上周，第一批特斯拉Model 3終于交到了期待已久的客戶手中，記者和評論家們也終于有機會親身體驗這款汽車。在Model 3面世之前，至少有三個大問題：

它是否給人一種與以往的特斯拉汽車一樣的感覺？換言之，當用戶坐進這款價格更低的汽車時，是否會有與駕駛Model S一樣的特別體驗？特斯拉是否解決了這個問題？

駕駛員能否真正適應奇怪的儀表顯示裝置 — 安裝在中間的一塊平面屏幕，而不是方向盤上面的儀表板？

最重要的是……它是否足夠快？

雖然全面測評尚要等待一些時間，但早期測評顯示，這些問題的答案幾乎都是肯定的。

《Motor Trend》雜志毫不吝嗇地稱贊Model 3是“本世紀最重要的交通工具。”評論家吉姆·雷諾茲描述了這款汽車“迸發的扭力”和“手術刀般的”操控，認為這款低價汽車充分體現了電動發動機對汽油發動機的優勢。關于顯示裝置，雷諾茲表示：“要確定這塊偏離中心的顯示器能否完全取代傳統位置的儀表盤，還需要駕駛更遠的距離，不過我已經習慣了這種設計。”

《財富》雜志的柯爾斯頓·科洛舍茨稱贊了這款汽車精致含蓄的內飾，包括隱藏式空調通風口，以及玻璃車頂等設計帶來的寬闊的空間感。

Mashable的蘭斯·烏蘭諾夫贊揚了特斯拉的自主設計中“令人驚嘆”的內飾材料，但認為非傳統的儀表排列“令人不安”。他還提到了這款汽車的響應性，部分得益于沉重的電池帶來的低重心。

《The Verge》的塔瑪拉·沃倫表示從駕駛中感覺到了一種“快樂的元素”，并表示車內確實配有杯架。

《華盛頓郵報》的彼得·霍利通過更短距離的試駕，描述了進入“未知領域”的感覺，并表示簡約的內飾正是用現代科技打造汽車應該遵循的范例。霍利發現偏離中心的儀表顯示設備比傳統布局“更安全、更直觀”。

《連線》雜志的評測中包含了多數溢美之詞，但同時也強調了特斯拉未能有效避免的一個營銷陷阱。評論家杰克·斯圖爾特寫道：“如果你一直渴望得到一輛更昂貴的Model S。Model 3也可能讓你滿意。”雖然埃隆·穆斯克曾經發出過警告，但一些高端買家很有可能會做出這樣的決定，從而將蠶食Model S的銷量。

值得注意的是，上述多數測評都是基于Model S的升級版，實際售價在44,000美元至約59,500美元之間。而不出意外，售價35,000美元的低配版Model 3行駛里程更短，加速度更慢，功能更少。另外，特斯拉需要開足馬力，完成約50萬輛Model 3預訂訂單，因此其生產質量與可靠性仍存在較大的不確定性。

《華爾街日報》記者的測評可能已經預示了這些問題。他在試駕過程中出現了短暫的運行中斷，原因可能是軟件故障，但特斯拉后來稱屬于駕駛員操作失誤。

總之，目前媒體的共識是，這是一輛屬于未來的汽車，每個人都值得擁有。（財富中文網）

譯者：劉進龍/汪皓

Last week saw the delivery of the first 30 Tesla Model 3s to eager customers, as well as the first chance for many journalists and reviewers to get hands-on with the cars. There were at least three big questions ahead of the Model 3’s debut:

Does it feel like a Tesla? In other words, has the company figured out how to make something that, when you’re sitting in it, feels as special as a Model S, for a much lower price tag?

Is the weird instrument display—a single, center-mounted flat screen instead of gauges above the steering wheel—actually going to work for drivers?

And most importantly . . . is it fast?

While full reviews will have to wait, early test-drives show that the answer to those questions is yes—mostly.

Motor Trend, in a full-throated tribute, called the Model 3 “the most important vehicle of the century.” Reviewer Kim Reynolds describes the car’s “gush of torque” and “scalpel-like” handling, suggesting that the advantages of electric engines over gas have translated to the lower-priced vehicle. Of the display, Reynolds said “It’ll take a lot more miles than this to decide if the single off-center screen completely substitutes for a conventionally located gauge cluster, but I’m already adapting to it.”

Our own Kirsten Korosec praised the subtle refinement of interior, including hidden air conditioning vents and the car’s vast sense of space, thanks in part to its glass roof.

Mashable’s Lance Ulanoff gushed at the “wonderful” upholstery material of Tesla’s own design, while calling the nontraditional instrument array “disconcerting.” He also noted the responsiveness that comes, in part, from the car’s battery-anchored low center of gravity.

The Verge’s Tamara Warren felt a “glee factor” when driving the car—and noted that yes, it has a cup holder.

Based on a much shorter ride, the Washington Post’s Peter Holley described the sense of entering “uncharted territory,” saying the minimalist interior feels the way a car based on contemporary technology should. Holley found the off-center instrument display to be “safer and more intuitive” than a traditional layout.

Wired, while echoing most of the broader praise, also highlighted a marketing pitfall that Tesla hasn’t yet convincingly avoided. “If you’ve lusted after that expensive Model S," reviewer Jack Stewart writes, "you’ll likely be satisfied with the Model 3 too.” Despite warnings from Elon Musk himself, some high-end buyers could make exactly that decision, cannibalizing Model S sales.

Most of these impressions, it should be noted, were based on upgraded versions of the Model 3, with real-world prices from $44,000 up to about $59,500. The bare-bones $35,000 Model 3 will, not surprisingly, have a little less range, a little less acceleration, and fewer features. There’s also plenty of uncertainty about build quality and reliability as Tesla spins up to produce a half million preordered Model 3s as quickly as it can.

Such issues may have been foreshadowed in the experience of a Wall Street Journal reporter, whose test drive included hiccups that may have been software glitches or, as Tesla later claimed, driver error.

Nonetheless, the consensus seems to be in—this is the car of the future, and everyone else just has to catch up.