Consumer Reports says it can't recommend the Tesla Model 3
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Consumer Reports said on Monday that it cannot recommend the Tesla Model 3 after the high-profile model disappointed in several key areas, despite praising its overall performance.
In particular, the compact Model 3 required a seven-foot longer distance than a much larger and heavier Ford F-150 pickup to brake from 60 to 0 mph.
The Model 3 took an average of 152 feet to come to a complete stop, compared to Tesla’s claim of 133 feet. Consumer Reports wrote that it recorded a single stop of 130 feet, but was unable to repeat it. It then put a second Model 3 through its testing protocol as a control, and said that the results were nearly the same.
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Consumer Reports automotive testing coordinator K.C. Cowell called the results “weird.”
A Tesla spokeswoman responded that the company can potentially improve the car’s braking through an over-the-air software update.
The organization also took issue with Tesla’s touch screen interface, which controls nearly all of the car’s functions and requires “multiple steps to accomplish simple tasks.”
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“These types of complex interactions with a touch screen can cause driver distraction because each act forces drivers to take their eyes off the road and a hand off the steering wheel,” the report said.
Consumer Reports also faulted the Model 3 for being loud on the highway and having a stiff ride, but said it was thrilling to drive, likening it to a Porsche 718 Boxster sports car.
The car also managed to go 350 miles on a singlecharge, which Consumer Reports said is a record in its testing and is a distance that “could make an EV a viable choice as a daily driver for even more consumers.”