The Tesla Model 3 is still in its infancy. It made its debut back in 2017, and it’s still in its first generation. The Model 3 Performance was introduced a year later, living up to its name as the higher-output version of the four-door sedan, sacrificing range for power. But how does that help this economy-oriented EV measure up against other four-door performance sedans?
The Tesla Model 3 is in a weird position. It’s priced like an entry-level full-size sedan, has the power output of a performance sedan, is positioned in the compact segment, and happens to be one of the best-selling EVs on the market. To say that it’s unique just might be the understatement of the industry. But how does the Model 3 Performance, in particular, stack up against other performance sedans in the market within similar price brackets? Finding competitors hasn’t been difficult for the Model 3 over the years, but can they keep pace with the compact EV?
That’s the journey I’m about to take you on when it comes to the competitive Model 3 Performance and where it stacks up to the competition over the years. There are a few sedans lined up, including the BMW M3, the Dodge Charger, and the Cadillac CT4-V. Maybe by the end of it, a few of you will become converts to the BEV movement, or maybe you’ll better appreciate the ICE offerings that compete with Tesla’s popular compact EV. Let’s start with a basic rollout of the specs first.
Tesla Model 3 Performance…The Specs
The latest Tesla Model 3 Performance is available in a dual motor layout paired with an 82 kWh battery pack. Unlike the Model 3 Long Range, the Performance trim sacrifices some of the range for performance…hence the name. The Model 3 Performance makes an estimated 510 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. According to the official Tesla page, the Model 3 Performance can achieve 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds and reach a max speed of up to 163 mph. And like any typical performance vehicle, it has large enough wheels to make use of its meaty torque, sporting 20-inch rims while being balanced by adaptive dampers for reduced body roll and more stability on the road or on the track. How does that pan out against some of its nearest competitors, though? Quite well, actually.
Tesla Model 3 Performance vs Cadillac CT4-V
The Model 3 Performance was matched up against a number of different tuned sports cars, as well as a Cadillac CT4-V, during a meet recorded by ImportRace. Against the Mustang GT and the Audi RS5, the Tesla Model 3 Performance did not stand a chance in a rolling start. Tuned and torqued up, the Tesla Model 3 gets starched by the competition because its biggest advantage isn’t its top-end power band but rather its off-the-line acceleration thanks to all that instantaneous torque generated on the front and rear axles from the dual electric motors.
However, even with a rolling start, the Cadillac CT4-V still couldn’t beat the Tesla Model 3 Performance in the original bout or when they switched sides for a rematch. Both times, the Model 3 Performance came out on top, even with the Cadillac CT4-V being powered by a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6, which makes 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque and is paired with either a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission. Even with a rolling start, the CT4-V just doesn’t have the performance to match up despite being slightly more expensive and in the same compact performance sedan segment.
Tesla Model 3 Performance vs Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
Matching up the Model 3 to the Dodge Charger might seem like an unfair comparison. I mean, the Charger SRT Hellcat is bundled up with a massive 6.2-liter supercharged V8, which makes 717 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. Now, you might assume that this makes the match-up unfair, as the Charger SRT Hellcat has 30% more torque than the Model 3 Performance and 40% more horsepower. That is a significant buff over Tesla’s four-door EV sedan.
However, the Charger is a midsize sedan, and despite it having a lot more under-the-hood power, it’s also larger and heavier, and this plays a large part in how much work it has to do in order to get off the line and reach its top speed. In fact, we saw this play out in the past. Years ago, back in 2019, Throttle House ran a few races between the Model 3 Performance and the Charger SRT Hellcat, and the Model 3 Performance still managed to beat the Hellcat. And that was before the buff that the Model 3 Performance received for the 2024 model year. So we can safely say that the Model 3 Performance is a powerful compact EV sedan, even when measured against four-door performance sedans from the midsize category.
Tesla Model 3 Performance vs BMW M3
One of the most performance-rich iterations of the BMW sedan line is the compact M3. It also happens to be one of the most popular models from the classy, luxury-performance brand. In the past, the Model 3 Performance made quick work of the M3 off the line up until it hit 100 mph, and then the BMW M3 managed to pull ahead according to the CarWow test where they had a 2023 BMW M3 Competition xDrive that pumped 510 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque in all-wheel drive.
After 100 mph, the BMW managed to overtake the Tesla Model 3 Performance, but you essentially get better off-the-line performance and handling thanks to the instant torque of the Tesla. If you’re thinking about the importance of acceleration and handling from a power band with lower-end torque, the Model 3 Performance performs well. Unfortunately, there are no recent tests comparing the latest version of the Model 3 Performance with the updated performance specs against the newest M3, but the extra boost in horsepower and torque would definitely help with the longer races.
However, we saw similar results when Top Gear ran a drag race with the Tesla Model 3 outperforming its nearest rivals, save for the Mercedes-AMG C63 S, which managed to beat out the Model 3 Performance right at the finish line. But again, that was the older Model 3 Performance, not the newer 2024 model year. So even the older Model 3 still had some impressive gains on the competition, posting good times off the straight quarter-mile runs. As we begin to see more tests and more match-ups, expect to see Tesla’s performance trim outrun and outperform the competition in the performance compact sedan segment.
Does the Tesla Model 3 Make for a Good Performance Sedan?
The Model 3 Performance not only handles well when paired against ICE models in the compact sedan segment, but even against larger sedans with a lot more power to boot, it can still produce some impressive results. We’ve known for years that Tesla has been making some of the fastest vehicles in the segment, and on the quarter-mile, they have been tearing it up and winning races consistently against some of the kings of the dragstrip. With the extra bump in performance specs for the newer Model 3 Performance, and given its price point, it certainly seems to be a lot more competitive within its bracket than you might have expected from an EV sedan. But how does it look to you? Are the specs good enough for you as a performance sedan? Are the looks stylish enough to warrant being called a performance sedan?
