The Tesla Model 3 was originally pitched as Tesla’s mass-market offering, and it stays true to that only if your definition of the mass-market mostly includes models with a luxury badge.
The Model 3 starts at $36,200, and its top-of-the-line price approaches $70,000.
So at the base level that makes the Model 3 an alternative to the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, Chevrolet Bolt EV, or Nissan Leaf Plus.
All of those offer a driving range of more than 200 miles, but they fall more in the appliance category than the Model 3.
The Leaf Plus is a dedicated electric vehicle and more widely available, but the Niro EV and Kona Electric are limited to states observing California’s electric-vehicle mandate (and a few other places).
Tesla has a different kind of issue in that franchise law makes its vehicles difficult to sell (and occasionally service) in some states.
The Jaguar I-Pace starts at $70,495 and has a disappointing real-world driving range and an underwhelming interface—although its driving dynamics are great and its cabin is very luxurious and well-detailed.
The closest rival we foresee to the Model 3, Volvo’s Polestar 2, won’t arrive until sometime in 2020.
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 2019 Tesla Model 3#2 in Large Cars Get Your Price |  2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV#5 in Compact Cars Get Your Price |  2019 Hyundai Kona Electric#8 in Electric Cars Get Your Price |  2019 Jaguar I-Pace#1 in Luxury Electric Cars Get Your Price |  2019 Nissan Leaf#6 in Mid-Size Cars Get Your Price |
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The 2019 Tesla Model 3 is a glimpse of the future in many ways; but it’s far from perfect. |
The 2019 Chevy Bolt EV electric hatchback started a trend that others are only now catching up to. |
The 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric is an exceptional electric hatchback that should get more attention than it does. |
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace tackles the Tesla question with a direct challenge: It's a better-looking Model X rival with a more traditional kind of prestige attached. |
With a quicker-accelerating, 226-mile Plus model in the lineup, the 2019 Nissan Leaf is a lot of electric car for the money. |
| MSRP From | ||||
| $35,000 | $36,620 | $36,950 | $69,500 | $29,990 |
| Gas Mileage | ||||
| Engine | ||||
| Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric |
| EPA Class | ||||
| Large Cars | Small station wagon | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 4WD | Mid-Size Cars |
| Style Name | ||||
| Standard Range Battery RWD *Ltd Avail* | 5-Door Wagon LT | SEL FWD | S AWD | S Hatchback |
| Drivetrain | ||||
| Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | ||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | ||||
| N/A | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | ||||
| Sedan | Wagon | Sport Utility | Sport Utility | Hatchback |
| Transmission | ||||
| Automatic | NA | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | ||||
| 2019 Tesla Model 3 vs. 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV | 2019 Tesla Model 3 vs. 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric | 2019 Tesla Model 3 vs. 2019 Jaguar I-Pace | 2019 Tesla Model 3 vs. 2019 Nissan Leaf | |
