2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD review: the Corolla of second-hand EVs
By Daniel Okafor · 18 Sept 2026 · 7 min read
The 2022 Model 3 RWD is fast becoming the Corolla of second-hand electric cars: everywhere, reasonably priced and quietly excellent at the job. Ours arrived with 63,000 km on the clock and left a fortnight later having won over the most sceptical member of the household. This is the entry Tesla of its era — single motor, rear drive, smaller battery — and it is the one most used buyers will actually encounter.
On the move it feels anything but entry-level. The surge of torque from rest is instant, the steering is accurate, and the low-slung battery makes the chassis feel planted in a way few petrol sedans at the price manage. It is not a sports sedan, and the ride on the standard suspension can thump over country patchwork, but point it down a twisty road and it feels genuinely cohesive.
“On the move it feels anything but entry-level.”
Real-world range settled around 370 km in mixed driving, closer to 300 km with the air-conditioning working hard at highway speeds. That is plenty for a commuter with a home charger and workable for occasional intercity runs, particularly as the Supercharger network makes planning almost automatic. Third-party fast charging is slower on this variant than on the Long Range, so factor that in if you regularly travel beyond charger-dense areas.
Running costs are the headline. On an off-peak home tariff our test worked out to roughly $4.20 per 100 km, against about $13 per 100 km for the four-cylinder petrol sedan we ran alongside it. There is no oil to change and no exhaust to rust, and our example had needed nothing beyond tyres and cabin filters in three years of ownership, according to its service record.
The interior remains divisive. The single central screen works better than its reputation suggests, with clear menus and quick responses, but you are reaching across for everything from wipers to vents, and there is no instrument binnacle in front of the driver. Rear-seat space is adequate rather than generous, the boot is deep and useful, and the front trunk swallows a charging kit and a laptop bag. Build quality on this era is solid, with panel gaps far better than the early cars.
Buying used, the checklist is short but important. Get a battery state-of-health report — anything above 90 per cent for this age is a good result — and confirm which software-linked features were optioned new, since some follow the original order rather than the car. Check for paint chips on the nose, kerbed wheels and moisture in the tail lights; all are common and all are fixable at sensible cost. A clean PPSR and service record matter as much as on any petrol car.
Verdict: for a buyer with off-street parking and a daily commute under 80 km, a well-documented 2022 RWD is one of the sharpest tools in the used market. It is cheap to run, quick enough to be fun and simple to own. Just do the battery homework — and do not test-drive one unless you are prepared to buy it.