2027 Kia Niro vs 2027 Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y wins clearly, 100 to 78.2, on fuel & range.
2027 Kia Niro
The 2027 Kia Niro is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid compact SUV. The most efficient version, the Niro, is EPA-rated at 50 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall camp…
2027 Tesla Model Y
The 2027 Tesla Model Y is sold in the U.S. as an electric compact SUV. Its longest-range version, the Model Y L (20in Wheels), is EPA-rated at 328 miles with 11…
2027 Tesla Model Y
Clear winThe Tesla Model Y wins clearly, 100 to 78.2, on fuel & range.
| Category · weight | 2027 Kia Nirooverall 78.2 | 2027 Tesla Model Yoverall 100 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 49.2 | 100 | |||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
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 & cargonot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Performancenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Overall | 78.2 | 100 | |||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 2 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Tesla Model Y
Kia Niro: base trim LX FWD · Tesla Model Y: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available). Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2027 Tesla Model Y wins
- It is rated 114 combined against 50 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It costs $650 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($700 against $1,350).
What they share
- A Safety Signal of 100.
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
40 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $29,890 | — |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Cylinder count | 4 | — |
| Engine displacement | 1,580 cc | — |
| Engine type (full description) | 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection Hybrid Engine | — |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | — |
| Valve configuration | DOHC | — |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 104 hp | — |
| Torque | 106 lb-ft | — |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 53 mpg | — |
| MPG (combined) | 50 mpg | — |
| MPG (highway) | 46 mpg | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission speeds | 6 | — |
| Transmission type | dct | — |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 6.3 in | — |
| Overall height | 60.8 in | — |
| Overall length | 174 in | — |
| Overall width | 71.9 in | — |
| Wheelbase | 107 in | — |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 40.5 in | — |
| Second-row headroom | 39.6 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 41.5 in | — |
| Second-row legroom | 39.8 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 3,362 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 3,208 lbs | — |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,255 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent, MacPherson Strut, Stabilizer | — |
| Rear suspension type | Independent, Multi-link | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Rack & Pinion / Electric Motor | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 381 mm | — |
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | — |
| Parking brake type | epb | — |
| Rear brake diameter | 356 mm | — |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | — |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 16 in | — |
| Wheel material | forged alloy | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | P205/60R16 | — |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 11.1 gal | — |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | Kia Connect | — |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 56.3 in | — |
| Second-row shoulder room | 55.4 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
91 features · differences first, then sharedSafety26 differ · 26 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA 1.5) Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist, Junction Tunring and Direct Oncoming | std | — |
| Smart Cruise Control 2 (SCC 2) | std | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA 1.5) Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist, Junction Tunring and Direct Oncoming | std | — |
| Lane Following Assist (LFA) | std | — |
| Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA) | std | — |
| Dual front advanced airbags | std | — |
| Dual front seat-mounted side airbags | std | — |
| Full-length side curtain airbags | std | — |
| Lane Keeping Assist | std | — |
| Rear-view Camera with dynamic guidelines | std | — |
| Driver Attention Warning (DAW) with Lead Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA) | std | — |
| Antilock Brakes System (ABS) | std | — |
| Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA) | std | — |
| Brake force Assist System (BAS) | std | — |
| Driver's knee airbag | std | — |
| Electronic Parking Break (EPB) with Auto Hold | std | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | std | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA 1.5) Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist, Junction Tunring and Direct Oncoming | std | — |
| High Beam Assist (HBA) | std | — |
| Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) | std | — |
| Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA) | std | — |
| Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) | std | — |
| Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) Door logic type | std | — |
| Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) | std | — |
| Immobilizer | std | — |
| Tire-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | std | — |
Infotainment9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth Hands-free with voice recognition | std | — |
| ccNC Lite 12.3-Inch LCD Display with HD Radio®, Wireless Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™ | std | — |
| Front door speakers (x2) | std | — |
| Kia Connect and Over the Air Updates (OTA) | std | — |
| Rear door speakers (x2) | std | — |
| SiriusXM | std | — |
| Steering wheel-mounted audio controls | std | — |
| Tweeter speakers (x2) | std | — |
| USB-c (Media Input x1, Front Tray Charging x1, Seatback Charging x2) | std | — |
Convenience6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Key with push button start, remote start, panic alarm and liftgate unlock | std | — |
| 12V power outlet (x1): front console | std | — |
| Keyless entry with lock, unlock, panic and remote control | std | — |
| Manual Tailgate | std | — |
| Central door locks: driver and front passenger control | std | — |
| Power driver's window with auto up/down and pinch protection | std | — |
Climate1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning, automatic dual-zone with Driver Only mode | std | — |
Seating4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Second row bench (3 passengers) 60/40 split-folding rear seats | std | — |
| 6-way manual adjustable driver's seat with height adjuster | std | — |
| 6-way manual adjustable passenger seat with height adjuster | std | — |
| Cloth seat trim | std | — |
Interior16 differ · 16 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Cluster: Supervision 4.0" TFT display | std | — |
| Bottle holder integrated into front door trim | std | — |
| Cargo light | std | — |
| Driver seatback pocket | std | — |
| Dual front cupholders | std | — |
| Front console arm rest with storage | std | — |
| Front door pockets | std | — |
| Metal paint inside door handle | std | — |
| Overhead console lamp | std | — |
| Room lamp | std | — |
| Second row arm rest with storage and cup holder | std | — |
| Sunvisor with vanity mirror and extendable | std | — |
| SynTex steering wheel | std | — |
| Day and night rear-view mirror | std | — |
| Illuminated sunvisor vanity mirrors | std | — |
| Tilt and telescoping steering column | std | — |
Exterior22 differ · 22 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Power folding, heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals | std | — |
| 16-inch Alloy wheels | std | — |
| Black Doot Waistline | std | — |
| Black Side Sill | std | — |
| Black Wheel Arch | std | — |
| Body color Fender | std | — |
| Body-color outside door handles | std | — |
| Body-color outside mirrors | std | — |
| Exhaust System Single Muffler | std | — |
| LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) | std | — |
| Manual folding outside mirrors | std | — |
| Outside electrically adjustable heated mirrors | std | — |
| Rear LED combination lights | std | — |
| Side mirror LED Repeater lamps | std | — |
| Solar control and tinted front windows | std | — |
| Tinted, Solar control, Heated, Acoustic windshield | std | — |
| Tire Mobility Kit (TMK) | std | — |
| Variable intermittent windshield wipers | std | — |
| Auto Light Control headlights | std | — |
| Privacy glass (rear doors, rear quarter, back-lite) | std | — |
| Rear-window defroster with timer | std | — |
| LED high-mounted stop lamp (integrated into rear spoiler) | std | — |
Powertrain5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine | std | — |
| 6-speed Automatic Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) | std | — |
| Drive Mode Select (DMS): ECO or Sport Mode | std | — |
| Idle Stop and Go (ISG) | std | — |
| Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) | std | — |
Chassis1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| MacPherson front suspention and Multi-link rear suspension | std | — |
Cargo1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Luggage net hook | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPKia Niro
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Tesla Model Y
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Kia NiroLX FWD | Tesla Model Y | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,890 (base trim) | — |
| Price range across trims | $29,890 – $38,990 5 trims | — |
| Powertrains | HEV | BEV |
| EPA configuration compared | Niro | Model Y L (20in Wheels) |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 50 | 114 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $1,350 | $700 |
| EV range | — | 328 mi |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2027 Kia Niro or the 2027 Tesla Model Y?
The Tesla Model Y wins clearly, 100 to 78.2, on fuel & range. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2027 Tesla Model Y scores 100 and the 2027 Kia Niro 78.2. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2027 Kia Niro or the 2027 Tesla Model Y?
2027 Kia Niro: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 0 recalls. 2027 Tesla Model Y: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 0 recalls. 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 2027 Kia Niro and the 2027 Tesla Model Y?
Where the 2027 Tesla Model Y wins: it is rated 114 combined against 50 (EPA mpg or MPGe) and costs $650 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($700 against $1,350). What they share: a Safety Signal of 100.