The Tesla Model 3 RWD is the new entry point to Tesla in Australia, priced from $45,900 before on-road costs. That makes it the cheapest electric sedan on sale here on list price, and the cheapest Tesla you can buy.
It sits $9000 below the Model 3 Premium RWD, which used to open the range at $54,900 and now sits in the middle of the line-up. Orders are open now on Tesla's website, with customer deliveries due from mid-to-late October 2026.
A $9000 cut on a car this popular is a big deal for buyers. But a cheaper sticker always comes with trade-offs, so here is exactly what you are giving up and whether the saving holds once the real drive-away bill arrives.
The Tesla Model 3 RWD Line-Up and Prices
The MY27 Model 3 range now runs four grades, all before on-road costs:
- Model 3 RWD: $45,900 - Model 3 Premium RWD: $54,900 - Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD: $61,900 - Model 3 Performance AWD: $80,900
For context, the cheapest Model Y, the Premium RWD, starts at $58,900 before on-roads. So the base Model 3 now undercuts Tesla's best-selling SUV by $13,000 on list price.
More Range Than the Car It Replaces
Here is the surprise. The cheaper car goes further. The Model 3 RWD is rated at 572km on the WLTP cycle, compared with 520km for the Premium RWD.
The trade is a fraction of a second. It runs 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds, against 6.1 seconds for the Premium RWD. Few owners will ever feel that gap on a freeway on-ramp.
Tesla has not published battery or motor outputs for the new grade, so treat any kW or kWh figure you see quoted elsewhere as an estimate, not a confirmed spec.
What Tesla Took Out to Hit $45,900
The saving comes from the cabin, not the drivetrain. Compared with the Premium RWD, the base car loses:
- Ventilated front seats - The rear-seat touchscreen for climate and media - Two speakers, dropping from nine to seven - Full leatherette trim, replaced with part-textile upholstery - Dash-wide ambient lighting, now footwell only - One of the two wireless phone chargers
None of these change how the car drives or charges. If you live somewhere hot, the missing seat ventilation is the one you are most likely to notice in January.
What You Still Get as Standard
The essentials stay. You still get the panoramic glass roof, matrix LED headlights, a powered boot, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a heat pump.
The front screen is now 16 inches across the range, up from 15.4 inches. Wheels are 18-inch Prismata alloys and there is no other wheel choice on this grade.
Pearl White is the only no-cost paint. Diamond Black adds $1500 and Stealth Grey adds $1900, so budget for that if you want anything other than white.
Powershare Finally Arrives, With a Catch
Every MY27 Model 3 now supports Powershare, Tesla's vehicle-to-load system, so you can run appliances and tools from the battery. Many rivals have offered this for a while, so Tesla is catching up here.
The catch is that you need the Tesla Outlet Adapter, listed at $145 in the Tesla Shop. It also cannot be retrofitted to older Model 3s, so a used pre-MY27 car will not gain the feature.
Does It Beat the Seal, EV4 and Mazda 6e?
On list price, yes. The BYD Seal now starts with the Premium at $52,990 plus on-roads, after BYD dropped the cheaper Dynamic grade. The Mazda 6e GT is $49,990 plus on-roads.
The Kia EV4 Air is advertised from $52,990 drive-away until 31 October 2026, and Mazda is running the 6e GT at $52,990 drive-away too. Our earlier look at Kia EV4 pricing and specs covers that car in more detail.
This is where buyers need to be careful. Tesla's $45,900 excludes on-road costs, while the Kia and Mazda offers include them.
Stamp duty and registration vary by state, so the real gap is smaller than the headline suggests. Price a Tesla drive-away quote for your postcode before you compare.
No Haggling on the Tesla, But Plenty on Its Rivals
Tesla sells at a fixed online price, so there is no showroom discount to chase on the Model 3. Kia, Mazda and BYD dealers do negotiate, and campaign drive-away deals like these are often the starting point, not the floor.
If the EV4 or 6e is on your shortlist, Carseekers can get dealers competing for your business so you see the lowest price before you sign. That gives you a genuine number to hold up against the Tesla.
Finance Is Where You Can Still Save on the Tesla
With the price fixed, the biggest lever left on a Model 3 RWD is how you pay for it.
A $45,900 car plus on-roads is squarely in the range where most buyers finance, and the rate you accept can move the total cost by thousands over the loan.
Loanseekers compares your car loan against 70 different lenders, so you can see what a competitive rate on this exact Model 3 looks like before taking the first finance offer at checkout.
With a mid-to-late October delivery window, there is time to line up pre-approval before the car lands.
Warranty and Ongoing Costs
The Model 3 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and an eight-year, 160,000km battery warranty that guarantees at least 70 per cent capacity.
Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is optional on every grade, including the base car, as a $149 monthly subscription. Skip it and the running costs stay low.
The Rest of Tesla's MY27 Changes
The Premium and Performance Model 3 gain a dark headliner and a new Zen Grey interior option, and the Premium can be had on new 19-inch Dark Nova wheels. The Model 3 Performance range rises 29km to 600km WLTP.
Over in the SUV range, the Model Y Performance has dropped from $89,400 to $84,900 before on-roads, as its supply moves from Germany to China.
For more on how Tesla's sedan fares against the newest Chinese challengers, see our look at the MG 07 Tesla Model 3 rival.
Should You Buy the Base Model 3?
For most buyers the RWD is now the smart Model 3. It has more range than the Premium RWD and keeps the features that matter, for $9000 less.
Pay up for the Premium only if you genuinely want ventilated seats and the better audio. Otherwise, take the saving, compare the drive-away numbers honestly and sort your finance before delivery day.
The finer details
Your questions answered.
How much is the cheapest Tesla Model 3 in Australia?
The new Tesla Model 3 RWD starts at $45,900 before on-road costs. That is $9000 less than the Model 3 Premium RWD at $54,900, and it makes the base Model 3 the cheapest Tesla on sale in Australia.
When will the Tesla Model 3 RWD be delivered in Australia?
Orders are open now through Tesla's website. Customer deliveries in Australia are due to start from mid-to-late October 2026.
What is the range of the Tesla Model 3 RWD?
The Model 3 RWD is rated at 572km on the WLTP cycle. That is 52km more than the Premium RWD's 520km, and it still runs 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds.
Is the Tesla Model 3 RWD cheaper than the BYD Seal and Kia EV4?
On list price, yes. The BYD Seal Premium is $52,990 plus on-roads, and the Kia EV4 Air is advertised from $52,990 drive-away until 31 October 2026. Remember the Tesla's $45,900 excludes on-road costs, so compare drive-away figures for your state before deciding.
Can you negotiate the price of a Tesla Model 3?
No. Tesla sells at a fixed online price, so there is no dealer discount to chase. The main way to save is on finance, so compare loan rates across lenders before accepting the offer at checkout.
Does the Tesla Model 3 have vehicle-to-load?
Yes, every MY27 Model 3 supports Tesla's Powershare vehicle-to-load system. You need the Tesla Outlet Adapter, listed at $145, and older Model 3s built before MY27 cannot be retrofitted.
