2017 Tesla Model 3

midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan

Fully electric

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front: driver-side
G
Small overlap front: passenger-side
G
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: original test
G
Roof strength
G
Head restraints & seats
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights
A
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Standard system (built before May 2021)
Superior
Front crash prevention: pedestrian (day)
Standard system (built before May 2021)
Advanced

Other available safety features

  • Standard blind spot detection
  • Standard lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure prevention

Key

GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Superior
Advanced
Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Mid Range 4-door
Rating applies to 2017-23 models

The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
A
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID CEN1906
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 21
Footrest (cm) 12
Left toepan (cm) 6
Brake pedal (cm) 2
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 0
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 1
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 7
Upper dash (cm) 6
Lower instrument panel (cm) 5

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID CEN1906
Head
HIC-15 88
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.9
Extension bending moment (Nm) 7
Maximum Nij 0.15
Chest maximum compression (mm) 18
Femur (kN)
Left 0.1
Right 0.0
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.87
Right 0.68
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.8
Right 0.6
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 60
Right 33

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
Rating applies to 2017-23 models

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 criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP1925
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 3
Footrest (cm) 3
Right toepan (cm) 2
Center toepan (cm) 2
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 0
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm) 2
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 2
Upper dash (cm) 2
Right lower dash (cm) 2

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP1925
Head
HIC-15 54
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.6
Extension bending moment (Nm) 15
Maximum Nij 0.16
Chest maximum compression (mm) 17
Femur (kN)
Left 0.5
Right 0.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.47
Right 0.29
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.0
Right 0.9
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 37
Right 44

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP1925
Head
HIC-15 66
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.7
Extension bending moment (Nm) 7
Maximum Nij 0.20
Chest maximum compression (mm) 19
Femur (kN)
Left 0.4
Right 0.1
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.40
Right 0.39
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 0.7
Right 0.4
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 29
Right 27

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
Rating applies to 2017-23 models

The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Leg/foot, left
G
Leg/foot, right
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID CEF1904
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 1
Left (cm) 1
Center (cm) 2
Right (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 1
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 0
Right (cm) 0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -3
Rearward (cm) -9
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 0

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CEF1904
Head
HIC-15 177
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.9
Extension bending moment (Nm) 7
Maximum Nij 0.18
Chest maximum compression (mm) 18
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.3
Femur force - right (kN) 0.2
Knee displacement - left (mm) 1
Knee displacement - right (mm) 1
Maximum tibia index - left 0.32
Maximum tibia index - right 0.32
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 1.8
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 1.7
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 42
Right 38

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
Rating applies to 2017-24 models

The Tesla Model 3 was introduced in the 2017 model year.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES1905
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -22.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CES1905
Head HIC-15 237
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.7
Compression (kN) 0.2
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 34
Lateral force (kN) 1.6
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 39
Average deflection (mm) 32
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 5.27
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.97
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.7
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.0
Combined force (kN) 1.6
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.1
L-M moment (Nm) 52
A-P moment (Nm) -28

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID CES1905
Head HIC-15 78
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.4
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 29
Lateral force (kN) 1.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 26
Average deflection (mm) 18
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.89
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.30
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.3
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.3
Combined force (kN) 1.5
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.7
L-M moment (Nm) 65
A-P moment (Nm) -19

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Tested vehicle: 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 4-door
Rating applies to 2017-23 models

Overall evaluation
G
Curb weight3,563 lbs
Peak force20,835 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio5.85

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leatherette seat

Overall evaluation
G
Dynamic rating
G
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Power leatherette seat
Geometry
Backset (mm) 15
Distance below top of head (mm) -3
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 13.6
Head contact time (ms) 55
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 0
Max neck tension (N) 155

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Trim level(s): All trims

Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED reflector
High-beam headlight typeLED reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
A
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and inadequate on the right side. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual right curve and fair on the sharp right and both left curves.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and all 4 curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Evaluation criteria Measurement
Trim level(s)
  • All trims
Low-beam headlight type LED reflector
High-beam headlight type LED reflector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2017-18 models
A
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 75.8 m 15.2%
Straightaway left edge 59.7 m 15.2%
250m radius right curve, right edge 58.9 m None
250m radius left curve, left edge 56.1 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 52.4 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 48.6 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 144.2 m
Straightaway left edge 137.2 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 76.5 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 73.2 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 59.3 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 56.0 m

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • standard Automatic Emergency Braking
Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
Superior
Superior
Applies to 2017-21 models built before May 2021
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

About the original front crash prevention test

Front crash prevention: pedestrian (day)

System details

  • standard Collision Avoidance Assist
Overall evaluation
Advanced
Advanced
This rating applies to all 2017-21 models built before May 2021

Crossing child

  • In the 12 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 3 mph.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 5 mph.

Crossing adult

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

Parallel adult

  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 37 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 34 mph. A warning was issued 2.7 seconds before impact.

About the pedestrian front crash prevention test