Configurator Challenge: Tesla Model 3

Customisation is in vogue at the moment. In our configurator challenge, Drive team members scroll through a manufacturer’s website to create their ideal combination for a certain model.

This week the team looks at the Tesla Model 3, fresh off a facelift at the end of 2023 – and the return of the Performance variant in recent days.

Tell us which new Tesla Model 3 variant you would buy – and how you'd specify it – in the comments below (build yours here), and what you'd like us to configure next.

Do mild-mannered mid-size sedans like the Model 3 really need the insane 3.1-second 0-100km/h acceleration potential of the new Performance? Probably not, but it's terrific that buyers are offered the choice.

Looking at the range overall, I can't help but think the Model 3 Long Range is best fit for me. With 366kW of combined power from the dual-motor setup, a 4.4-second 0-100km/h sprint time, and an undeniably solid 629km of claimed range, it fits the bill for both performance and range.

Given my weekly commute sits at around 400km (in total), I could hypothetically fit in 11 days or travel without going near a charger – or more realistically, cover a serious road trip without needing to stop short to recharge.

Of Tesla's two new paint shades, Ultra Red and Stealth Grey, the grey wins – the red is stunning in the sunlight, but the grey feels easier to keep looking tidy. The realist in me says the available white interior option is a no-go, so I've stuck with black, but the optional 19-inch Nova wheels are a worthwhile aesthetic upgrade.

I'm still on the fence about the Enhanced Autopilot upgrade, which claims it will add Autopark and Smart Summon features – but I've added it here. My configuration adds $9200 worth of options, for an on-road total of $83,259 in Melbourne. Hardly a budget-conscious configuration, but one that includes anything I could want or need, and is subtle enough to fly under the radar.

There is something very tempting about the Model 3 Performance – having supercar speed for a fraction of the cost. But acceleration in an electric car isn't much of a challenge.

Even the base rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 is faster to 100km/h than my BMW E34 M5 – and that was the fastest four-door sedan in the world when it was new.

And while I get a kick out of the idea of drifting a Tesla, the Model 3 Long Range is a far more suitable daily driver for me due to it having all-wheel drive.

My commuter car for the past four years has been all-wheel drive, as I like the idea of having something with all-wheel traction with a bit of performance over the rainy winter months in Melbourne.

I'm sure the extra range of the larger battery would come in handy at some point too – just having that extra peace of mind when on longer journeys. The base Model 3 is very tempting due to the price, but I'd rather spend the extra for the grip and the range.

While the options list isn't very long, I've gone for black on black with the 19-inch 'Nova' wheels. No need for any extra driver aids, thanks, and the white upholstery tends to quickly turn blue if wearing jeans, so best to avoid that too.

Yes, it's reasonably boring, but if you've driven a Model 3, you know they really excel at being a daily commuter car – and this one will do me nicely.

For a car that has graced Australian roads for more than five years, I'm still impressed whenever I see a Tesla Model 3 on the freeway.

It has always been a handsome design, but the latest facelift has reinvigorated the model and the Performance variant is arguably the most attractive of the lot.

As such, I couldn't help but select one myself for this Configurator Challenge – not because I want the Performance, but simply because of its unique front bumper treatment and snazzy wheels.

I think the blue colour compliments the shape best, and I've paired it with a white interior. Ordinarily, I'd be wary of white upholstery for fear of scuff marks, but the Tesla trim quality is quite resistant to marks and fabric transfer.

I love the new Model 3 Performance – it's clear Tesla has given it the love, and depth of handling upgrades it deserved from the start – and the price is sharp, but I find it hard to spend beyond the Rear-Wheel Drive.

Zero to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds is no slouch, and the immediacy Tesla tunes into the accelerator pedal response makes the car feel quicker than it is.

The Model 3 has never been the most engaging or feelsome car, so it's best in RWD trim, with less weight over the nose – while retaining the super-quick steering, excellent forward visibility, and taut but now comfortable suspension that make it a fantastic daily driver, yet surprisingly capable on a twisty road.

It doesn't have the outright driving range of the Long Range – nor the charging speed – but the LFP battery chemistry means you can charge it to 100 per cent regularly without damaging the battery, which is what would happen to the more expensive car's nickel-manganese-cobalt pack.

I've gone with Ultra Red paint – red tends to suit Teslas – as well as the 19-inch 'Nova' wheels, in the hope their Hankook iOn Evo tyres deliver more grip than the Michelin e-Primacys wrapped around the base 18-inch 'Photon' alloys.

The Model 3 switched to low rolling-resistance 'eco' tyres for the facelift, and it took away the unflappable grip that made the pre-facelift version just that bit sharper to drive.

If it doesn't help, add another few hundred dollars for some new tyres to the $68,612 NSW drive-away price of my build – with a black interior (because it matches the red paint better) and no extra driver aids.