Compare the2025 Kia EV6VS 2025 Tesla Model 3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EV6 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The EV6 (except Short Range) offers an optional Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the EV6’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The EV6 has standard 911 Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the EV6 and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia EV6 is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	EV6	Model 3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	19.2%	22%
Neck Stress	191 lbs.	230 lbs.
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	42 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	202/276 lbs.	333/455 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia EV6 is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	EV6	Model 3
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	82	206
Hip Force	367 lbs.	556 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	362	384

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The EV6 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Model 3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV6 2 years longer than Tesla covers the Model 3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Model 3 ends after only 8 years.

There are over 4 times as many Kia dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EV6’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 103 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 32nd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 8 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Engine

The EV6 GT’s electric motors produces 131 more horsepower (641 vs. 510) and 14 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 554) than the Model 3 Performance’s optional electric motors.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the EV6’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model 3:

	EV6	EV6 GT	Model 3	Model 3 Performance
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	15 inches	12.6 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	12.8 inches	14.2 inches	13.2 inches	13.2 inches

The EV6 stops much shorter than the Model 3:

	EV6	Model 3
100 to 0 MPH	331 feet	338 feet	Car and Driver
70 to 0 MPH	159 feet	163 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the EV6 GT-Line e-AWD’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model 3 (255/45R20 vs. 235/35R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EV6 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Model 3. The EV6 GT’s 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Model 3 Performance.

Suspension and Handling

The EV6 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the EV6 flat and controlled during cornering. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the EV6 is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model 3.

The EV6 GT handles at .87 G’s, while the Model 3 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The EV6 has 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model 3 (103 vs. 97).

The EV6 has 1.9 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 4.5 inches more rear legroom, .9 inches more rear hip room and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EV6’s rear seats recline. The Model 3’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the EV6’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Model 3 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EV6’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The EV6 offers up to a 2300 lbs. towing capacity. The Model 3 has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the EV6 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model 3.

Ergonomics

The EV6 GT-Line/GT has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The EV6’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model 3’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The EV6’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the EV6 has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The EV6 offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the rear seat, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the EV6 first among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Model 3 isn’t in the top three.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the EV6 as the 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Model 3 has never been chosen.

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