Consumer Reports has picked the Tesla Model 3 as a “top pick” for 2020, citing “invigorating performance with a high-tech vibe.”
I guess Consumer Reports loves Tesla again.
A Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle
Consumer Reports had famously said the Tesla Model S was perhaps the best car they’d ever tested before dropping it to the bottom in CR’s reliability reports. The Model S regained a good rating late last year, however, and now the Model 3 is one of just three vehicles in the $45,000 to $55,000 range that the influential product testing company recommends.
The Model 3 proves that EVs can challenge conventional upscale sedans by offering invigorating performance with a high-tech vibe. It boasts rapid acceleration that’s delivered in near silence, with instant passing power available at any speed and enough thrust to push the driver back into the seat.
The others Consumer Reports also recommended in that price bracket?
The Toyota Supra and the Lexus RX.
Other things Consumer Reports likes about the Model 3 include handling and steering, plus “excellent visibility.” Long range, at least for the higher model versions, is also a plus, while wind noise and a stiff ride are two downsides.
The car’s superb handling and quick, precise steering help it feel like a sports car.
One other downside, however, is the Model 3’s controls.
Tesla puts most of the controls for the vehicle for environment and entertainment in a single large screen. Consumer Reports calls that “distracting.”
Something that might change that opinion is Tesla’s continually-improving voice controls, which now allow you to turn on a specific seat’s heater, or open a specific window, just with a voice command. Voice control is simple and minimally distracting, and is probably a preferred method to using a screen or an old-fashioned physical knob or dial.
All of the cars in CR’s testing come standard with advanced safety features, including pedestrian detection. This is new for 2020, CR says.
“When selecting Top Picks, we only consider CR-recommended models that come standard with forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection. This is the first year we’ve required standard pedestrian detection to be eligible,” Jeff Bartlett wrote.
That’s an area that, thanks to Tesla’s autopilot technology, the Model 3 should excel in.
