Top Safety Pick +Top Safety Pick criteria
2021 Tesla Model 3
midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan
Fully electric
Small overlap front: driver-side
Rating applies to 2017-24 models
Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Mid Range 4-door
The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | |
Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's overall survival space was maintained well, despite moderate intrusion of the lower part of the door hinge pillar and buckling of the door sill.
The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.
Although intrusion overall into the driver's space was minimal, door hinge pillar intrusion contributed to a moderate risk of injury to the left lower leg.
Technical measurements for this test
Small overlap front: passenger-side
Rating applies to 2017-24 models
Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year. Passenger-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2019 Model 3 conducted by Tesla.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | |
Technical measurements for this test
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2017-24 models
Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | |
Action shot taken during the moderate overlap frontal crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.
Smeared greasepaint indicates where the dummy's head contacted the side curtain airbag during rebound.
Intrusion into the driver's space was minimal, and all leg and foot injury measures were low.
Technical measurements for this test
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2017-24 models
Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain airbag.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.
Technical measurements for this test
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2017-23 models
Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,563 lbs |
| Peak force | 20,835 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.85 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leatherette seat
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
Technical measurements for this test
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.
Headlights
Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.
Trim level(s)
- All trims; built after December 2020
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left and both right curves and fair on the sharp left curve.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left and gradual right curves and fair on the sharp left and sharp right curves.
High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and on both left curves.
Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
- All trims; built before January 2021
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp right curve, fair on the gradual right and sharp left curves, and inadequate on the gradual left curve.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left and both right curves and fair on the sharp left curve.
High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway, on both left curves and on both right curves.
Technical measurements for this test
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.
Front crash prevention: pedestrian (day)
Ratings are given for 2 different systems available on this vehicle.
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2019-24 models
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | Standard Range Plus |
| Seat type | leatherette |
This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.
It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | Standard Range Plus |
| Seat type | leatherette |
| Rating icon | Rating |
|---|---|
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated. | |
thether anchor symbol | Tether anchor |
lower anchor symbol | Lower anchors |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| Position | Rating |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors | |
| 2 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| none available | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors |
Technical measurements for this test