2026 Kia K4 vs 2026 Tesla Model 3
The Kia K4 wins clearly, 80 to 71.7, on price, tech & comfort, safety. The Tesla Model 3 is ahead on fuel & range and space & cargo. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4.8 and it flips.
2026 Kia K4
The 2026 Kia K4 is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the K4 4DR w/ DMS, is EPA-rated at 33 mp…
2026 Tesla Model 3
The 2026 Tesla Model 3 is sold in the U.S. as an electric midsize sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Model 3 Premium RWD, is …
2026 Kia K4
Clear winThe Kia K4 wins clearly, 80 to 71.7, on price, tech & comfort, safety. The Tesla Model 3 is ahead on fuel & range and space & cargo. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4.8 and it flips.
| Category · weight | 2026 Kia K4overall 80 | 2026 Tesla Model 3overall 71.7 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 60.3 | ||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | ||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 25.8 | 100 | ||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | ||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 95.2 | 66 | ||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | ||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 60.8 | 100 | ||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | ||||||||||||||
| Performancenot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 47.4 | ||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | ||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Overall | 80 | 71.7 | ||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 5 of 7 categories compared
Kia K4: base trim LX FWD · Tesla Model 3: base trim Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4.8 and the answer flips.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Kia K4 wins
- It lists 28 standard driver-assist features against 3.
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (13 against 30 filed with NHTSA).
- It starts $14,700 lower ($22,290 against $36,990 base MSRP).
Where the 2026 Tesla Model 3 answers
- It is rated 139 combined against 33 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It costs $1,500 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($550 against $2,050).
What they share
- A Safety Signal of 92.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
44 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $22,290 | $36,990 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | — |
| Cylinder count | 4 | — |
| Engine displacement | 1,999 cc | — |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.0L I-4, Multi Point Injection (MPI), Atkinson | Electric Motor |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | — |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 16-Valve | — |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 147 hp | — |
| Torque | 132 lb-ft | — |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 29 mpg | — |
| MPG (combined) | 33 mpg | — |
| MPG (highway) | 39 mpg | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 5.149:1 | — |
| Transmission type | Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) | Single-Speed |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | — | 5.4 in |
| Overall height | 55.9 in | 56.7 in |
| Overall length | 185 in | 186 in |
| Overall width | 72.8 in | 76.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 107 in | — |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 14.6 cu-ft | 24 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | — | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 39 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 42.3 in | — |
| Third-row legroom | 38 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 2,956 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 2,932 lbs | 3,759 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 3,924 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | MacPherson strut | — |
| Rear suspension type | Coupled Torsion Beam Axle (CTBA) | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Column Mounted-Motor Driven Power Steering (C-MDPS) | — |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 17.6 ft | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 280 mm | — |
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | — |
| Parking brake type | epb | — |
| Rear brake diameter | 262 mm | — |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | — |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 16 in | — |
| Wheel material | steel | — |
| Wheel width | 6.5 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 205/55R16 | — |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 12.4 gal | — |
| Minimum recommended octane | 92 | — |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 56.5 in | — |
| Third-row shoulder room | 54.7 in | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
123 features · differences first, then sharedSafety31 differ · 31 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA), Car/Pedestrian/Cyclist/Junction-Turning | std | — |
| Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop and Go, steering remote control | std | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA), Car/Pedestrian/Cyclist/Junction-Turning | std | — |
| Lane Following Assist (LFA) | std | — |
| Dual front advanced airbags | std | — |
| Dual front seat-mounted side airbags | std | — |
| Full-length side curtain airbags | std | — |
| Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) | std | — |
| Rear View Monitor (RVM) with Parking guidelines | std | — |
| Driver Attention Warning (DAW) | std | — |
| Dual rear seat-mounted side airbags | std | — |
| 8 exterior cameras | — | std |
| Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) | std | — |
| Child Anchor (ISO FIX) | std | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | std | — |
| Front and rear 3-point seat belts | std | — |
| Front and rear seat-belt pretensioners and load limiter | std | — |
| Front seatbelt buckle sensor | std | — |
| Front seatbelt Driver's reminder | std | — |
| Full Self-Driving (Supervised) capable | — | std |
| Haptic Steering Wheel warning | std | — |
| Height-adjustable front seat-belt anchors | std | — |
| High Beam Assist (HBA) | std | — |
| Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) | std | — |
| Parking Brake Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Hold | std | — |
| Rear Child Safety Door Locks | std | — |
| Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) | std | — |
| Traffic-aware cruise control | — | std |
| Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) | std | — |
| Immobilizer | std | — |
| Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) High line | std | — |
Infotainment14 differ · 14 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| 2 wireless phone chargers | — | std |
| Cellular data, Wi-Fi, ultra-wide band and Bluetooth connectivity | — | std |
| 12.3-inch Touch screen, ccNC Lite Radio, SXM and HD Radio | std | — |
| 15.4" First-row touchscreen | — | std |
| 3 USB-C ports | — | std |
| 4 speakers | std | — |
| 7 Speaker audio system | — | std |
| Audio and Bluetooth Hands-free with Steering remote control | std | — |
| Basic Vehicle Warranty: 4 years or 50,000 mi, whichever comes first | — | std |
| CarPlay/Android Auto Wired and Wireless | std | — |
| Grok voice assistant | — | std |
| Over-the-air software updates | — | std |
| USB-C charger Front (2 ports, front center console) | std | — |
| USB-C charger Rear (2 ports, rear center console) | std | — |
Convenience10 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Key with Remote/Push-button Start | std | — |
| Auto door lock system with Speed Sensing/Shift Lever Auto Lock, and Impact Sensing Unlock | std | — |
| Front and rear power windows | std | — |
| Hands-free power open on approach | — | std |
| Inside Handle Override All Doors | std | — |
| Power outlet (x1) | std | — |
| Remote Trunk Lid Release Cable operated | std | — |
| Two-turn driver door unlock | std | — |
| Central door lock switch | std | — |
| Power driver window with auto-up/down | std | — |
Climate3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioner Manual | std | — |
| Particulate and odor filter; First-row touchscreen adjust air vents | — | std |
| PTC Heater | std | — |
Seating9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| First-row heated seats | — | std |
| Bench fixed seatback folding | std | — |
| Cloth seat trim | std | — |
| Driver's seat Height Adjustable - Pumping type | std | — |
| First-row power recline | — | std |
| Five-seat interior | — | std |
| Passenger side Height Adjustable - Pumping type | std | — |
| Second-row manual-folding seats | — | std |
| Vegan leather with textile inserts | — | std |
Interior20 differ · 20 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Heated steering wheel | — | std |
| 4-inch TFT Cluster | std | — |
| C/Pad interior trim with Technical Embossing | std | — |
| Center console with extended storage | — | std |
| Deluxe SynTex Inside Door Armrest | std | — |
| Floor console Armrest with SynTex material | std | — |
| Front/Rear Door Center Plastic Trim | std | — |
| Front/Rear Door Upper Plastic Trim | std | — |
| Glove Box with Damper | std | — |
| LED Map and Room Lamp | std | — |
| Luggage Lamp | std | — |
| Manual-adjust heated steering wheel | — | std |
| Metal Paint Inside Door Handle | std | — |
| Soft PVC Transmission Gear Shift Knob | std | — |
| Sunvisor Vanity mirror with cover and Driver's Ticket Holder | std | — |
| Two-spoke design, Polyurethane Steering Wheel | std | — |
| Inside Rear-view Mirror Day and Night | std | — |
| Manual tilt and telescopic steering column | std | — |
| Trip Computer | std | — |
| Front/Rear Inside Door Map Pocket and Bottle Holder | std | — |
Exterior25 differ · 25 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| 16-inch steel wheels (Dark Gray cover) | std | — |
| Black Belt-line molding | std | — |
| Black bumper | std | — |
| Black Radiator Grille with Metal Paint trim | std | — |
| Black Side Sill | std | — |
| Black Side Window Trim | std | — |
| Bulb type High Mounted Stop Lamp | std | — |
| Conventional Wiper Blade type | std | — |
| Escort headlights | std | — |
| Heated Back-lite | std | — |
| K4 emblem (left side of trunk) | std | — |
| LED Amber Daytime Running Lights (DRL) | std | — |
| LED and Bulb type Rear Combination Lamps | std | — |
| LED headlights; Auto and adaptive high beams | — | std |
| LED Multi-Focus Reflector (MFR) Headlights | std | — |
| Manual-folding side-view mirrors | — | std |
| Outside Mirror with Black Mirror Arm and Body Color Mirror Cap | std | — |
| Outside Rear-view Mirror Electric adjustable and Heated | std | — |
| Panoramic glass roof | — | std |
| Single Muffler Hidden Exhaust tips | std | — |
| Trunk Lid Trim Inner cover with inside handle | std | — |
| UV Cut Glass and Solar Glass Windshield with Backlite, Front and Rear door | std | — |
| Auto Light Control System | std | — |
| Temporary spare tire | std | — |
| Low Washer Fluid Warning | std | — |
Powertrain6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) | std | — |
| 2.0L Multi Port Injection (MPI) engine | std | — |
| Battery & Drive Unit Warranty: 8 years or 100,000 mi, whichever comes first | — | std |
| Drive Modes: Chill, Standard | — | std |
| Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) | std | — |
| Supercharging Max 225 kW; Pay Per Use | — | std |
Chassis5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Column Mounted-Motor Driven Power Steering (C-MDPS) | std | — |
| Front McPherson strut with Coil spring | std | — |
| Passive shock absorbers | — | std |
| Rear Coupled Torsion Beam Axle (CTBA) | std | — |
| Shock Absorber Type Gas | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPKia K4
Top recalls
- high Seat Belts 26V135000 · 14,870 vehicles
Tesla Model 3
Top recalls
- high Seats 25V410000 · 48 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Kia K4LX FWD | Tesla Model 3Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive RWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $22,290 (base trim) | $36,990 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $22,290 – $28,890 8 trims | $36,990 – $54,990 4 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | BEV |
| EPA configuration compared | K4 4DR w/ DMS | Model 3 Standard RWD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 33 | 139 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,050 | $550 |
| EV range | — | 321 mi |
| Basic warranty | — | 4 yr / 50,000 mi |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Kia K4 or the 2026 Tesla Model 3?
The Kia K4 wins clearly, 80 to 71.7, on price, tech & comfort, safety. The Tesla Model 3 is ahead on fuel & range and space & cargo. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4.8 and it flips. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Kia K4 scores 80 and the 2026 Tesla Model 3 71.7. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Kia K4 or the 2026 Tesla Model 3?
The 2026 Kia K4 starts lower — $22,290 against $36,990, a gap of $14,700 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Kia K4 or the 2026 Tesla Model 3?
2026 Kia K4: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. 2026 Tesla Model 3: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 1 recall. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Kia K4 and the 2026 Tesla Model 3?
Where the 2026 Kia K4 wins: it lists 28 standard driver-assist features against 3, has drawn fewer owner complaints (13 against 30 filed with NHTSA), and starts $14,700 lower ($22,290 against $36,990 base MSRP). Where the 2026 Tesla Model 3 answers: it is rated 139 combined against 33 (EPA mpg or MPGe) and costs $1,500 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($550 against $2,050). What they share: a Safety Signal of 92.