Last updated on July 26th, 2020 at 07:01 pm
Another area where the Model 3 cuts corners compared to the S and X is the sole use of a giant 15in touchscreen in the centre of the console for all settings and information. There is no secondary display behind the steering wheel for key information like current speed, remaining battery capacity and range. Unlike the S and X, the central screen is landscape rather than portrait, so the corner nearest the driver is closer, and that’s where you find the speedometer and battery level icon, although the latter is very small.
Not having the current speed right in front of you in a car that will hit 60mph in 3.2 seconds could be a problem for your license. You get used to it, but it’s still a bit unintuitive, although you will be glancing in this direction on most cars when using the satnav. Speaking of this, there’s live traffic built in and the functions are generally easy to locate and operate to set up your destination.
The connected abilities are another area where Tesla hopes to leap ahead of the competition, leading some to call Teslas “computers with wheels”. The Model 3 is no different. The menu is very clear and well organised, with all the functions in one hierarchy. Choosing the driving modes is extremely easy. You can select Sport or Chill acceleration, three different levels of steering response, two levels of regenerative braking, and how the car behaves when you take the foot off the accelerator – creep, roll or hold. There’s also a Track Mode that makes it possible to drift round corners.
There’s also excellent, direct connectivity with online music. You don’t need to use your phone, as you can access services like Spotify music or TuneIn live radio streaming directly. However, it’s worth noting that the latter no longer includes BBC stations, so it’s fortunate that there’s DAB+ and FM radio built into European Model 3s meaning you can use the old way instead.
Tesla regularly adds new features with software updates – much more frequently than other manufacturers – and you can choose to be an early adopter and get the bleeding-edge stuff as soon as it comes out. But you do need to be careful not to have an update happening too soon before you need to drive off, because it can take an hour to complete.
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