Tesla Model 3 Vs. Honda Accord — 7 Scenarios

Tesla Model 3 vs. Update: See our new & improved Tesla Model 3 versus Honda Accord comparisons to look at cases where the buyer finances/gets a loan for the purchase. Reporting on the Tesla Model 3 is weird. It’s a car that can smoke a BMW M3 on the track yet is cost competitive — or even cheaper than — a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord (seriously). It almost doesn’t make sense to the brain. How can a car that is so much better than a Camry or Accord cost less over a few years? How can a car that is objectively better than a BMW 3 Series cost less than a normal, non-premium sedan? That said, my previous cost comparisons of the Tesla Model 3 to the Camry, Accord, Altima, etc., have been pretty simple. One thing I wanted to start taking into consideration more was resale value. Resale value is probably the most influential factor in a cost comparison, but it’s also a tough factor to forecast. Luckily, I no longer have to base such an important assumption on my own thoughts.

1 resource for this matter in the US, has published 5 year resale value estimates for the Tesla Model 3 and the Honda Accord. I also wanted to do 10 year comparisons, but the resale values of these cars after 10 years is a total wild card. I expect the Model 3 will hold up much better (for several reasons), but I don’t have any very objective evidence of that and also don’t have a crystal ball. Model 3 operational savings should also add up more and more over time, but, again, the Model 3 hasn’t been in the world long enough to prove that. So, while I decided to not do 10 year ownership comparisons, I believe the Model 3 will look even better under such a timeframe in all scenarios. Honda Accord. For three of those versions, I did low-mileage and high-mileage comparisons (10,000 miles/year and 17,000 miles/year, respectively). For the last comparison, with the Honda Accord Sport 2.0T 10-Speed Automatic, I simply decided to use the US average (13,500 miles/year).

3,750 US federal tax credit for the Model 3, no maintenance costs (which most likely benefits the Accord), and as noted above, Kelley Blue Book estimates for 60-month resale values. For the Model 3, the default black paint and black interior were chosen. 1,000 or more — but any such changes probably just equal out Model 3 maintenance cost benefits. In any case, you are free to grab my sheet for these calculations and change assumptions as you see fit — everyone’s life is unique. The bottom-line result is that the Model 3 is cheaper in every scenario, and much cheaper in several scenarios, despite being a much safer, quicker, more tech-advanced, more prestigious car. It’s truly shocking. The Tesla Model 3 is beyond competitive with one of the USA’s and world’s top selling cars, the iconic Honda Accord. Update: The tables below do not show correctly on mobile. If you want to view them, you have to do so on the desktop/laptop version of the site. Looking at these comparisons, which would you choose? Interested in buying a Tesla Model 3, Model S, or Model X? Need a referral code to get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging? Zachary Shahan Zach is tryin' to help society help itself (and other species). He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director and chief editor. He's also the president of Important Media and the director/founder of EV Obsession and Solar Love. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about cleantech at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, and Canada.

Its accessed either through a 6.5-inch touchscreen on Zetec and ST-Line models or an eight-inch display on ST-Line X, Titanium, Titanium X and Vignale. The larger display was present on the cars we tested, mounted high up in front of the facia; it’s crisp, clear and blessed with a powerful processor for rapid jumps between functions. The rest of the dash is a mixture of soft-touch and higher-quality metallic-finish materials up high where you’re likely to touch them, and harder, textured plastics down low where you’re not. It’s enough to get the Focus right back into the game on interior quality - though even now, it still doesn’t really look any smarter than a mid-spec Golf. In addition to extending the wheelbase, Ford’s engineers have also pushed the dashboard as far forwards as possible, helping to deliver more space for passengers in the front and more knee and shoulder room for those in the back. There’s a flat floor, too, so anyone restricted to the middle spot in the second row shouldn’t have a problem placing their feet.