Tesla’s smallest car made up more than half of total sales, with 145,846 units reaching customers worldwide. The automaker didn’t release U.S. sales figures for the Model 3, but it is known that the bulk of deliveries stayed in the United States. InsideEVs‘ research points to Tesla selling about 139,782 Model 3s to American customers.
The next best-selling luxury car, the Lexus RX, was left far behind, with 111,641 units sold. The list also includes premium SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GLC (62,435 units) and Audi Q5 (61,835 units). So not only did the Model 3 sell better than vehicles from established luxury automakers, but it also beat SUVs, the hottest market segment right now.
Furthermore, Model 3 sales accelerated in the second half of last year as production setbacks got solved. In the third quarter of 2018 alone, Tesla sold over 55,000 Model 3 units, with the number growing to 63,000 in the fourth quarter. Currently, the Model 3 starts at $42,950 for the Dual-Motor All-Wheel-Drive version. However, the much-anticipated Rear-Wheel Drive version with a standard battery that will be priced at $35,960 isn’t expected to go on sale until at least February. 6park.com
And just like in the U.S., the entry-level Tesla managed to surpass popular models like the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series and become the top-selling premium midsize sedan in Europe as well. 6park.com