Tesla Model 3: Will it Be a Good Family Car?

We knew the Tesla Model 3 would make a splash when it was introduced. Pretty much every Tesla has. But when nearly 400,000 people plunked down a refundable $1,000 to reserve one, we were surprised. “100,000 would have been an impressive number,” Elon Musk said. “Now, with some 400,000 preorders, the number is almost unbelievable. … The Model 3 was probably the real wake-up call for the rest of the industry.” Those preorders account for $400 million Tesla didn’t have a month ago. This is serious interest. At Motor Trend HQ we wonder how many of those possible future Tesla owners might be families (or starting families), which led us to ask whether the Model 3 is the family-friendliest EV soon to be on sale. In terms of features and ownership intangibles, the Model 3 makes a compelling purchase case as a family-friendly EV.