- Delivered across Sydney
- Bond and fees shown before you pay
- Never swapped to a lesser car
A Tesla Model 3 Performance will hit 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, but the first thing you should do after collecting one is sit still in a car park for ten minutes and set the car up properly. Most tesla rental tips you will read online are about driving, and the driving part is genuinely easy. The setup part is where a first-time renter loses an hour, a mirror position, or a charging cable they did not know was in the frunk.
Book the Tesla that fits your first day
Model 3 Performance, Model Y or chauffeur-driven Model X, delivered anywhere in Sydney or collected from Parramatta and Merrylands. Check the car page for the rate, bond and what is included before you book.
Why the first 24 hours matter more than the rest of the hire
A Tesla is not complicated to drive, but it is different enough that the first hour decides how the rest of the rental feels. Get the seat, mirrors, steering mode and regen setting right before you leave the collection point and everything after that is just driving. Skip that step and you will spend the first day fiddling with menus at traffic lights on Parramatta Road.
These ten steps are the ones we walk every new renter through. They take about half an hour in total, spread across your first day, and they cover the Model 3 Performance, the Model Y and the chauffeur-driven Model X. If you want the full fleet overview first, start at our Tesla hire Sydney hub.
1. Do the seat, mirror and profile setup before you move
Tesla seats sit lower and the belt line is higher than most Sydney renters expect. Adjust the seat height and the steering wheel reach first, then the mirrors. The centre mirror is fine, but the side mirrors on a Model 3 and Model Y are set quite wide from the factory, so pull them in until you can just see the rear door handle.
Save the whole thing as a driver profile. On a Tesla, the profile stores seat position, mirror angles, steering weight and a lot more, which means if someone else moves the seat you can tap your name and everything returns. It takes fifteen seconds and it is the single most useful habit in this list.
What to check on the touchscreen while you are parked
- Steering mode: Comfort for the first drive, Sport later if you want weight.
- Regenerative braking: Standard, not Low, unless you have never driven an EV.
- Creep mode: off if you want the full one-pedal experience, on if you prefer the car to roll like a traditional automatic.
- Units and language: confirm kilometres, not miles.
2. Learn one-pedal driving in the first ten minutes
Regenerative braking is the biggest single difference between a Tesla and a petrol car. Lift off the accelerator and the car slows itself, feeding energy back into the battery. It feels strange for about ten minutes and then it feels obvious.
The mistake new renters make is leaving regen on Low to make the car feel normal, then switching to Standard halfway through the trip and getting caught out. Pick Standard from the start. We have written a fuller walkthrough in One-Pedal Driving: The Tesla Habit That Takes Ten Minutes to Learn, and it is worth reading before you collect the car rather than after.
When I drove the Model 3 Performance out of Parramatta the first time, the regen caught me once at the Church Street lights. After that it was second nature. The brake pedal is still there, and you will use it, but far less than you think.
3. Set up charging before you need it
Do not wait until the battery is low to think about charging. In your first 24 hours, open the charging screen, look at the car's remaining range, and decide where the first top-up happens.
Two practical points. First, a standard wall socket is slow, so treat it as a top-up rather than a plan. Second, Tesla Superchargers are the fast option and there are several around Sydney, including the inner west, the north shore and the airport corridor. Plug in once early in the hire so the process is familiar, then you will never be stressed about it later.
Every Drive Tribe Tesla is delivered with the charging cables it needs, and if you are collecting from the base suburb, we will show you the cable locations before you drive away. The Model Y and Model X are based at Merrylands, and the Model 3 Performance is based at Parramatta.
4. Decide who the car is actually for
This sounds obvious, but the ten things on this list change depending on which car you booked. A solo driver in the Model 3 Performance has a very different first day to a family in the Model X.
The table above is the honest version. The Model 3 Performance is the driver's car, the Model Y is the everyday family EV, and the Model X is the one you book when someone else should be doing the driving.
Quick fleet summary
- Model 3 Performance (2020): dual-motor AWD, 370 kW, 660 Nm, 0-100 in 3.3 seconds, 567 km range, Track Mode, self-drive from age 20, based at Parramatta.
- Model Y RWD (2025): 220 kW, 420 Nm, 0-100 in 5.9 seconds, 466 km range, five seats, silver, self-drive from age 25, based at Merrylands.
- Model X P100D (2017): chauffeur only, 568 kW, 967 Nm, 0-100 in 3.1 seconds, 465 km range, seven seats, Ludicrous mode, falcon-wing rear doors, based at Merrylands.
If you are still choosing, the Model Y page is the best starting point for most Sydney renters: Tesla Model Y RWD 2025.
5. Set Autopilot expectations on day one
Autopilot is genuinely useful on the M4, the M2 and the longer motorway runs, and genuinely not useful on tight suburban streets. Work out which one you are on before you engage it.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer are the two functions you will actually use. Both require your hands on the wheel and your attention on the road. Neither is a self-driving system, and treating it as one is how renters get into trouble.
We cover the specifics in Autopilot in a Rented Tesla: What Works, What to Switch Off. The short version: use it on motorways, switch it off in roadworks and around school zones.
6. Pair your phone and load your destinations
Bluetooth pairing takes under a minute, and it means calls, music and messages route through the car. Do it while parked, not at the first set of lights.
Then load the places you actually need: home or hotel, the nearest Supercharger, and one or two Sydney destinations. The navigation system preconditions the battery when you route to a Supercharger, which means faster charging when you arrive. That is a real benefit and it only works if the charger is set as the destination.
Useful things to save in the first day
- Your accommodation address.
- The nearest Supercharger to where you are staying.
- Anywhere you plan to drive on day two.
- A return route to the collection point for the end of the hire.
7. Understand the frunk, the boot and the cable bag
Every Tesla has storage where a petrol car has an engine, and renters forget it exists. The frunk is the small front compartment, and it is where the charging cables usually live.
Check it before you leave. Confirm the cables are there, confirm you know how to open the frunk from the screen and the app, and confirm the boot floor panel if the car has one. Ten seconds of checking saves a phone call later.
On the Model X, the falcon-wing rear doors change how you load in tight car parks, so test them once in an open space rather than discovering the clearance issue under a low ceiling.
8. Plan your first Sydney drive around the car, not against it
Sydney traffic rewards a calm first drive. Pick a route that suits the car you have. For the Model 3 Performance, the M4 out towards the west and the run up to the north shore give you a chance to feel the dual-motor AWD and the 660 Nm without fighting the CBD.
For the Model Y, the Merrylands base puts you close to Parramatta Road, the M4 and the Cumberland Highway, which is about as easy a start as Sydney offers. For the Model X, you are a passenger, so the route matters less than the seat you pick.
If you are visiting from interstate or overseas, our guide to why a Tesla rental beats the airport counter covers the arrival-day logistics in more detail.
9. Check the delivery and return details on day one
We deliver anywhere in Sydney, or you can collect from the car's base suburb. Whichever you chose, confirm the return plan on day one rather than the night before.
Check the return time, the return location, and the state you need to leave the car in. If you are returning to Parramatta or Merrylands, work out the drive back while you still have range to spare. If we are collecting from you, confirm the address and the access details early.
The rate, the bond and every fee are shown on the car's page and in the booking total before you pay, so there are no surprises at the end. What we ask is that you return the car charged to the level agreed at pickup, and that you tell us early if your plans change.
10. Save the important contacts and read the car's page once more
Before day one ends, save the booking confirmation and the contact details you were given at pickup. Then read the car's page again with the actual car in front of you. The specs make more sense once you have driven it.
For the Model 3 Performance: 2020 Tesla Model 3 Performance self-drive hire. For the Model X: 2017 Tesla Model X P100D chauffeur hire. For everything else, the Tesla hub has the full picture.
One more thing worth doing on day one: read Tesla Model Y Hire Sydney: The Everyday EV You Can Drive Yourself if you booked the Y, or Seven Seats and a Frunk: The Model X as a Family Day-Out Car if you booked the X. Each one is written for that specific car and saves you working it out from scratch.
What about the six-seat Model Y L?
The Model Y L is a longer-wheelbase, six-seat version of the Model Y. It is not in our fleet, and we are not taking bookings for it. If it arrives in Sydney we will say so on the hub page. In the meantime, if six or seven seats is the requirement, the Model X is the car that actually does it, with a chauffeur and falcon-wing rear doors.
The ten steps, in short
- Set the seat, mirrors and driver profile before you move.
- Learn one-pedal driving on Standard regen from the first drive.
- Sort charging early, not at low battery.
- Match the car to the trip.
- Set Autopilot expectations: motorways yes, suburbs no.
- Pair your phone and load your destinations.
- Check the frunk, boot and cable bag.
- Plan the first drive around the car's strengths.
- Confirm delivery and return details on day one.
- Save your contacts and reread the car's page.
None of this is difficult, and all of it is easier on day one than on day three. Do the setup, do one early charge, and the rest of the hire is just Sydney driving in a very quiet, very quick car.
If the Tesla is booked
We never move you down a tier. If your dates are taken, these are the luxury cars we will offer instead, and we will tell you plainly if none of them is free rather than substituting something lesser on the day.
Tesla Model 3 Performance
- 370kW
- 3.3s
- AWD
- 567km range
Self-drive from 20, dual-motor and the quickest of the three to 100. Based at Parramatta, delivered anywhere in Sydney.
Tesla Model Y RWD
- 220kW
- 5.9s
- RWD
- 5 seats
Self-drive from 25, the everyday electric SUV in the fleet. Based at Merrylands, delivered anywhere in Sydney.
Not sure which Tesla to hire?
Start with the Tesla hub for the full fleet, the age rules and the delivery options, then pick the car that matches your Sydney itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get used to driving a Tesla?
Most renters are comfortable within the first ten to fifteen minutes. Regenerative braking is the main adjustment, because the car slows itself when you lift off the accelerator. Set regen to Standard from the start rather than switching later, and one-pedal driving becomes natural quickly.
Do I need to charge a rented Tesla on the first day?
Not necessarily, but it is worth doing one charge early so the process is familiar. Open the charging screen, check the remaining range, and decide where the first top-up happens. Routing to a Supercharger in the navigation also preconditions the battery for faster charging.
Can I use Autopilot in a rented Tesla?
Yes, on suitable roads. Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer work well on motorways such as the M4 and M2. They require your hands on the wheel and full attention at all times. Switch Autopilot off in roadworks, school zones and tight suburban streets where it adds nothing.
What should I check before leaving the collection point?
Set the seat, mirrors and steering mode, save a driver profile, confirm the charging cables are in the frunk, pair your phone, and load your first destinations. Also confirm the return time and location. Ten minutes of setup at pickup saves a lot of fiddling later.
Is the Model X self-drive?
No. The Model X P100D is chauffeur only, so a Drive Tribe driver is always at the wheel. There is no minimum driver age for passengers because you are not driving. It seats seven and has falcon-wing rear doors, which makes it the pick for family groups and airport runs.
What are the minimum driver ages for self-drive Teslas?
The Model 3 Performance can be driven from age 20. The Model Y RWD requires a minimum driver age of 25. Both are self-drive. The Model X is chauffeur only and has no self-drive age rule because a professional driver operates it for you.