These Lexus, Tesla, and Mercedes EVs Agree on Only One Thing: Their $50K Price
However, the Model 3’s one-pedal driving controls are well tuned, its semi-autonomous driving tech is solid when used responsibly, and the Model 3 Performance is one of the quickest cars you can buy under $100,000. Pretty good for a car that’s nearly a decade old.Which One Has the Best Range?The Lexus ES isn’t the range leader here, but the trade-off is a more substantial car with a larger interior. The FWD 2026 ES 350e has 292–307 miles of estimated range while the AWD ES 500e is good for 272–276 miles. These numbers are more in line with the similarly sized BMW i5, which carries a base price nearly $20,000 higher but offers more standard performance.Mercedes reaches 374 miles of EPA-rated range with the CLA250 if you stick with the small wheels, 317 if you don’t. The more powerful CLA350 AWD comes in at 312 miles.The Tesla Model 3’s EPA-rated range varies by the model. The Performance is rated at 309 miles, the Premium RWD at 363, and the Premium AWD at 346.In our exclusive MotorTrend Road-Trip Range testing, we found the CLA250 could go 333 miles. The test measures how long a car can go on a highway at 70 mph from a full charge down to 5 percent battery life. In the same test, the best performance from a Model 3 we could achieve was a much shorter 258 miles.The compact Mercedes CLA250 wins on range, with the Tesla Model 3 a close second, and the larger Lexus finishing third. In everyday driving, this won’t matter as much if you have a home-charging setup.Summed UpOverall, this is a trio that features a refreshing amount of variety for a similar amount of money. The Lexus focuses on comfort and rear-seat space, the Mercedes on design and tech, while the Tesla offers a lower price and better straight-line performance. But what these disparate cars demonstrate more than anything is that you don’t need to spend more on an SUV to own an interesting and impressive luxury electric vehicle.
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