We were very impressed with the 2023 Kia EV6 GT when we first drove it late last year, and we are not alone.
The EV6 GT is, after all, Kia's most powerful and quickest production car ever built. Thanks to a dual-motor powertrain delivering 576 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque, the EV6 GT sprints from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and hits a top speed of 161 miles per hour.
It's only natural that people will start drag racing the fast Kia against other fast EVs to see how it measures against them, and Teslas are always a benchmark in this respect. While the more obvious rival for the EV6 GT is the Tesla Model Y Performance, in this drag race video courtesy of The Fast Lane Car, the Kia is pitted against the Tesla Model 3 Performance.
The EV6 GT may be marketed as a crossover and the Model 3 as a sedan, but the truth is the height difference between the two is not that big, and the interior space is similar. The Tesla actually has a much roomier trunk than the Kia, so all in all, this is a fair comparison.
When it comes to performance, the Tesla looks slightly better – on paper, at least. It does 0-60 in 3.1 seconds and tops out at 162 mph. The automaker does not disclose the maximum power and torque produced by the Model 3 Performance's dual-motor powertrain, but according to estimates it makes slightly more than 500 hp and 500 lb-ft.
Weight obviously matters a great deal in a drag race, and that's one area these cars are no longer evenly matched. The Tesla tips the scales at 4,072 pounds (1,847 kilograms), while the Kia is much heavier at 4,795 lbs (2,174 kg).
Judging by these numbers alone, the Model 3 Performance should have no problem beating the EV6 GT, but things aren’t that simple in real life. While the Tesla wins the quarter-mile race with a standing start by about three car lengths, the Kia starts to bite in the next trials.
Watch the video to see if the Korean performance EV managed to beat its US counterpart in the roll race from 30 mph and in two braking tests: a classic one and another where drivers only use regenerative braking.
