Credit: Kyle Patrick

It had to be done. We had to drive the Tesla Model 3.

It's the brand that's brought up whenever we test any electric car. And one of the most impressive EVs we've driven this year has been Hyundai's Ioniq 6. Taking all the bits of the well-loved Ioniq 5, and shoving them under a new, streamlined sedan shape, it boosts range along with a more refined driving experience.

Yet the Tesla Model 3 is the compact electric sedan of the past six years, the best-seller you see dang near everywhere. The Model 3 sets the bar—so can Hyundai’s slippery four-door clear it?

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Model 3: Before you ask: we rented this particular 2023 Model 3 from Turo. Tesla rather infamously doesn’t believe in press relations in North America, so this is one of the few ways of covering the car outside of a friend owning one, or buying the thing.

We planned this before the reveal of the facelifted Model 3, too. However, at least to my eyes, the current model is more distinctive, instead of the diet Model S look of the new one. After all these years, it remains a clean, uncluttered design, with minimal decorations and tidy overhangs. Tesla gets dinged for its quality a lot, but the panels all fit well on this China-built model. I even like the standard 18-inch aero wheels. There’s always been something a little froggy about the face, at least to me, but hey, Kermit’s a beloved character, okay?

Model 3 drivers probably disagree with the ol’ frog, though: it turns out, it's kind of easy being green. Tesla kicked off the ultra-minimalist interior trend, and the Model 3 is the ultimate endgame of that path. A couple straight lines, some unconvincing bits of wood trim, and a big ol' tablet plonked in the middle. That pretty much sums up the Model 3 cabin. This approach comes with a big usability sacrifice: adjusting the mirrors and even the steering wheel's reach and rake is done through the touchscreen menu, then the wheel-mounted scroll wheels. Even if you won't be doing this regularly—the Model 3 allows for multiple saved driver profiles—it's still needlessly complicated.

Ioniq 6: The Hyundai has a remarkably low drag coefficient, and it's remarkable because it isn't some nondescript jellybean (cough, Mercedes). Yes, there's a lot going on with this design, and it won't be to everyone's tastes. But from the creased nose and its active lower shutters (which look like nostrils) to the sculpted sides, the I6 makes a statement. The dual-spoiler butt also gives distinct Porsche and Saab vibes, but with a modern electric twist. The Hyundai gets very pretty 20-inch alloys too, though you sacrifice a whole bunch of range for the look—more on that later.

Both of these cars have flush-fitting door handles, but the Hyundai's open "the right way," hinged at the front of the door, not the rear. Pop one to peer inside and just as the case was outside, there's a huge difference between these two cars' cabins. The Ioniq 6 has more, more of everything. Two screens! Actual buttons! Textures! Well, different textures than cheapo wood paneling, anyway. There are some funky design flourishes too, like the inboard window switches on the center console—the only way this cutting-edge electric sedan is kind of like a Jeep Wrangler.

The Ioniq 6 isn’t without its own green credentials either, with materials made from things like recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets. In a surprise move, the door panels aren’t as soft touch as those in the Tesla, but there is heft and resistance when you poke ‘em. The Hyundai feels substantial, and like a breath of fresh air after the austere Model 3.

Credit: Kyle Patrick

Model 3: Getting into the Model 3, there’s still such a feeling of space, with the glass roof providing noticeably more noggin room than you’ll get in the Hyundai. The low cowl provides an excellent view out ahead; park the cars beside each other, and the base of the windshield is multiple inches lower. The corners of the car rise up a bit on either side of the nose, so you get a clear sense of where the Model 3 ends. I’m not a big fan of the super-squishy vegan leather seating, but the power adjustability makes it easy to find the right position.

The back seat is a bit of a trade-off: the Tesla has much more headroom, and more natural light to go with it. But legroom is surprisingly tight for an EV. The seats themselves aren't particularly comfortable, either.

The Tesla's space advantage extends to storage, too. The wide-mouth trunk will swallow 19.8 cubic feet (561 liters) of stuff, thanks to a sizeable underfloor storage space. You've got a decently-sized frunk too, capable of holding a loaded messenger bag with ease.

Credit: Kyle Patrick

Ioniq 6: There's no getting around it: the Ioniq 6 feels tight, in either row. Up front, the combination of a smaller sunroof, that center console, and the dual 12.3-inch screens on the dashboard makes the two-inch headroom deficit feel even greater. I appreciate the cockpit feel, but larger folks might find it limiting. The seats are much more supportive than the Tesla’s however, and while both cars have heated thrones in both rows, only the Korean has ventilation up front.

The headroom premium continues in the back too: the Hyundai might be taller, but the taper of its roofline means anybody approaching six-foot will find a pinch. That being said, the legroom is vastly better here. You'll just need model-like proportions to be comfortable.

It’s a similar story for storage. The Hyundai’s got barely over half the trunk space with 11.2 cubic feet (316 liters). Its frunk is only big enough for some knick-knacks, too.

Model 3: How these two drive is very different, because you’re looking at the lowest and highest trims of the Tesla and Hyundai, respectively. Tesla’s single-motor setup switched to an LFP battery earlier this year, with improvements to both range and longevity. It’ll do 272 miles (435 kilometers) to a charge now. Tesla re-introduced the Long Range a few months back, which is the best match for the Ioniq 6 we have here—but unfortunately, wasn't what we got from Turo.

By dint of its single-motor setup, the Tesla feels lighter—that’s because it is, by a fair few hundred pounds. Even the dual motor Long Range is trimmer than the hefty Hyundai. So even though the Model 3 is down about 50 horsepower and well over 100 pound-feet of torque, it doesn’t feel much slower. In fact, the Tesla is right on the heels of the Hyundai from around 50 mph (80 km/h) or so. At low speeds, it just can’t match that AWD oomph, and its throttle response is duller regardless of the posted speed.

While the Model 3 is a fine highway companion—outside of lots of wind noise from its frameless windows—the Tesla unravels when the road ceases to be smooth. Toss some bumps under those 18-inch wheels and the Model 3 quickly loses composure, heaving along all three axes. Our test route took in some very wavy tarmac: the Hyundai handled it fine, but I needed to slow down in the Tesla to avoid feeling uncomfortable. There's a lot more suspension noise from the rear of the car, too. The result is a widening of the perceived quality gap between these two.

It isn't all bad news for the American car. The steering wheel is small in diameter and quick in ratio (just two turns lock-to-lock), so the Model 3 feels pretty agile. There's a good amount of resistance when you set the steering to Sport mode, too. That’s another aspect I appreciate in the Model 3: while there are no drive modes per se, picking your accelerator, steering, and stopping settings locks them in, even if the car is turned off.

Ioniq 6: As most manufacturers are wont to do, Hyundai sent us the absolute top-spec Ioniq 6. It’s known as the Limited in the US, or the Preferred Long Range AWD with Ultimate Package in Canada. Whatever you want to call it, the Ioniq 6 is great to drive.

The Ioniq 6 has eaten a lot more servings of yangnyeom chicken than the Tesla, tipping the scales at around 4,600 pounds (2,094 kilograms). The weight penalty is noticeable, but not by much: from behind the wheel, I'd guess the difference was only about 200 pounds. The Korean car turns in well, with smooth, consistent responses from its steering wheel building driver confidence early.

The suspension tuning is another way the Ioniq 6 draws classic Euro sportster comparisons. Hyundai’s team has found a great balance between everyday comfort and sure-footed athleticism. That same strip of wavy tarmac? The I6 does it without feeling like a boat lost at sea. There's also a lot less outside noise permeating the cabin. Take it to some more challenging bits of tarmac, and the Ioniq corners flat with little body roll. The Ioniq 6’s drive modes offer up noticeable differences in character, too. You can even set a custom mode, tailoring numerous aspects to your tastes. That includes locking the car in rear-drive mode. I don't like that the one-pedal setting switches off with every shift to park or reverse, though.

Going for the dual-motor AWD in the Ioniq 6 nets buyers the larger 77.4-kWh battery pack, and a combined output of 320 hp and 446 pound-feet of torque. It’s that latter figure that defines the Ioniq 6 driving experience. In the dry this thing just rockets forward, with instant torque the moment your foot dips that accelerator. Response times are also much quicker than in the American car, even in regular mode.

Model 3: Teslas come with tons of tech, and the Model 3 doesn’t buck that trend. The 15.0-inch central touchscreen can be a little overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t take long to get comfortable. Tesla includes navigation as standard, and the voice recognition is straightforward and easy to use. Other features like satellite-imaged maps, live traffic feeds, the web browser, and video streaming—the latter of which includes Sentry Mode—requires the Premium subscription, which is free for the first month.

The Joe Mode reduces audio notifications, similar to the Ioniq 6’s quiet mode. While I prefer an actual 360-degree camera feed like the Hyundai’s to the Tesla’s visualizer, I do appreciate the heatmap proximity warning, including rough distances to nearby objects. The standard “AutoPilot” does adaptive cruise control well.

Owners can also add a whole bunch of third-party apps, including Spotify and Zoom. There are video streaming apps as well, that (thankfully) only work while parked, and require either Wi-Fi or the afore-mentioned Premium sub.

Model 3: The Model 3 can charge up to 250 kW on the Supercharger network. With a home setup, the smaller battery allows the Model 3 to top-up in less time than the Ioniq 6.

Ioniq 6: Every Ioniq 6 runs on the E-GMP platform, capable of charging up to 235 kW at DC fast chargers. That allows ultra-quick charging from 10–80 percent in under 20 minutes; Level 2 charging at home is a little under 7 hours with the bigger battery pack. I can’t forget to mention its V2L capability either, allowing owners to plug accessories into the car.

Bottom Line: These two are evenly-matched in terms of charging rates, and if you're doing most of the charging at home, that remains the case. Venture out into the wild, and the Supercharger network's reliability is the Tesla's big competitive advantage.

Model 3: Tesla asks for $41,630 US ($56,980 CAD) for this base Model 3. Well, at least this week: pricing has fluctuated in 2023. That’s a wicked deal in America, and an alright one in Canada, where the Ioniq 6 is just $56 cheaper. Beyond paint and wheels, the only major cost options are the “Enhance AutoPilot” package for $6,000 ($7,800 CAD), adding a more robust adaptive cruise control, auto parking, and the Summon gimmick, er feature. Tesla’s misleadingly-named Full-Self Driving Capability continues for a pricey 12 or 16 grand, depending on market.

Adding the second motor for the Long Range brings more power, more range (333 miles or 534 km), and more money: 7 grand in the US, and an even 10 grand in the land of poutine. Spec the 19-inch wheels and the Model 3 sheds a bit of range, but still squeaks out ahead of the Ioniq 6. Folks wanting even more oomph can pick the Performance model.

Ioniq 6: Hyundai pricing kicks off at $42,715 in the US, including destination. That gets you the small-batteried, rear-drive Ioniq 6, which might come close to the Tesla’s range with 240 miles (386 km), but it does so with an Elantra-like 149 horsepower. A few extra grand will get you the larger battery and increased power (225 hp), and that’s where the Canadian lineup kicks off at $56,924 CAD. You’ll find up to 361 miles (581 km) of range here, which beats the rear-drive Tesla. Going for AWD and 18s nets buyers 316 miles (509 km), just a bit less than the Long Range Model 3, but with less power too. There’s no answer to the Performance model… at least, not yet.

The as-tested price of this top-trim model—in its unique-to-Canada Nocturne Grey—is $57,215 ($66,174 CAD).

Look, it can be hard to separate Tesla from the antics of its man in charge. And plenty of competitors have chipped away at the stalwart’s strengths, like usable range and charging speeds. But the Tesla Model 3 is the brand’s best offering, even in base form. It’s easy to drive, spacious, and comes with an impressive list of standard features. Then there’s the Supercharger network. It’s the default choice for a reason—pair that with the price reductions and general availability and it’s hard to argue against.

The appeal of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is hard to deny, though. The Tesla’s ubiquity is its biggest drawback, whereas the Ioniq 6 feels special. It’s the one I prefer to drive, and generally be in, even if I wish it had the 5’s glass roof.

To me, the Model 3 is the biege Corolla or Camry of the 2020s: the safe choice, and one that should satisfy the needs of those of who are looking for a transportation appliance. Conversely, the Ioniq 6 is a bit like the E46-era BMW 3 Series: pricier than the equivalent Camry, but has looks, feel, and a drive with added sparkle.

At the end of the day though, it’s really hard to beat the Model 3. At this tester's entry-level price, it's a wicked value play against the equivalent Ioniq 6. If you're spending more—like, loaded Ioniq 6 levels—the choice becomes much harder.

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