Tesla’s $45,900 Model 3: what do you give up to save $9,000?

A cheaper Tesla with an interesting twist

Nine thousand dollars buys a fair bit of electricity. Tesla’s new entry Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive is listed at $45,900 in Australia, against $54,900 for Premium Rear-Wheel Drive. Both figures exclude taxes and fees. That gives buyers a proper decision: which bits of the more expensive car will you actually miss?

I would start with the cheaper one on the shortlist. A rear screen and some extra cabin lighting might be lovely, but they need to earn their share of that $9,000. This is a specification-based buying comparison, rather than a road test of the new variant.

Check Tesla’s Australian prices and Compare Models panel →

You aren’t paying less for a lower range figure

Here is the useful surprise: Tesla quotes 572 km WLTP for the entry RWD, compared with 520 km for Premium RWD. That is a 52 km advantage on the published test figures. Claimed 0–100 km/h times are very close too, at 6.2 and 6.1 seconds respectively.

Those numbers make the cheaper car worth considering for more than its sticker price. WLTP helps compare cars under a standardised procedure; your highway speed, weather and route will affect what you actually achieve. Plan charging around your trips with a sensible margin, rather than treating 572 km as a guaranteed distance between stops.

The cabin is where the savings become obvious

The entry car keeps a 16-inch front touchscreen and heated front seats. It uses textile seat inserts, loses front-seat ventilation and rear-seat heating, and swaps the electrically adjusted steering column for manual adjustment. Audio drops from nine speakers to seven, and the eight-inch rear touchscreen disappears.

Rear passengers still get air vents, with manual adjustment. The customisable wraparound ambient lighting and FM/DAB radio also go. For a commuter who rarely carries passengers, some of that could be easy to live without. If you regularly drive family or friends around, let them try the back seat before deciding their missing screen is irrelevant.

Front-seat ventilation deserves particular attention in an Australian summer. Spend time checking the upholstery and seating comfort in both versions. A feature you appreciate every hot afternoon can matter more than something impressive in a comparison table. Equally, there is no prize for buying equipment you never use.

Put the ride and the full bill on your checklist

Tesla lists passive shock absorbers for RWD and its second-generation suspension with noise reduction for Premium. That makes a back-to-back drive useful. I cannot tell you how much difference you will feel from a spec sheet; try roads resembling your daily drive, including the rough bits.

Then compare written drive-away quotes for the same state and registration type. Add insurance and your charging setup to the budget. Tesla says charging equipment is not included, so check what you already have and obtain an installation quote if you need home charging. Avoid spending the apparent saving twice before the car reaches the driveway.

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Who should keep the $9,000?

If the entry car is comfortable on your test drive and those missing extras leave you shrugging, keeping the money looks sensible. Premium makes more sense when its seats, rear-passenger features and ride genuinely improve your everyday use. Choose the car you enjoy living with, after checking the complete price. The badge can look after itself.