A few years ago, Tesla made headlines with the Model S scoring the best-ever Consumer Reports ratings. Nowadays, things aren't going as good. The Model S isn't getting the best reviews, and the Model 3 falls short of the outlet's recommendation. You probably remember that Consumer Reports reported some issues before the compact sedan was out. And Elon Musk freaked out, claiming a conspiracy against Tesla. Well, CR just finished testing the Model 3 it bought a while back, and it reports "big flaws," including "long stopping distances in emergency braking tests" and "difficult-to-use controls."

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According to CR, the Model 3 needs around 152 feet to stop from 60 mph, which is "far worse than any contemporary car" they've tested. It's also seven feet longer than the stopping distance of a Ford F-150 pickup truck. Ouch! Consumer Reports mentions that the first stop it recorded was significantly shorter at around 130 feet, which is similar to Tesla's 133-feet claims, but that distance was not repeated, even after the brakes were left to cool overnight. The inconsistent results prompted CR to loan a privately owned Model 3 for verification, but the second sedan returned "almost identical results."

Worryingly enough, the Model 3 needs 25 feet more to stop compared to the larger Model X and around 21 feet more compared to luxury compact sedans. CR goes on to point out that Car and Driver recorded similar results in its published test of a Model 3.

Braking Issues

Consumer reports also complains about the car's control setup. With all controls placed on the center touchscreen, the driver is forced to "take multiple steps to accomplish simple tasks," CR says, adding that these complex interactions cause "distraction because each act forces drivers to take their eyes off the road and a hand off the steering wheel."

Distracting Controls

The Model 3 gets more criticism for its stiff ride, unsupportive rear seats, and excessive wind noise at highway speeds. "In the compact luxury sedan class, most competitors deliver a more comfortable ride and rear seat," CR said.

Not So Comfortable

It's not all bad, however. The outlet praises the sedan's handling, described as "reminiscent of a Porsche 718 Boxster," and the range, with the Model 3 setting a new CR record with 350 miles on a single charge. Consumer Reports also noted that the Model 3's "exhilarating acceleration and handling could make it a healthy competitor to performance-oriented cars such as BMW’s 3 Series and the Audi A4."

The Good

The folks over at Edmunds also reported a series of issues in their long-term test. Issues included a faulty keycard, a backup camera screen that did not appear when reversing, issues with the navigation screen, which zoomed, scrolled, and pinched all at once, the audio system turning itself to full volume, and icons on the map screen flickering, among others. The car was serviced three times in a month over various issues. Edmunds also noted touchscreen and back-seat comfort issues similar to Consumer Reports.

Needless to say, it will be interesting to see what the new Model 3 owners have to say about their cars.

https://www.consumerreports.org/hybrids-evs/tesla-model-3-review-falls-short-of-consumer-reports-recommendation/

https://www.edmunds.com/tesla/model-3/2017/long-term-road-test/2017-tesla-model-3-monthly-update-for-april-2018.html

Edmunds Noted Similar Issues

Tesla Model 3

Read our full review on the 2018 Tesla Model 3.

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