Standard Model 3 & Y vs. 2027 Chevy Bolt

With two (technically three) announcements of affordable electric vehicles coming within 24 hours of each other, I used some extra time to research these vehicles before sharing my thoughts with all of you. First and foremost, if you are an average person actively looking for a new car, don't finalize any deals just yet! It doesn't matter if you are looking for an electric or gas-powered vehicle; having affordable cars like these enter the market usually creates extra discounts on existing cars in a last-ditch attempt to try and justify their purchase. Even if those discounts don't materialize, I would still wait for these vehicles since they just might be good enough to persuade you away from whatever you are looking at currently. Don’t get me wrong, all three of these cars aren't perfect, but by the end of this article, you might just find the amount of compromises made is outweighed by the amount of savings gained.

Let’s start off with the Tesla twins and more specifically the Model 3. In terms of value, this is a much better deal than the Model Y. The Standard Model 3 is $5,500 cheaper than the next trim level (at the time of writing) and comes with a strong estimated range of 321 miles. You do need to be okay with a downgraded 7-speaker sound system and rougher suspension to get this amount of savings. However, unlike the Model Y, it keeps a usable glass roof along with its lower price tag.

Speaking of the Model Y, even with the covering up of the glass roof on the inside, it saves you less than the Model 3 when comparing it to the next trim level at $5,000 of savings. The obstructed glass roof is still shocking to me since the vehicle still uses a glass roof which is clearly visible from the outside but covered by a headliner on the inside. I could forgive this easily for more cost savings, but they were able to keep a usable glass roof on the Model 3 standard and achieve a cheaper price. However, one thing that did make sense to remove in the name of savings was the Model Y's front and rear light bars. In their place, new body work has been created that provides a unique look which might be an added bonus for anyone that likes this design more. Either way, both vehicles will now get a physical turn signal stock instead of their unusual on-wheel turn signal buttons used by the existing models of both vehicles.

Last but not least, we have the Chevy Bolt, which is one change away from being the perfect affordable EV. Even with the most range in an EV under $30,000, 255 miles of range on a single charge is still short of my ideal 300 miles of range for an affordable EV. Seeing this as an issue, GM did equip the new Bolt with much faster charging than the previous model and a NACS port that will allow you to charge at Tesla Supercharges. Just like the previous Chevy Bolt, GM is betting that people will be okay with losing some range for a better-equipped interior that comes with features like the dual-screen dash and infotainment and more traditional controls not found in Tesla vehicles. I would be inclined to agree with GM's approach if they didn't then skimp on a feature like phone mirroring in the car. I do believe its exclusion goes against the futuristic ethos a bit.

Now that we reviewed all three vehicles, I'm excited to get behind the wheel of both the Model 3 and Chevy Bolt, so I can dig deeper and see if these two cars are more than just good deals on paper but great deals in person. Even though I'm not as excited for the Model Y since it seems to have sacrificed too much for too little savings. My mind is open, and I hope I can get a different perspective on it from behind the wheel.

Side note, no, the Model 3’s side view mirrors are not manually adjusted. Thanks to a mistake on the Tesla website, everyone (including myself) thought it would ditch power-adjustable mirrors; however, digging deeper on the website as well as seeing other people's videos (shoutout to Kim Java) on the vehicles have disproved the website listing.