Kia EV5 Air v Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive 2024 Comparison

Tesla has long held a price advantage over most direct rivals, but Kia has come out swinging with the EV5 Air.

The 2024 Kia EV5 Air is priced from $56,770, a price that includes all on-road costs. Add another $1000 if you live in Western Australia.

The 2024 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive is priced from $55,900 plus on-road costs. That makes the Kia around $4000 cheaper in NSW, South Australia and Tasmania and gives it slightly more of an advantage in Victoria, and WA. The difference is down to less than $3000 in Queensland and a couple of grand in the ACT.

The 2024 Kia EV5 may be cheaper but it’s also more sparsely equipped. Standard gear includes a mix of cloth and synthetic leather trim, 18-inch wheels, dual-zone ventilation, smart key entry, power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats and a massage function for the driver. Kia Connect allows monitoring and control of basic features (including door locks) via a smartphone app.

The 2024 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive matches all those features except the massaging driver’s seat and adds to it with a powered front passenger seat and memory settings for the driver’s seat. It also picks up a powered tailgate, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and a power-adjustable steering column. The Model Y also rides on 19-inch wheels. One big ticket addition is matrix LED lights, which can blank out other vehicles while keeping the high beams blazing.

Neither model gets a spare wheel or a rear windscreen wiper.

The Tesla can be optioned with 20-inch wheels for $2400, while any hue other than white costs extra, at up to $2600.

The EV5 comes with a slow home charger, but with the Tesla you’ll need to come up with a solution. Bank at least $500 for a portable charger, or upwards of double that if you want a wallbox installed at home.

With the EV5 the only option is the colour, with any shade other than the base white adding $520.

In terms of warranty coverage, the EV5 fights back, albeit with an easy target. The Tesla gets just four years and 80,000km of coverage whereas the EV5 is covered by a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

However, the Kia’s high voltage battery pack is only covered for 150,000km, whereas the Tesla’s gets eight years and 160,000km of warranty protection.

Servicing the EV5 is required every 12 months or 15,000km and Kia offers pre-paid service packs covering three years/45,000km ($980), five years/75,000km ($1535) and seven-years/105,000km ($2431).

Tesla recommends rotating the tyres every 10,000km and getting a check-up every two years. There’s no capped pricing but if you banked $300-400 every couple of years it should cover you.

The 2024 Kia EV5 Air and Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive each gets seven airbags. The locations of them are the same, with dual front airbags, side curtain airbags, front side seat-mounted airbags and a centre airbag between the front occupants.

Each also gets autonomous emergency braking, blind spot warning, driver monitoring, lane departure warning and lane keep assist. Plus there’s radar cruise control.

The Tesla also comes with Autopilot, which is a way of making the level two semi-autonomous tech mentioned above sound a lot more advanced than it is. Its functionality is broadly matched by the Kia, although each has their own quirks and occasional frustrations.

The Kia adds to that safety kit with safe exit warning (to alert when other vehicles approach the parked vehicle from behind) and rear cross traffic alert, two things omitted from the Model Y. It also calls the Kia Connect call centre automatically in the event of an airbag deployment.

The Tesla picks up side view cameras for extra visibility when changing lanes.

There are also some caveats with the safety systems. The Kia sounds an annoying beep every time the speedo indicates the speed limit has been exceeded (which, due to speedo error, may not mean you are exceeding the speed limit). It’s annoying in carparks with 5-10km/h speed limits that no one sticks to. You can turn it off, but it’s a few taps of the screen every time you start the car.

And the Kia’s lane keep assistance can be too intrusive, often taking over when you wish it would take a breather.

The Tesla is a long way from perfect, too. Its lane departure system isn’t as intrusive but the beeps are louder. And phantom braking when cruise control is engaged – where the car does a semi-emergency stop for no reason – interrupts otherwise uneventful freeway drives.

As for ANCAP ratings, the Tesla scored five stars in 2022 while the Kia is waiting to be tested; the company says it is targeting a five-star result.

If it’s tech you’re chasing the 2024 Tesla Model Y nails it. Sure, it’s an acquired taste to some, but the Tesla is brimming with the sort of features that you never knew you needed (you don’t!).

The 15-inch central screen is clear and vibrant and packs loads in, including many of the operating systems of the car (want to adjust the mirrors, open the bonnet or glovebox? Head for the screen…).

You can also stream music from major third-party providers and video from the likes of YouTube and Netflix. When stationary the car also allows you to play arcade games and karaoke.

There’s an embedded dashcam that can even operate when the car is parked, as well as Dog and Camping modes to keep the cabin ventilated when the car is off. The car can also perform a light show, opening the tailgate as part of a musical dance (yes, it’s gimmicky – and thoroughly useless).

There are dual wireless phone chargers and two USB-C ports up front and the same again in the rear.

The Tesla also gets a terrific in-house developed sound system that trounces the basic six-speaker system in the Kia. About the only thing missing is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with Tesla instead embedding apps (phone, navigation, Spotify and Apple Music, for example) within its own operating system.

CarPlay and Android Auto are two connectivity features the 2024 Kia EV5 Air does get. It also matches the Tesla for USB ports – two up front and two in the rear – but does without wireless charging. The Kia gets an AC powerpoint – or vehicle to load – in the boot. It means any household appliance can be powered by the car.

There’s also a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in the Kia, as well as a five-inch display for the ventilation controls and a 12.3-inch central infotainment display. It looks slick and is easy to navigate, but compared with the Tesla’s techy extras it seems undernourished.

The 2024 Kia EV5 Air gets a single electric motor driving the front wheels. That motor makes 160kW and 310Nm, which Kia says will get you to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds (or 8.9 seconds if you go for the bigger battery, which is 145kg heavier).

Determining how much power the 2024 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive makes is trickier.

Tesla doesn’t make it obvious on its website, but delve into the owner’s manual in some overseas markets and the claimed output for the Rear-Wheel Drive is 194kW and 340Nm.

Even though the two are line ball on weight – the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive is 1909kg versus 1910kg for the EV5 Air Standard Range – the Tesla’s extra grunt delivers faster acceleration. Tesla says it takes 6.9 seconds to get to 100km/h.

The 2025 Kia EV5 Air Standard Range gets a 64.2kWh battery, which provides 400km of WLTP range.

Tesla doesn’t say how big the battery is on the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, but it’s a fraction less than the EV5, somewhere around 60kWh. Yet the Tesla’s WLTP range is 455km. That differential showed through in our testing, too.

After a day of driving and a full charge the Tesla was estimating 435km of range while the Kia was on 382km. The reality for each is likely a fraction less.

All of which shows the Tesla is more efficient, something also demonstrated in our testing.

After a spirited drive loop the Kia’s trip computer logged average consumption of 19.8kWh per 100km versus 15.9kWh/100km for the Tesla.

When it comes time to charge, for fast DC charging the Tesla takes up to 170kW, which the company says can add 261km of range – about 20-80 per cent – in 15 minutes.

The EV5 Air takes up to 102kW, which the company says allows a 10-80 per cent charge – about 280km of claimed range – in as little as 36 minutes. So for fast charging on the road the Tesla should take about half as long.

The Model Y can also take advantage of the Tesla charging network, making it far easier to charge on a road trip. For anyone looking to venture from home base the access to that Tesla charging network is a huge advantage.

For AC charging at home the Kia will take up to 6.6kW and the Tesla 11kW. For the most common 7.4kW single phase wallbox charger it means there will be very little difference in charge times; the Tesla will be maybe half an hour faster due to its marginally smaller capacity and the ability to take the full charge on offer (the Kia being limited to 6.6kW).

However, there is one trick with AC charging. The Model Y can accept three phases of power whereas the Standard Range model of the EV5 can only take single-phase. So if the charger you’re using is a three-phase charger (all 11kW and 22kW chargers) the Kia will only take one of those phases, so one third of what’s on offer. That means if the charger can supply 22kW then the Kia will charge at the maximum 6.6kW its onboard charger can deal with.

But the Kia can only handle one third of what’s on offer from an 11kW charger – about 3.6kW. An 11kW charger can charge the Tesla at triple the rate of the Kia.

There’s a familiarity sliding behind the wheel of the 2024 Kia EV5 Air, something that extends to the way it drives. But that familiarity is more in line with petrol-powered models such as the Sportage rather than electric alternatives.

Whereas the Kia EV6 and EV9 have been rear-drive in their entry-level forms, the EV5 drives the front wheels. That straight away creates challenges for the Nexen Roadian GTX rubber, with the front-end called on to do a lot. Get too enthusiastic out of a tight corner or call on full throttle on a wet road and there can be a skip before the traction control comes to the rescue.

It’s the first hint the EV5 doesn’t have the dynamic nous of its EV forebears. Another is the whiff of kickback through the steering when the front-end is light, such as powering out of a corner driving up a hill. And there’s some torque steer, where the wheel wants to tug back to the straight-ahead position when accelerating through bends.

But the EV5 delivers on comfort, which starts with compliant and well controlled suspension. It shuns bumps assertively and tracks faithfully through a corner, up until the point the front wheels start to run wide as grip levels fall off. The steering is faithful if somewhat uninspiring.

And while the Tesla has the pace advantage on paper, the difference on the road isn’t as dramatic. Yes, the Tesla will win the traffic light grand prix, but the Kia is far from disgraced, still launching enthusiastically and with that trademark response and effortlessness EVs do so well.

The EV5 also has four pre-set levels of brake regeneration and a smart setting that monitors speed limits, hills and other traffic. That’s something the Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive misses out on. While its electric motor is punchy and responsive, it also has quite aggressive regen, requiring a gentle lift off the throttle to stop occupants from involuntarily nodding their heads.

From the driver’s seat the Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive feels like a smaller car, with the bonnet falling away dramatically and the large windscreen making for great visibility. It’s not as easy to see out the rear, however, due to the slim rear window.

There’s a far sportier flavour with the Tesla, something reinforced with its steering, which is sharper and dartier. It works fine and is in keeping with the overall driving demeanour, but it requires a recalibration of the mind – and gentler hands.

Despite tweaks and changes since arriving in 2022, the Model Y has suspension that tends towards the firmer side for a family SUV. Again, it works with the car’s character, but it means it’ll jump around more on pockmarked surfaces. Some additional suspension noise takes the edge of otherwise good noise levels too.

But the Tesla is also impressively capable once you step up the pace. It’s well behaved and sharp, the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3 tyres exuding more grip than those on the Kia. Having the drive sent to the rear wheels also allows the fronts to focus on turning, in turn helping make for a more surefooted driving experience.

Neither the 2024 Kia EV5 Air nor Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive are designed to go off-road.

While each is an SUV, each also only drives two wheels, limiting their usefulness to bitumen.

Both the 2024 Kia EV5 Air and Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive have a modern flavour in the cabin, albeit served up very differently.

The Kia has a more familiar layout in line with others from the Kia EV family: Big screens dominating the upper dash, physical ventilation and audio controls and some touch pad buttons that can unintentionally be activated if you rest your palm on the dash while playing with the touch-screen.

There’s an assortment of recycled materials in what is a functional layout with some utilitarian flashes. Those born-again plastics don’t always hit the mark in creating an upmarket ambience, but the touches of copper highlights help lift things.

And there’s no arguing the space. The EV5 has plenty of occupant space. Those up front will have little to complain about with broad seats and a low-slung floating centre console providing a handy compartment beneath.

There’s a folding arm rest but no covered storage – just something that looks like a tiny seat between the driver and front seat occupant. There’s no seatbelt, so it can’t be used for humans, but it instead has a pouch that’s ideal for a phone or keys.

In the rear the Kia offers loads of headroom and thoroughly generous knee room that makes fitting adults in easier. As with the Tesla, you can also adjust the angle of the backrest. 

The middle occupant isn’t as pampered, however, with a narrow seat base and bulging seatback.

Recycled plastics flow through to the rear, as do the metallic highlights that save it from being bland. Slick openings to the door pockets open up to a deeper space and there’s a long arm rest with a pair of cupholders.

Air vents on the outer pillars send fresh air to the rear of the cabin and also free up the centre console for storage. A deep drawer in the centre console would be great for valuables and things the kids would otherwise distribute around the interior.

Look closer and the Kia is equipped with other thoughtful add-ons. As well as a flip-out shopping hook up front there’s a coat hook on either of the pillars between the front and rear doors. The backs of the front seat headrests are also sculpted to take a jacket.

Even the boot has a quartet of compartments that work beautifully for smaller items, and two underfloor compartments account for some of the modest 513L of boot space. The back seats fold in a split, but only in a ratio of 60:40. There’s 67L more under the bonnet.

Getting into the Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive reveals its pillarless windows, which are double glazed up front. The doors open up into a stark, minimalist interior that is virtually devoid of buttons, instead leaning heavily on the giant central screen that is the nerve centre of the car. It pays to learn your way around it because everything from opening the glovebox to the boot is done from that screen.

The steering wheel has a couple of thumbwheels that can be rolled, pressed and tapped from side to side, endowing them with a fair bit of functionality. Would buttons be easier? In some instances, yes, but that’s not the Tesla way.

A strip of wood across the dash and front doors breaks up the inoffensive grey plastics while some faux suede adds texture.

There’s generous storage in the long and wide front door pockets, and a deep covered binnacle that teams with the covered console below the central arm rest. Wireless chargers are handy for accommodating phones, even when charging is not required.

In the rear the Tesla betters the Kia’s headroom, although it comes at a cost. The relatively low-slung back seats mean even adults will be staring into the backs of the front seats. Great for space, not as good for enjoying the view. And the Tesla’s vast sunroof makes for an airy feeling, but sunny days can be testing on the cranium.

The Tesla can also swallow a lot more luggage. It has an 854-litre boot, with much of that volume in a deep receptacle below the floor. A 40:20:40 split-fold function provides terrific flexibility for piling in surfboards, bikes or the latest Bunnings bonanza. Plus there’s 117L under the bonnet.

If you want to hook up a trailer the Tesla will tow up to 1600kg, whereas the EV5 Air is limited to a measly 300kg.

There’s lots to like with the 2024 Kia EV5 Air, especially the price. It also has a sensible and functional cabin and it’s comfortable on the road.

But while it wins on ride comfort against the Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, it’s outclassed in space, driving nous and tech. Having to shell out $6000 more for a larger battery also hurts when the equipment list is underwhelming and the standard EV range modest compared with the Tesla.

In short, the EV5 is competent, but in this company it needs to be compelling. The newcomer is the most serious challenger yet to the big gun in EV sales.

But the Tesla Model Y still stands tall as the best electric SUV right now – and one of the best SUVs however they’re powered.

Be wary, though. An updated Model Y is in the wings. It if vaguely mimics the changes made to the Model 3 the Model Y will be even better.

2024 Kia EV5 Air Standard Range at a glance:
Price: $56,770 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet motor
Output: 160kW/310Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 64.2kWh lithium-ion phosphate
Range: 400km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 18.2kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested

2024 Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive at a glance:
Price: $55,900 (plus on-road costs); about $61,000 drive-away
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet motor
Output: 194kW/340Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 60kWh lithium-ion phosphate
Range: 455km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 14.6kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

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