Tesla Model 3 Owner Loves His Car, But Hates The Fact That It's RWD

When you live in the snow AWD is a must.

09:40

Ben O'Hare

By: Ben O'Hare

Jun 11, 2022 at 8:35pm ET

Comment

The Tesla Model 3 is undoubtedly a great car. Superb tech, plenty of range and a fantastic driving experience are some of the main reasons why its the best-selling electric car of all time. However, it's not the affordable "EV for all" it once was. In fact, at $46,990 the base Model 3 is around $10,000 more than it was when it originally came out. So, is it still worth it?

Although the entry-level Model 3 has become a lot more expensive over the years, it's also gained a substantial amount of range. The 2022 Model 3 RWD has a 272-mile EPA range, more than most sub-$50k EVs. It's also pretty quick - 0-60 mph happens in 5.8 seconds. Sure, that's not supercar fast acceleration like the rest of Tesla's lineup but it's still more than quick enough for the majority of people.

When you account for the fact that the Model 3 RWD is fundamentally the same vehicle as the Long Range (just with a slightly smaller battery and one less motor) the $9,000 difference seems hard to justify. You're still getting plenty of range and more than enough performance on the RWD, right? Yes, in theory. And recently I wrote that the RWD is the best Model 3 to buy in 2022. However, there is an exception: if you live in year-round snow.

YouTuber POGAuto bought his Model 3 RWD 6 months ago. Overall he is very impressed with his vehicle. However, he does regret not getting the Long Range instead. He lives in rural Alberta, Canada. Therefore he is faced with treacherous weather conditions on a year-round basis. He figured the RWD Model 3 would be more than enough for him, however he underestimated the impact cold weather would have on his range. In reality, you only get around half of the vehicle's 272-mile range in snowy conditions when the temperature drops below freezing. There's also issues with traction and so on - it is a RWD car at the end of the day.

So, if you want to buy a Model 3 in 2022 the RWD is arguably your best option out of the whole lineup - just not if you live in constant snow!