2024 Tesla Model 3

midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan

Fully electric
2024 Tesla Model 3 4-door sedan
2021 Tesla Model 3 shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use

Other available safety features

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

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

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

Small overlap front

The small overlap front evaluation consists of a driver-side and a passenger-side component. If the results of the two evaluations differ, then the combined small overlap rating is equal to the lower rating.

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.

Overall driver-side evaluation
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

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

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

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

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 as part of frontal crash test verification.

Overall passenger-side 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

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

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

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

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

How the small overlap front test is conducted

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.

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

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

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

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

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted

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.

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

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

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

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

How the side crash test is conducted

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2019-24 models

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimStandard 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.

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimStandard Range Plus
Seat type leatherette
1 2 3
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
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
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

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

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 21
Clearance angle (degrees) 64
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 26
Clearance angle (degrees) 64
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH
Not measured

Seat position 22

2

Lower anchor A
No lower latch for this seat position
Lower anchor B
No lower latch for this seat position
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH
Not measured

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 19
Clearance angle (degrees) 64
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 2-4
Force (lbs) 18
Clearance angle (degrees) 67
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH
Not measured

How child seat anchors are evaluated