Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor

FIRST DRIVE Our verdict on Teslas sports saloon rival to the German big-hitters

- Steve Fowler

NEVER mind a Cheshire Cat, the Tesla Model 3 will put a smile on your face that’s wider than the USA. Of course, there’s much more to a sports saloon than that, so how does this Model 3 stack up against established rivals from BMW, Audi or Mercedes?

We’re well used to Teslas in Europe, but the Model 3 is smaller, cuter and better resolved than a Model S or Model X. The headlights look like stickers, while the short overhangs add a pertness to the design that we’ve not seen before.

It unlocks by sensing your smartphone or credit card-sized key, but you have to access the flush door handles yourself – they don’t pop out for you as they do on a Model S–before swinging open the doors to reveal an interior that’s other-worldly.