The Kia EV3 is finally coming, and it could well end up being the best small-size electric SUV to buy when it finally rolls out. Its smaller than the Kia EV9, but it offers many of the same design elements and features. But theres another small-size electric car thats currently one of the most popular vehicles out there the Tesla Model Y.

Contents DesignInterior and techPerformanceRange and chargingPrice and availabilityConclusionsShow 1 more item How does the Kia EV3 compare with the Tesla Model Y? And is one vehicle actually better than the other? We put the Kia EV3 and the Tesla Model Y head-to-head to find out.

　　Design

The design of the Kia EV3 is very different than that of the Model Y, though theyre both reasonably good-looking vehicles.

The EV3 looks a lot like the much-loved EV9, just smaller. It has a relatively boxy design, with the split taillight look and Kias Tiger Face design at the front. The vehicle has rear-hinged back doors, so the front and rear doors will open outward. This could help make it easier to place things like car seats in the vehicle however, its also an indicator of the smaller size of the car. The EV3 measures in at 169 inches long, 73 inches wide, and 61 inches tall.

Related The Model Y offers a different take on design, following Teslas minimalistic overall aesthetic. If youve seen other Tesla vehicles (other than the Cybertruck), youll immediately recognize the Model Y. It has the same curvy roofline and bubble-like front as other Tesla cars. Its a good look, to be sure, however, some might argue that its starting to feel a little dated. The Model Y is 187 inches long, 76 inches wide, and 64 inches high, so its larger than the Kia EV3.

Design is ultimately subjective, so this ones a tie.

Winner: Tie

　　Interior and tech

The interiors of the vehicles are quite different too. The Kia EV3s interior is similar to other Kia vehicles, which is far from a bad thing. The car has a bright and modern look, with a dual display panel that stretches along the dash. One display is for infotainment, while the other is for instrument monitoring. Kia hasnt confirmed CarPlay or Android Auto support, but given its track record of including them, we expect to see them on the EV3. Apart from that, the EV3 features Kias own infotainment system, which is fine, but not incredibly well-designed. The EV3 has two rows of seats, and Kia says that its incorporating recycled materials throughout the interior of the vehicle.

The Model Y interior is pretty different and it follows Teslas minimalistic approach. It has a clean look throughout, with very few buttons and controls; instead they are packed into the large display that sits in the center of the dash. That screen measures in at 15 inches, which is pretty huge. The Model Y doesnt offer support for CarPlay or Android Auto, but it does have Teslas own infotainment system, which is considered to be one of the best-designed in the industry.

The Kia has more physical controls and expected support for CarPlay, while the Model Y has a cleaner look and Teslas better software. This ones also a tie.

Winner: Tie

　　Performance

The Kia EV3 is built to be Kias budget SUV. Its smaller and less premium than the EV9, and it has slower performance. We dont have full details about all the models of the Kia EV3, but we do know that the fastest trim of the EV3 will be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.5 seconds, according to Kia. Thats not necessarily slow, but in a world of super-quick electric vehicles, it cant help but feel that way.

Thats especially true when you compare the EV3 to the Tesla Model Y. The base version of the Model Y is the Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, and it can accelerate to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds while the Model Y Performance reduces that to an impressive 3.5 seconds.

Performance isntall about accelerating from 0 to 60. But these days, it is a big part of it, and without having driven the EV3 yet, its what we have to go off of. This one goes to Tesla.

Winner: Tesla Model Y

　　Range and charging

Range and charging speed are perhaps the most important consideration for lower-cost electric cars, but we dont yet know everything about the range of the Kia EV3. Kia says that the vehicle will be available in two battery sizes, including a Standard Range 58.3 kilowatt-hour battery and a Long Range 81.4kWh battery. According to Kia, the EV3 will get up to 600 kilometers of range, which equates to around 373 miles. However, thats 373 miles of Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP)-estimated range. Typically, the WLTP is a little more generous with range estimates than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S., and if the vehicle were to get a U.S. range estimate, we suspect it would be closer to 300 miles and thats for the longest-range model. The standard model might be closer to 200 miles.

The Tesla Model Y offers a solid range, with the lowest-range model (Model Y Performance) getting 279 miles, and the longest-range model (Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive) reaching 320 miles of EPA-estimated range.

While we dont yet have EPA estimates for the EV3, we do have WLTP estimates for the Model Y with the longest-range modelalso sitting in at 600km. Given that information and the fact that we dont yet know the range of the base Kia EV3, this category is a tie for now. If I had to bet, I would guess that the base EV3 will be lower in range than the entry-level Model Y but thats just a guess.

Winner: Tie

　　Price and availability

Only one of these vehicles is availableanywhere, let alone in the U.S. The Kia EV3 has been announced, but it has yet to roll out. When it does become available, itll first only be available in Korea (in July), after which itll roll out to Europe in the second half of 2024. Assuming itll get a U.S. release at all, it likely wont be until 2025. Also, we dont yet have any idea about pricing for the vehicle. However, its being positioned as Kias cheapest electric car yet, and were hoping that itll have a starting price of somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. Thats not based in any real knowledge, though.

The Model Y, on the other hand, is widely available, and you can get one right now. At the time of this writing, it had a starting price of $44,990, which is more than we expect the EV3 will ultimately cost.

Teslas the winner here, not because of pricing (we dont know pricing for the EV3), but due to the fact that its the only car thats available right now.

Winner: Tesla Model Y

　　Conclusions

The Tesla Model Y is likely to be the better vehicle all-around, but much of that is based on speculation for now. Its a better-performing car, and for now, its the only one thats available.

But there is something that could change that, and thats low pricing for the EV3. If the EV3 does end up with a starting price of around $35,000, itll make this comparison almost unfair, given the price difference.