Consumer Reports (CR) recently evaluated the Tesla Model 3, and while the respected review outlet found ‘plenty to like’ about the luxury compact sedan, it criticized the Model 3 for having overly long stopping distances and difficult to use center touch screen.
The Model 3 impressed CR with its record-setting range as well as exhilarating acceleration and handling that could make it a healthy competitor to performance-oriented cars such as BMW’s 3 Series and the Audi A4. Despite this, however, CR’s evaluators noticed several considerable flaws with the vehicle that ultimately prevented the Model 3 from earning a recommendation from the magazine.
CR said that the Model 3 has a stopping distance of 152 feet from 60 mph, “far worse than any contemporary car” that Consumer Reports has tested and about 7 feet longer that the stopping distance of a Ford F-150 full size pickup. The stopping distance was 21 feet longer than the class average of 131 feet for luxury compact sedans and 25 feet longer than the results for its much larger SUV sibling, the Model X.
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk admitted late on Monday there was a braking issue with the Model 3 sedan and said it can be fixed with a firmware update that the electric car maker will be rolling out in a few days.
““Looks like this can be fixed with a firmware update. Will be rolling that out in a few days. With further refinement, we can improve braking distance beyond initial specs. Tesla won’t stop until Model 3 has better braking than any remotely comparable car,” Musk wrote in a tweet.
Looks like this can be fixed with a firmware update. Will be rolling that out in a few days. With further refinement, we can improve braking distance beyond initial specs. Tesla won’t stop until Model 3 has better braking than any remotely comparable car.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 22, 2018
Another major factor that CR noted was Model 3’s controls. This car places almost all its controls and displays on a center touch screen, with no gauges on the dash, and few buttons inside the car.
This layout forces drivers to take multiple steps to accomplish simple tasks. 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.
