it handles well. Little bit of a personal one here: the aero wheels look nicer than the alloys in my opinion.

[@charlieretro]

This is the Model I've always liked and glad you got one.

[@jasonarcher4150]

Thanks for your review on the model 3. We were looking at similar models, unfortunately the uptake in Australia has been pretty slow. We don't have the same options as Europe with selection. I have driven the XC40 Recharge, Polestar 2 and Model 3. Overall you cannot beat the efficiency of the Tesla and the drive is beautiful. The centre screen is pretty intuitive to use. The one pedal driving is next level compared to the ZE1 Leaf.

[@carlarrowsmith]

The Model 3 is exceptionally well designed car and built well now it's assembled in China. I'd buy one but the seating position is too low for me. For private buyer leasing and PCP is popular for most, but for those of us that like to buy them outright, 43k is a serious amount of money for a car.

[@yessuz]

Ha. Very similar experience with my local Kia dealership (Burton) when I wanted to test Kia EV6 Booked 2 weeks in advance to have a test drive on Saturday. Came there ~15 mins earlier than booked. The guy I was booked in, was away with other customer - fair enough. There were 3 other guys on the floor, being extremely busy doing whatever they were doing. Was hanging around in the dealership for 30 minutes and not a single person came to me to talk about anything, not mentioning to show me and talk with me about the car.. Not even talking about the opportunity to do a test drive (or let me do it alone) with one of vehicles parked and ready to test. Complete opposite was with tesla where I had the attention (not asked for it), test drive in time and not entirely limited, etc. So, tesla model 3 on it's way now ;)

[@enyaq_gorm]

Interesting how experiences vary. I owned a model 3 for 14 months. It was filthy inside and had a long list of defects on day 1. Tesla were just totally disinterested in helping once they had my money. Mine was red which is by far the best tesla colour. In the end I gave up trying to get all the faults fixed and sold it. Luckily I didn't lose too much money.

[@15bit62]

We were also deciding between a Polestar 2 and a Model 3 when we were shopping last year. The Polestar "packs" weren't a thing at the time, and the Polestar 2 came with all the options by default, and cost basically the same as the Model 3. I liked the Polestar a lot, but the charging options for Tesla were just so much better and so we bought that. Something to watch with Audi now is that not only is a lot of stuff optional, they are moving to business model where you rent some functionality monthly. This includes Matrix LED headlights, DAB radio and Carplay/Android Auto.

[@artemkatelnytskyi]

What?! You have to pay monthly to use LED headlights? That's simply appalling!

[@15bit62]

@@artemkatelnytskyi - You pay to use the intelligent matrix part. If you don't pay you only get normal dumb headlights, even though you paid for the hardware. They call this whole shenanigans "Functions on Demand".

[@artemkatelnytskyi]

@@15bit62 i think it's unacceptable. It's so disrespectful to their customers. I can't wrap my mind around it!

[@maldwynhughes2708]

Went with my son to test Tesla Model 3 and Audi Q4 EVs. Our experience and views were exactly as yours on both the dealer and vehicles. Tesla's was a five star experience whereas Audi's felt like an inconvenience to test the sales person's and what seemed the dealership's only demonstrator. Two stars only for the VAG "premium" brand. Focusing on the vehicles, well it was night and day. Our opinion of the Audi was "its OK but a bit boring" where in contrast driving the Tesla Std Range Plus was a "wow" event. It was a no brainer decision and then there was the massive supercharger network benefit on top. My other son tested Polestar and Model 3 and it was the Tesla that he ordered. Need to say that he was happy with the Polestar test drive process. My advice to anyone considering an EV: If its within your budget do not place an order unless you have tried a Tesla, its the benchmark. New subscriber and 👍 for the channel

[@ianlongley110]

Interesting fact about the longer range and time saved on a journey, I was looking at getting the long range to do a regular 370 mile trip but now wonder if the extra cost for it is beneficial. Thank you for that.

[@cody2470]

Collected mine on Friday, it’s amazing mate. Only gripe so far is the charging situation. The infrastructure in my part of the UK isn’t great.

[@Javadamutt]

My cousin works for a dealership that covers multiple brands. She was very interested when it came to buying my first new car and the experience I had and everything I said from the experience was taken and fed back to not only that brands manager, but the big bosses over that. She did say that even small things like not engaging the customer or any form of antagonistic behaviour intended or otherwise is appropriately acted upon as a poor customer experience doesn’t just affect the perception of the brand bought, but the other brands in that buying location as a whole. The way they see it is that although I am young and only bought a Dacia this time, I will progress through life and grow in my career and they want me to return and look at not just Dacia or Renault but the Audis and Mercedes too. If the 2nd hand or cheaper dealers don’t do a good job then that affects the site as a whole.

[@M3RBMW]

As a long term Tesla owner (Model S P85D) I fully agree with your thought processes. One thing that you did not cover was depreciation and, in my experience, this is a huge one. I purchased my car 4 1/2 years ago for A$156,000 and the car is still getting around A$100,000 on the second hand market today and has been for at least 2 years. This comes in at well under 10% a year which is a brilliant saving. I am a fanboy and ordered a Model S PLAID over a year ago, but still have another year before I will see it. Some of the things to look forward to appreciating are: one pedal driving (which I have grown to absolutely adore), charging from home and always having a full "tank" every morning, autopilot for those boring long drives (and occasional local drives), fabulous sound system & very rare requirements for any sort of service/maintenance.

[@M3RBMW]

@Matt P Australia. They were over A$200k new.

[@M3RBMW]

@Matt P AUSTRALIA! It's in my earlier reply.

[@M3RBMW]

@Matt P To put this into current perspective, I have ordered a Model S Plaid and it will cost me A$230,000 (including FSD). The same car in the US is US$140,000 including FSD. We have lots of taxes including a "luxury car tax" which make the cars so much more expensive than they do in their home countries.

[@M3RBMW]

@Matt P I should also point out that the P85D was US$105,000 new - not US$80,000. I think your missed the "P".

[@M3RBMW]

@Matt P The Plaid has over A$35,000 luxury car tax and over A$10,000 in registration stamp duty which adds A$45,000 over the actual buy price before you include the exchange rate.

[@Jonathantuba]

Welcome to your new Tesla. I have driven Tesla since 2018 and have never regretted getting a Tesla once. The charging network is a big reason to buy a Tesla and the tech in the car which is beyond anything else

[@antnam4406]

In the Tesla Go Anywhere map. Merseyside to Southampton with the SR = 5h drive with (25 min charge) Merseyside to Southampton with the LR = 4h 15min drive with (5 min charge) Merseyside to Southampton with the Performance = 4h 22min drive with (10 min charge) 55 mins difference between the Long Range and Standard Range. I think the price is worth it and it charges faster.

[@robertovers1863]

its been a long time since i bought a brand new car 2000 ! but it sounds like dealers just don't learn, on my list were a ford cougar (no test car available ) an Astra ( 13 weeks delivery !) i bought a Toyota Celica straight out of the showroom, brilliant car, and that made me buy a supra some years later

[@kenbrown2808]

I think of the progress Hyundai has made into being a somewhat respected carmaker from their start as the maker of a car that compared unfavorably to the Yugo.

[@GlasgowDave]

An important safety concern of mine regarding the Model 3 is the lack of physical controls for many common functions. Operating a touchscreen requires more concentration and, on some cars, the touch option is disabled when the car is in motion for this reason. So I’d be interested to hear from you whether you find the touch controls for the heater, etc, to be a significant issue. Enjoy the car!

[@Tom55data]

Thank you for your discussion on how you made your decision. I have owned a Tesla M-3 LR for 18 months now and found your comparison very useful.

[@ChrisiB123]

Honestly Ashley, alls I can say is ‘accurate’! I would described the ionic 5 as driving an empty shipping container, it was ok. I currently drive an 11 plate Passat 1.6 diesel gate car, so interested in transition to something new, petrol/electric, but I also found the attitude of all of the dealerships poor and uninterested! On the note of my tesla test drive, I must say 💯 accurate, I booked Trafford. Seamless process, parked up, went into the marquee, answered a couple of questions and there I was down the m60 and enjoying the best driving experience in my life All in all.. very representative video. Great stuff. Keep it up!!!

[@mxbx307]

I don't know what it is about car salesfolk. They seem to have no issue with just ignoring you, or you turn up on time for a pre-booked test drive and they're "with another customer" and someone else eventually helps you out after you've sat in the dealership like a plum for about 12 years. Never seen anything like it with any other profession.

[@Ifyoudonttakeitucantfakeit]

LR has loads of other extras! Well worth the extra money for long journeys and safety. Great video thanks.

[@ashley_neal]

What are the extras?

[@iallso1]

Your experience seems much the same as my own, although with different vehicles and dealerships. Having done my research, and with limited models in the market, I opted to look at Kia Niro and EV6, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq 5, the MG ZS, and Tesla Model 3. The Ioniq 5 and EV6 although being advertised, when push came to shove there were no guarantees that the vehicles would be available in 2021 or while the governments Clean Energy Discount was being offered. Tesla didn't have a car to test drive anywhere in the south island, while MG were let down by the dealership, the trade in value, and the quality of their vehicle. This left a straight choice between the Kona and the Niro, and while we preferred the look of the Kona, the Niro offered a better spec for the money, with the price reduced to just come under the rebate cap. The Kia dealerships and specifically the sales rep made a real effort at a time where supply was limited. I am surprised that you didn't consider the Skoda Enyaq, it receives very good reviews and is competitively priced.

[@armanddesarrierespays719]

I love Tesla. Every time I rent a car abroad I wish they had a Tesla. Nowadays you can rent other EVs as well but I'd rather have a Tesla. In the Iberian peninsula their network is a must, without it traveling gets very complicated. Also love autopilot, other brands don't have such a good AP system, Lexus does a lot of ping pong for instance...

[@Larry]

That's a shame about the Tesla referal, I'm definetely getting one next year and would have used the code. But even the 1000 free miles was the bad end of the stick, in the early days, if ten people used your code, Tesla would give you a Roadster for free! But I have pre-ordered a Citroen Ami just for a bit of fun, if you're ever in the London area in the new year, love to show it to you :D Also what's the insurance like on Teslas? heard some horror stories about the number.

[@ashley_neal]

Insurance on the Tesla was more than the BMW M3 👍🏼

[@Larry]

@@ashley_neal Oh dear, I've heard it called "Tesla Insurance" :S

[@focusedford2302]

Was quite surprised to hear about your issues with Hyundai, we've had 2 new cars from there (2016 Hyundai Tucson SE Nav and 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Premium Hybrid) and they've always been very polite, but I won't have used the same dealers you did

[@leelaa2665]

2:00 i swear it does my head in on that road. How there haven't been more crashes is beyond me

[@leeholden8658]

@Ashley Neal I thought you’d go for the Tesla for the multi-cameras. Can’t wait for more content for your channel and seeing a different perspective to other road users. Onwards and upwards for your channel 👌🏻

[@richardhowlett9424]

I have never driven a Tesla , but I have been a passenger in a few , appalling build quality , truly dreadful ergonomics that tele / touchscreen dashboard is idiotic . No doubt we’ll here your thoughts on such things. Happy motoring , if that’s what we’re allowed to call it these days. I drive a 2010 Accord 2.4 estate , which I intend to keep until it’s legislated out of existence !

[@RushfanUK]

Two things for me excluding price, no instruments in eye line, you have to look at the info screen for speed etc, you have to go through the info screen system to open the glove box, just daft, my cousin in the US also says they're great if you live in California but not great for a Chicago winter, his opinion.

[@VoxelLoop]

When done right, the touchscreen setup that just about every new car is using now can be pretty good for ergonomics! Generally speaking, you don't ever need to touch the screen while driving outside of navigation. Even with navigation you can use voice commands, just push a button on the wheel and say "Navigate to Asda" for example. The only annoyance in my experience is having no wiper speed changer, however, this is being corrected by an upcoming software update so you'll push the single wipe button on the left stalk then scroll the left wheel on the steering wheel to change the wiper speed. For the build quality... If you get in a 2019/Early 2020 or prior Model 3, the quality generally sucks. The US Tesla factory produces pretty horrific vehicles and we've only seen this sudden massive improvement in quality once the cars started shipping from the much newer China factory instead, this will be replaced by the German factory that is being built at the moment sometime next year. :) In all honesty, you get used to the touchscreen and it's a complete none-issue after only a week of driving. It's amazing for watching movies whilst you charge, it's great for showing the Autopilot visuals to know what the car is thinking when it's assisting you with driving, and generally speaking every button that they removed has become an automated feature so you don't use the screen instead. (Again, with the exception of the pretty terrible auto-wipers, though this system is greatly improved apparently in an upcoming software update that's only out in the US right now)

[@richardhowlett9424]

@@VoxelLoop as much as I like my iPad I wouldn’t try to use it whilst driving , even if it was nailed to the dashboard ! I prefer well calibrated dials in the line of sight , proper switches and buttons that work with precision , not cheap, nasty touchscreens . I am not going to start talking to a car or any other inanimate object , some people can’t find their way to the end of the road without satnav , I’ve never used it , or ever needed it . Bring back engineering .

[@VoxelLoop]

@@richardhowlett9424 The problem with buttons is that the vast majority are rarely ever used and lead to the driver trying to look around to find the button they want anyway. This is as bad, if not worse, than a touchscreen in most cases as a lot of buttons are in awkward places like behind the steering wheel, under the steering wheel, etc. For example, do you know exactly which way to twist something on your stalks to turn on the front and rear fog lights? Or would you have to look down for the unlit icons on the stalk to see which one does what you want? In this time, your eyes are completely off the road. The buttons being physical doesn't help if you don't know which buttons do what you want as you only use them once a year. On top of this, as the vast majority of buttons are rarely used, why have those buttons in the first place? For example, who uses a headlights button anymore now that automatic lights exist? Not once in 2 years of owning my car have I ever changed the headlights setting, a button would make no sense. :) Though I do totally understand your concern! I think at the end of the day it'll just come down to preference. Some people will love it, some people will hate it. Though I will say most car manufacturers seem to be following this same design.

[@Rachel_Tensions]

richard babe nobody asked

[@onederment]

Best for you... that button click and saving 10 seconds of road coverage is priceless for you. Congrats

[@gothmog2441]

It saves 10 minutes. Not 10 seconds

[@crypt4662]

BMWs have the same camera recording option with much higher quality higher cameras, obviously being BMW you need to spec the surround cameras but you can hold the camera button on the centre console and it will save 60 seconds of footage manually or in the event of an accident will record automatically. Also interesting you describe the Q4 as an appliance but think the Model 3 isn’t? After being in both I would say the other way round. Ended up with one of BMWs hybrids though as can’t risk public networks.

[@gothmog2441]

Why does the BMW only store 60sec of video? Storage is cheap- Tesla’s store last half hour continuously, and when you hit the dash button to store something that just occurred store 10min. And anything that happens close to your car when you’re away from the wheel. And crashes, obviously.

[@ronniebrown6225]

Great video Ashley, The dealerships you felt let you down I would have done precisely the same and stopped looking at their product. Audi? I'm not an Audi lover so that's a no. The Hyundai Ionic 5 is a nice car with some nice touches, but for me comes nowhere near the style and attraction of the Kia EV6 which I have driven and I would have one in a minute. This brings me to Tesla, Yes they have good things ( I do like the multi-camera system) and their charging points seem to be everywhere. but in your video, there are some camera views, the ones from behind you which shows precisely why I don't like Tesla. They look nice from the outside but the interior is just so bland and boring that I do not think I could sit in this car on a long journey. I have recently driven the Mercedes EQA which I loved, The EV I love the look of in every way both externally and interior is the Jaguar i-pace. For me this car's design looks and everything about it just leaves the rest far behind. The price, however, is the stumbling block it starts at over £65K, this car would be my preference but due to cost, I would happily drive away in the Kia EV6.

[@molepatrol7529]

Great breakdown of decision. You will find that like referral codes other things that were unique about the Tesla will disappear as their business model is aimed at pulling you in. The shared charging will not go down well when Tesla owners have to queue at Superchargers especially with the model 3 flying off the shelves. My options were Polestar 2 and M3 long range. Went for the Tesla for many of the same reasons you did. Test drive the Q4 etron but it’s so expensive kitted out.

[@DylanLappin2252]

It will be very interesting to hear your take on the potential shortcomings of the Tesla interior configuration in terms of driver convenience and safety, with the majority of things being controlled via a touch screen. To me I highly respect the technology put into the Tesla powertrain and it's charging network, but the huge deal breaker to me is the interior. It seems like they designed it to only be operated when the car is stopped and not when it is being driven.

[@Joshyg02]

Agreed, the minimalist interior looks awful and impractical to me it makes the car look cheap and lifeless. It might have a lot of tech but tactile buttons/dials would make everything a lot more accessible and would make the car look like it was meant to be driven by a person rather than a robot.

[@DylanLappin2252]

@@Joshyg02 i personally think especially the worst part is how they expect you to use the windscreen wipers. If a driver isn't using the automatic rain sensing mode, then they have to press a small and low-contrast button on the display to turn on the wipers. the main culprit causing this is how there is no wiper stalk, as it was replaced by a column shifter

[@MK-1973]

Very interesting. Looking forward to the forthcoming videos. Would be interested in your thoughts on driving the Tesla in poor weather, especially slippery road surfaces - how to handle all that torque and (presumably?) regenerative braking. Thanks as always

[@MrFrings89]

Handles it way better than an ICE car for sure.

[@dscotia]

I think you chose wisely regarding the Tesla. The EV6, is "Kia doing what it does!" a beautiful package of efficiency but the Tesla with it's cameras is a 360⁰ recording platform.

[@microcolonel]

Scuzzy dealerships are a solid quarter or third of what turns people off buying cars from brands that rely on them. Dealerships were such a slimy experience for me that I purchased my first and current car used (in a recent model year, low mile) from Carvana (low friction American used car dealership that delivers the car to your front door) so I didn't have to deal with them.

[@AndrewEbling]

Remember battery size is not just about range. A smaller battery has to go through more cycles to cover 10k miles, so they don't age as well. Perhaps not an issue if you are leasing and will hand the car back in 3 years, but as a long term proposition, I think the long range is a better buy.

[@johnmckay1423]

I'm trying to decide which way to go. There are a few variables to take into account: The battery chemistry in the Standard Range is different and it survives more charge cycles and being fully charged every time. It's actually expected to last longer. The SR is also more efficient and is claimed to charge faster so charging times on journeys won't be much different. Mine will be through an employer's lease scheme and the long range is an extra £50/month. Currently driving the Performance version, so I'd miss the power, but it's completely unnecessary! With 2 years experience, I know I'd still rarely charge away from home.

[@Bin-The-L-Plates]

Good choice given the ones you’ve picked out. Efficiency is as important as rage, and the marketing push to SUV ownership means you’re buying car with the aerodynamics of a house brick. It’s why I chose to but my Hyundai Ioniq 38kWh, not a big battery size, but bonkers efficient in it’s sector. As for future videos, I hinted at this in a clip I sent in a few weeks ago…… the problems of near silent vehicles and other road users. Looking forward to the future content.

[@AlteranAnciote]

Earlier this year, I was looking at a bunch of different cars - the requirements: PHEV or Pure EV and good value. The contenders were Audi A3, Kia Niro, Hyundai Kona (Hybrid), Seat Leon, or the Cupra Formentor. Audi put me off because the spec was very basic unless you paid too much (poor VFM) and the dealership were unwilling to make the effort to convince me. The Niro was a "no" because every time I've had one as an Uber, there have been multiple warning lights on the dash. The Kona was a runner-up, but an eventual "no" because I wasn't fond of the interior or infotainment system. The Leon was also a runner-up, as my previous ICE car was a Leon that I was happy with. But the Cupra Formentor won me over in the end - it was very good Value For Money, plenty of features in the spec and had a very nice interior. Favourable reviews. And it just looks nice. Funny that I'm not the only one who has had an issue with Audi dealerships in the UK and "bad attitude", right?

[@grahamnutt8958]

When something ✔✔ more 📦📦 than the "competition" then its clearly a no-brainer. It strikes me that some Dealerships did not do themselves any favours 🤔. With my situation, the EV route is not going to happen for many years but there may come a time when I have to say goodbye to a certain gas guzzling V8 but that's a long way off. I would certainly be interested to discover how you get on with the "tech"; much of which could be a distraction to the actual driving. It happens to be one reason why I'm sticking with the old Classic - despite poor mirror visibility. Far less "in-car stuff" to worry about. Stay safe everyone 👍

[@letter1014]

u too

[@TheFlyingBusman]

I can partially understand the switch to an electric vehicle but as a driving school car it surely becomes less viable. No gears, no clutch. Most learner drivers are going to step into an internal combustion vehicle with both and how will they fair? Model 3 build quality has been very questionable to say the least. It will be interesting to see how this along with the LGV tuition pans out. I must say, we’re I looking at driver tuition as a career, I would go into LGV/PCV.

[@dmac2573]

I think Ashley said that this would be a personal vehicle, not one for teaching students in.

[@B0BHW]

I'm an Approved Driving Instructor like Ashley. I commence Automatic driving lessons in my Tesla Model 3 Long Range on Monday 07 March 2022 when it will replace my Ford Focus fossil burner manual transmission. After 50 years of driving, I'm through with manual transmission. Hopefully a few learner pupils will be too! Am I completely stupid or ahead of the game. We'll see.

[@15bit62]

I would comment that here in Norway i see an increasing number of driving school EVs, now that electric cars have taken off. It seems that learners are becoming less and less interested in learning to drive "old fashioned" cars. As for Model 3 build quality, well i have a model 3 and it doesn't seem to be badly assembled at all. It's even an american built car.

[@carlbox5130]

@@15bit62 Impressive students if they can afford 50k for their first car

[@15bit62]

@@carlbox5130 - There are plenty of used EVs here for a lot less than £50k. Plus, due to norwegian incentives most EVs are priced similar to their ICE equivalents.

[@CryztalRose]

In regards to the Audi dealer not getting back in contact, I had a very similar story when I was looking for my new car a few months back. Whether it was because of stock availability with the dealer or whether they didn't take me seriously due to my age I'm not sure, but they never got in contact beyond the intial call I made about test driving both the new A3 and the A1. It's a shame, you'd think a dealer trying to sell their cars would actually bother to make contact with a potential customer.

[@commuterbranchline8132]

A well thought out choice for your use case, some say the standard range is the pick of the bunch and I’d tend to agree. Health to drive your new whip.👍

[@dankshiz69]

Didn't you notice the dodgy indicator stalk? When you are right signalling round a roundabout and then want to apply a breakaway signal, you full press the stalk to the left but that only cancels the right signal, so you have to double full press to apply the left signal if you are switching from the right one.

[@seanbranagh]

They're great cars. Had our long range for almost a year now. In regard to the Aero wheels, I personally think the do look really well as they are but if you ever fancy a change you can just take the Aero covers off and there are some not bad looking alloys underneath. You just need to buy the little centre caps if you do that.

[@hsli9003tube]

As a driving instructor, what is your opinion on the driving controls in Tesla? I know model 3 still got some stock buttons in the steering wheel but the new Tesla model S got rid of all stock button/controls and driver has to operate via the touchscreen?

[@lookoutleo]

would love a tesla but its leaf 30 for me till tesla is old and cheaper :) you deffo made best choice , tesla charging network knocks spots off the competition. thanks for your review

[@nicolettedickinson7874]

One thing I thought the tesla would have is electric heated mirrors,apart from that love it ! 😍

[@timprice5]

Definitely the sensible choice from a KZbin views point of view. These things are very personal but i just dont like the front end! The Model S was a great looking car and crucially was a hatchback. Just don't understand why they didnt make the model 3 a hatch and keep the Model S nose. Still they seem to be very popular at the moment and I'm sure it will do you proud. From what i understand a lot of the switchgear is Mercedes which is no bad thing.

[@Theaveragenerd2000]

Thoughts on buying a converted ICE car with a manual to help teach lessons? Would you be interested if it simulated stalls etc? Do the regs on testing have any rules on the test that says it must be a manual with an engine?

[@DaveDVideoMaker]

Apparently the Model 3 is the best seller in the UK and the EU.

[@robertredmayne8175]

I think a good video idea will be the life span of the battery over the time that you own the vehicle. It would obviously take a long time to produce it but as you have only just bought it, I think it would be a good time to start the time lapse

[@paultrewin5871]

Audi are well known for a reasonable basic price with extortionate “options”.

[@pompeymonkey3271]

Incorruptable as always! :) I would like to see how EVs function in city streets with little to no parking, let alone near your house! Please.

[@jimbegin6554]

Good review. Two likes: non pushy sales people and charging network. Bonus is that Tesla includes more without having to splash the cash! Minus: the screen! I would prefer simple knobs and switches for main controls. The green bit: long term electric is the way to go - until something better is discovered and/or produced. But the materials used in the manufacture of the vehicles, mainly the batteries, are they environmentally sourced and made? Also, I guess most components are recyclable at end of life?

[@anthonyedwardcooper8820]

In the past I've heard really bad things about the build quality and takedown videos showed a less than optimal construction (fiddly little panels welded together rather than larger sections as seen in other cars). However, their construction being heavily automated, this will help the production engineering to be more predictable and hopefully easier to rectify teething problems. It will be interesting to see how you find the build quality long term. Also how modular is the battery, earlier models seemed to have one monolithic unit that if it failed the whole battery had to be replaced rather than an internal sub-module? Lastly what do you think of the touchscreen interface? When I was last in a Tesla I was surprised that some basic functions that you would need when driving were only accessible through the touchscreen rather than a simple button. Unfortunately I can't remember what it was, windscreen wipers possibly? But I can't remember. Also newer models are experimenting with airplane style steering wheels and touch sensitive buttons rather than ones that actually click. I must admit these more radical design features I think are a safety issue along with the distracting touch screen (the owner of the one that I had a drive in also found it a downside, he's since sold it - maybe for unrelated reasons though not sure).

[@EinkOLED]

A lot of the decision making comes down to dealership experience.

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

A friend of mine is due to retire so he decided to buy a new car while he was still working, he wanted a petrol model but thought he would have a look at an electric when he went to the dealership. The salesman couldn't wait to tell him all the pitfalls of electric cars,and completely discouraged him from test driving one. He's happy with his new petrol car but he'll never know how much happier he'd be with a BEV. Car dealers make a lot more money off fossil fuel cars because of all the servicing in the future,they are depressing BEV sales deliberately imo.

[@interceptor-ss8kb]

Still thing the Model S is the electric car of choice, it feels way more spacious and comfortable to the model 3 and has the bonus of a large liftback boot opening

[@highpath4776]

A flat floor sounds good, until the coke bottles etc start rolling around. my passenger footwell is a storage bin on a long or local jpurney to the shops

[@jackedrussell]

It's interesting that you say you didn't have a good experience with the Hyundai dealer. I've never been in one but I have seen a ton of stories online, mostly from the US and Canada, where people are saying the Hyundai dealers are awful to work with and the people working there don't seem to know about the cars they're trying to sell. Not just that, but they're arrogant about being wrong about the incorrect information they tell you. This seems like a major issue with corporate management seeing as it's the same problems over in the UK as well.

[@escapetime161803]

Here's a question about electric cars that nobody ever asks, and the adverts never say anything about: how is the range affected by the use of the heater in the winter? The heater in a petrol or diesel car uses waste heat from the engine, and there's usually plenty of it that isn't missed if not needed, but in an electric car, all the energy for everything must come from the battery. It seems to be a struggle to design a car with a useful range with a new fully charged battery on a good day, so how much does it deteriorate in bad weather?

[@2skydream]

I’ve got a model 3 LR. There’s no doubt that when you get in a ‘cold’ car it uses more energy for the first 5 - 10 mins of driving to warm the cabin. This in turn effects overall range in the winter. I’d say my max range drops from 320 in summer to about 260 in winter. The question is does this effect me that much ? Answer No. To be honest I can’t drive more than 2 hours before needing to stop for a p**s so 260 miles is plenty. There is a slight additional cost per mile because of this in winter but it’s no different with a cold petrol/diesel car with the automatic choke on for the first 5-10 mins. Saying that when I home charge my cost per mile is 1.3 pence as apposed to about 10p per mile for a good diesel so am I bothered about this - No. One of the nice things about an EV’s heater in winter though is it’s instant, generally I heat it up before I get in it but if I forget, we’re talking 30 seconds before the screen is clear and warm air is coming out of the vents. Would I go back to an ICE car ? Not a chance !

[@supersub20]

Most evs have a heat pump but the range in winter is approximately 10-15% lower than in summer. E.g a car with 200 miles would have approximately 170-180 in summer and 140-150 in winter. But it would depend on a number of factors IE, temp and weather. But overall you would 'lose' a few miles range in the colder weather

[@johnkeepin7527]

Similar issue with hybrids (such as the Toyota products). They use electric kit powered from the high voltage system, so it works without the engine running - but of course from time to time the engine needs to run to top up the traction battery, so it’s a roundabout route for heating. As usual, the fuel burn is higher in cold conditions (with range reduced a bit), but it’s not as bad as cold starts with engines that idle.

[@davidellis8141]

Check out the article on 24th December. Man in Finland blew up his Tesla in protest at the replacement cost of battery £17,000 yes £17,000.

[@CakeFine]

Best decision to make, welcome to the EV family. Now enjoy the little depreciation and if you end up selling a year or 2 down the line you might break even!

[@bmused55]

Great video, solid reasoning. For me however, I still just can't get over the spartan interior of the Tesla. There is no "oooo" factor. The near featureless interior of the Tesla makes it look cheap. To me. The Kia EV looks like the vehicle for me if I get to make the change to EV. It's interior is very nice. But that's just me. I want a car I know I'd like to be in. So the interior is very important. BTW, I hope the vibration audible at around 17:00 minutes mark was the camera equipment and not the interior fittings!

[@outsider_within]

For me, it's the exact opposite, I find the clean interior of the model 3 to be exciting and futuristic. So nice not to have a bunch of buttons and "stuff" everywhere to distract me. We can't all like the same things though. The EV6 is really nice, I just couldn't find a good seating position in it, being quite tall.

[@v8velocity446]

I thought the same until I test drove the 3, a few minutes in, and I was sold!

[@Tom55data]

I am assuming that you will be doing driving lessons for "electric cars" which have differences, particularly the use of regenerative braking. One question though, even the standard range Tesla is quite quick and does teaching people to use such a powerful car as their learner car worry you. I guess it is part of the leaning experience of leaner drivers and EV's they tend (not always) to be quite powerful. I think a model 3-LR (you considered it) as a leaner car would be quite daunting especially as "chill" mode is no longer available in the latest version.

[@martindammable]

Here's my decision making for an EV: Look at price tag. "Nope"

[@gothmog2441]

Hmm. Look at price tag - running costs - absence of service need - residual value: change mind? Price tag is only part of the cost. Lifetime ownership cost for EVs is at parity or below similar ICE vehicles

[@adamspencer95]

@@gothmog2441 If you can't afford the purchase price, none of the other things matter. It's like saying "owning a house is cheaper" but if you can't afford a deposit, it's irrelevant.

[@sanchoodell6789]

At least the Sinclair *C5* didn't appear on THAT list!

[@jakestewart8784]

I think I would have gone for the Polestar for the astoundingly good build quality. I went and tried all of them at the Goodwood Festival of speed and as a car nut, I thought it was better than the Tesla and may stand the test of time better. Especially with repairability.

[@alexevans9379]

I'm intrigued to see you cover the huge screen, and lack of tactile buttons and dials.

[@AntonyJMcCormack]

Drove one from Scotland on Friday, fantastic car but still not convinced by the mileage, however the actual performance was amazing

[@mariea82]

I was really starstruck the other day when I was behind your learner car ! 😀

[@cloudmaker]

Hi Ashley having just purchased our first electric car we have noticed a severe drop off of the range with the colder weather, although the salesman did warn us this would happen we were not expecting it to be about 100 miles less when near freezing. Have you noticed the same thing with the Tesla? A great informative video and looking forward to see how you get on with yours. Best wishes for the festive season.

[@iallso1]

I really enjoyed owning a 2005 Volvo S40 2.0l diesel, the Hyundai Ioniq EV was the first 4 wheel vehicle that I felt came close to the Volvo for comfort, features, and performance. There is no need for EVs to be soulless.

[@michaelhope8899]

It would be interesting to have a price comparison of a year in a petrol car and a year in the tesla.

[@BritishBoy1971]

Thank you Ashley, this video has given me quite an insight into electric cars, for the first time. That Hyundai showroom manager obviously has to do more homework and do something about his attitude!

[@davidrumming4734]

This is going to be interesting to see how you get on long term. Your ahead of us up there. We have total of zero Tesla charging points around here. We have 3 public charging point…all in the next town (9 miles away), supermarket car parks. Surprised you didn’t mention the latest 3rd gen Nissan Leaf….available with small or larger battery. Shocked an Audi e-tron doesn’t have a backup camera at that price….when you can get them on cars costing half as much. There’s still a number of Tesla’s driving around here, despite zero Tesla specific chargers….my bet is they picked the longest range model and relying on home charging. Touch panel for everything……don’t like that.

[@izzard]

Not EV-related but: I’d be interested in your thoughts about how drivers (should) behave whenever two lanes becomes one. Could make a whole video about that!

[@chrism2279]

Merge in turn and don't be a dick would be my guess!

[@bellshooter]

Nice Video, and good choice, only downside for me is lack of a rear hatchback. I have an ME ZS EV and am well pleased, even the base model now comes with full Pilot driver assist and reversing camera. I was also struck by the poor base spec of many vehicles, especially VAG marques.

[@jackhstproductions649]

7:58 lol the person in the orange car

[@dankshiz69]

7:58 Hello there!

[@northseawolf]

Tesla is a nice car. I'm looking forward to the hatchback version coming out next year.

[@jastat]

I think you should buy a car based on the properties of the car, not the customer service at the dealership. Customer service doesn't have any bearing on the quality of the car itself. After the car is out of warranty you're going to take it somewhere cheaper than the dealership for servicing and repairs anyway

[@earlebacciochi9796]

Good Luck Ashley 👍 Quite surprised, always thought Tesla was the most expensive EVs, maybe the better investment? Will be interesting to share your experience, especially as we all have to make a decision in the next few years 🤪

[@nickclarkuk]

The Tesla is the obvious choice mainly because of the charging network and ease of charging . The cars could be inferior (they’re not) and I’d still choose one over other brands .

[@randomjasmicisrandom]

I test drove an Enyaq this morning while I was waiting for my Kodiak to have its first service. It was my first ever experience in an Ev and it blew me away. I get the choice of the Tesla, but I need something I can chuck my filthy, wet Golden retriever in after he’s jumped in every puddle he can find whilst out for a walkies. My thought is to lease an EV for a few years simply because of how fast the technology is changing, and also I finish paying my mortgage soon so will have more money for a better car.

[@gothmog2441]

Golden retriever will go nicely in back of Model Y ....