Tesla Model 3 RWD launches in Australia at $45,900 as the country's cheapest electric sedan

The announcement and what changed

Tesla has added a new entry-level variant to its Australian Model 3 line-up, the 2027 Model 3 RWD, priced from $45,900 before on-road costs. As zecar reports, that is $9000 cheaper than the Model 3 Premium RWD that previously opened the range, and it makes the new variant the cheapest electric sedan on sale in Australia. CarExpert's William Stopford similarly describes the new RWD as "a whopping $9000 cheaper" than the Premium, and confirms the car can be configured on Tesla Australia's website from launch day, with customer deliveries due from mid-to-late October 2026. ³⁴

The four-variant Model 3 range now stands at: RWD ($45,900), Premium RWD ($54,900), Premium Long Range RWD ($61,900) and Performance AWD ($80,900), all before on-road costs, with WLTP ranges of 572km, 520km, 750km and 600km respectively. Those figures come from Tesla via zecar's pricing table. CarExpert carries the same prices and notes the Performance's range rises 29km to 600km as part of the model year 2027 update. ³⁴

Tesla's Australian and New Zealand country director, Thom Drew, said in a press release quoted by CarExpert that "Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive is the most affordable way for Australians and New Zealanders to own a Tesla, and the most accessible way to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised)". Chasing Cars notes the car was known as the Model 3 Standard overseas before the Australian launch. ⁴¹

What Tesla removed to hit the price

The $9000 saving comes from equipment deletions rather than mechanical changes. As zecar and CarExpert both detail from Tesla's information, the Model 3 RWD loses front seat ventilation, the 8.0-inch rear touchscreen, dashboard-spanning ambient lighting (limited to the footwells), full leatherette upholstery (replaced with textile seat inserts) and two speakers, running seven instead of nine. Two USB-C outlets remain in the rear with one at the front. ³⁴

Chasing Cars' road test identifies further deletions: no AM/FM or DAB radio, no rear seat heating, no floor mats, manual steering-column adjustment, power seats controlled only through the touchscreen, no auto-dimming side mirrors, and 18-inch steel 'Prismata' wheels with aero hubcaps instead of the Premium's alloys. The test car also swaps the Premium's Michelin, Hankook or Pirelli rubber for Giti eco tyres, and drops the Premium's frequency-selective dampers and acoustic rear glass, according to Chasing Cars. ¹

Not everything was cut. Chasing Cars confirms Australian-delivered cars retain the same 62.5kWh LFP battery pack, the identical rear motor, the eight exterior cameras required for Full Self-Driving (Supervised), and the hands-free power boot lid. Standard kit per Tesla via zecar and CarExpert includes the 16-inch touchscreen with embedded media apps, Grok AI and Pet Mode, wireless phone charging, matrix LED headlights, a heat pump, autonomous emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring with a blind-spot camera. ¹³⁴

Range, performance and charging

The claimed figures are notable because the cheaper car goes further: 572km WLTP against the Premium RWD's 520km on the same battery, a 52km gain, with 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.2 seconds — a tenth slower than the Premium. Chasing Cars confirms the 62.5kWh LFP pack and the same rear motor, with peak power of 208kW for Australian-delivered cars. Neither zecar nor Chasing Cars records Tesla publishing the battery capacity or power for this variant in its own materials; zecar notes the longer range may relate to the 18-inch wheels and lighter equipment list, or to the lower rolling-resistance tyres Tesla recently fitted in Europe, but says this has not been confirmed. ³¹

In independent testing, Chasing Cars' road test covered motorway, rural and city driving at 23 degrees with air conditioning, returning 11.8kWh/100km and 530km of real-world range. The reviewer judged that more careful driving would reach the claimed range without much trouble. On charging, Chasing Cars records up to 175kW DC for a 10-80 per cent charge in about 25 minutes and more than 250km of range in 15 minutes, plus 11kW AC charging for a full charge in around six hours. ¹

The New Zealand-market version of the same car, reviewed by Driven Car Guide, carries a base price of $54,900 in local currency and records 572km WLTP, 208kW/420Nm, 13.8kWh/100km WLTP efficiency and 18-inch wheels with plastic covers. Those New Zealand figures and prices are not directly comparable with the Australian market, where the same variant opens the range at $45,900 before on-road costs. ²

Independent road-test findings

Chasing Cars, which rates the car 7.5 overall, found the on-road experience defined by what was removed. The reviewer reports the RWD rides stiff-legged and busy over urban bumps where the Premium is plush, though it smooths out above 70km/h and remains more consistent than the "overly-soft BYD Seal". Tyre roar is noticeably higher than the Premium on coarse chip surfaces, attributed to the cheaper Giti 235/45 18-inch tyres and the missing acoustic rear glass. Cornering grip is down, with the reviewer noting how the tyres break away rather than outright pace. ¹

Straight-line performance remains strong: Chasing Cars calls 6.2 seconds to 100km/h "hot-hatch quick" with sharp torque response. On the interior, the reviewer finds the fabric-centred seats actually preferable in hot weather and easier to clean than leatherette, though touchscreen-only seat adjustment takes getting used to and lower door-card sections have moved to scratchy plastic. There is still no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and the seven-speaker system loses clarity in the high registers compared with the Premium's setup, per the same review. ¹

Chasing Cars also tested Full Self-Driving (Supervised), now a $149 monthly subscription in Australia. The reviewer describes a more assertive system that navigates car parks and changes lanes more readily, but notes it still misreads variable speed limit signs in Sydney's tunnels. The verdict: the entry car remains "a Tesla Model 3 to its core", and the reviewer would recommend it over a two-to-three-year-old used Model 3 at a similar price given the newer hardware and full five-year warranty. ¹

Pricing, options and market context

The Model 3 RWD comes standard in Pearl White multi-coat, with Diamond Black at $1500 and Stealth Grey at $1900 extra in Australia; the only wheels are the 18-inch Prismata items, and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is available at $149 per month. Chasing Cars separately reports a Diamond Black surcharge of $1500 and Stealth Grey at $1900 on its Australian test car, consistent with Tesla's Australian figures. ³⁴¹

On warranties, Tesla covers all Model 3 variants for five years with unlimited kilometres, and the battery for eight years or 160,000km with a minimum 70 per cent capacity retention, as reported by both zecar and CarExpert. Chasing Cars notes there is no capped-price servicing; maintenance is condition-based, and the reviewer's sample of customer reports suggests roughly $1500 over five years depending on distance travelled. ³⁴¹

The variant undercuts its closest electric sedan rivals in Australia: zecar's comparison lists the BYD Seal Premium at $52,990, the Mazda 6e GT and Kia EV4 Air at $49,990 each, all before on-road costs, making the Model 3 RWD the cheapest of the four with the longest claimed range at 572km, just 2km ahead of the Seal Premium. zecar also notes BYD discontinued the entry-level Seal Dynamic (from $46,990 before on-road costs) in June 2026, while Chasing Cars separately frames the new Tesla as cheaper than the Seal Dynamic ($46,990) and Mazda 6e ($49,990) and competitive with the Toyota Camry Ascent Sport hybrid at $42,990. Note that Driven Car Guide's New Zealand comparison quotes different market prices, including a Seal Dynamic at $59,990, and should not be read against the Australian figures. ³¹²

As part of the same model year 2027 update, zecar and CarExpert report that Premium and Performance variants gain a new 16-inch front touchscreen, a dark headliner and a Zen Grey interior option, with the Premium able to take 19-inch Dark Nova alloys. All Model 3 variants now support Powershare vehicle-to-load, requiring the optional Tesla Outlet Adapter from the Tesla Shop; the feature applies to MY27 vehicles only and older cars cannot be retrofitted. Chasing Cars adds that a cheaper Model Y is expected within the next 12 or so months, which the publication believes will matter more to Tesla's Australian sales given the Model Y's dominance over the sedan. ³⁴¹