New Tesla Model Y vs new Skoda Enyaq vs Kia EV6

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New Tesla Model Y vs new Skoda Enyaq vs Kia EV6

If at first you don’t succeed in making a flawless electric SUV, you can always give it a revamp. But can the latest Tesla Model Y beat rivals from Kia and Skoda?...

Tesla Model Y vs Skoda Enyaq vs Kia EV6 fronts static

Will Nightingale

Published20 July 2025

The contenders

Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD

List price £51,990
Target Price £51,990

The original Model Y impressed with its great efficiency and practicality, but it also had its shortcomings. This heavy update promises to rectify them

Skoda Enyaq 85x SportLine

List price £48,760
Target Price £46,716

Skoda aims to give its practical, well-priced contender renewed appeal with fresh looks and
faster charging capability

Kia EV6 AWD GT-Line S

List price £57,185
Target Price £54,224

The EV6 makes a lot of sense in its cheaper forms, but can this range-topping four-wheel-drive version justify its high price by beating its rivals here?

Some of you will doubtless question the inclusion of one of the cars in this test. We’ve had emails, YouTube comments and even phone calls encouraging us either not to review Teslas at all, or to do so in a negative way.

And we understand the strength of feeling. In fact, if you aren’t happy with the way a company (or its boss) is conducting itself, we’d remind you that you can always vote with your wallet and not buy its cars. It’s the most powerful tool you have to encourage a brand to change its ways.

But we’re a car buyer’s guide, and to refuse to review a new version of the world’s best-selling car of 2024 would be, frankly, bizarre. And if we took such a moral standpoint with Tesla, should we also decline to review Chinese cars over alleged links to human rights abuses?

Tesla Model Y vs Skoda Enyaq vs Kia EV6 rears driving

Nope – we don’t see it as our role to act as judge and jury on these matters. So, we’ll continue to review all cars that sell in reasonable numbers and, as always, we’ll do so in a fair and even-handed manner to give you all the objective information you need to help with your decision. You can then factor in the subjective stuff yourself: the brand, its image, the car’s styling and so on.

Anyway, what’s actually new about the Tesla Model Y? Well, this is a heavy facelift of the car that first arrived in the UK in 2021. The looks have been updated, the interior has been revised and, thanks to some efficiency improvements, the Model Y can now travel a bit farther between charges. We’re testing the current range-topper, which combines a 75kWh (usable capacity) battery with four-wheel drive and rather a lot of power.

For slightly less money, you could have a top-of-the-range (if we exclude the sporty vRS version) Skoda Enyaq 85x. The Enyaq has just been given a mid-life nip and tuck and now features the Czech brand’s ‘Tech-Deck’ face. It can charge faster than before, too.

Our third contender is the Kia EV6, a car we’ve lavished praise upon ever since we voted it our Car of the Year back in 2022.
Late last year it gained a bigger battery with an 80kWh usable capacity for an improved official range, along with some subtle styling tweaks. However, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow when you see the asking price of a range-topping four-wheel-drive version. Is it really worth the extra outlay over the others?

Driving

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

The Model Y might look like a fairly anonymous SUV, but it has the heart of a barnstorming performance car. It can rocket you to 60mph from a standstill in just 4.2sec – quicker than an entry-level Porsche Taycan – and is the only car here that will genuinely widen your eyes when you floor the accelerator pedal. The fact that an even more powerful Performance version is on the way makes you wonder just how much punch a family SUV buyer really needs.

That’s not to say the other two are slow – far from it. In our tests, the EV6 clocked 0-60mph in 5.0sec, so it can still outsprint all but the quickest hot hatches – and even the Enyaq (0-60mph in 6.1sec) is nippier than most buyers will ever need it to be. Its acceleration is nothing special by high-end electric car standards, though.

The Model Y is quickest to shed speed, too. In dry, fairly warm conditions, it came to an emergency stop from 70mph in just 45.0 metres – 1.4 metres less than the Enyaq required and 4.5 metres before the EV6. What’s more, the Model Y has the most predictable, confidence-inspiring brakes in normal driving; slowing your progress smoothly in the other two (especially the Enyaq) requires a little more concentration and delicacy.

That’s assuming you need to use the actual brake pedal, of course, because in all three you can slow down fairly swiftly (and send energy back into the battery) simply by taking your foot off the accelerator pedal. There are two settings for this regenerative braking effect in the Model Y that you can choose between via the touchscreen. The others have more settings to pick from and let you switch between them more easily by pulling paddles behind the steering wheel.

None of these cars has the handling to match its performance, but that isn’t to say we’ve lined up three wallowy barges. The Model Y – the lightest of the trio by some margin – can carry the most speed through corners, and its steering (which has been
retuned as part of the update) is now less hyperactive, making it easier to steer the car smoothly. All things considered, though, the Enyaq is sweeter to drive. It may lean a little more than the Model Y around tight corners, but it always feels well balanced and has the most naturally weighted, feelsome steering of the bunch.

The EV6, by contrast, has rather loose body control and feels comparatively reluctant to turn in to bends at higher speeds. The lighter rear-wheel-drive (RWD) versions feel more alert and generally better balanced.

Prior to its refresh, the Model Y soaked up bumps in the road with all the decorum of a sprung cart. Mercifully, it’s now more comfortable, but on optional 20in alloy wheels (19s are standard) it still jostles you around a bit too much – particularly around town. Mind you, it’s the same story with this version of the EV6, which gets 20in wheels as standard. We know ride comfort is noticeably better in cheaper versions, especially with smaller, 19in wheels fitted.

Overall, then, the Enyaq has the most settled and controlled ride. True, we wouldn’t recommend going for a SportLine if comfort is top priority (it gets sports suspension) and our test car was shod with optional 21in alloys (£620), but it’s only in town where you feel any harsh impacts. On faster A-roads and motorways, the Enyaq stays impressively smooth.

Tesla Model Y vs Skoda Enyaq vs Kia EV6 noses

None of these cars does an outstanding job of isolating you and your passengers from the outside world. Yes, the Model Y is the quietest at a steady 70mph – a testament to the work that has been done to improve refinement – but you still hear clonks from the suspension when driving along any less-than-perfect road.

However, on a long motorway cruise, that’s still preferable to the constant drone of tyre noise in the Enyaq (again, those 21in wheels don’t help) or the whistling of wind around the EV6’s windscreen pillars.

But which of these SUVs will keep you cruising for the longest? Well, the official figures suggest it’s the Model Y, and our own
real-world tests back that up. The Model Y achieved fine efficiency of 3.8 miles per kilowatt hour (mi/kWh), suggesting a theoretical maximum range of 285 miles. The Enyaq managed 3.4mi/kWh, which translates to a respectable 262 miles between top-ups. Meanwhile, the EV6 posted an efficiency figure of just 3.2mi/kWh. Based on that, it’s likely to have the shortest real-world range (256 miles), despite having the biggest battery.

Behind the wheel

Driving position, visibility, build quality

The Enyaq has the best all-round driving position. It feels the most like an SUV from behind the wheel, the ‘sports’ seats offer plenty of support and all-round visibility is the best of the trio, even though the windscreen pillars can get in the way a bit at junctions.

Visibility at junctions is more of a problem in the other two, due to their shallower-angled front pillars, and while the Model Y
perches you nearly as far from the road as the Enyaq, the feeling is less natural; it’s achieved by mounting the seats on plinths. However, at least the updates have given those seats extra side support to hold you in place more securely through corners.

The EV6 has the lowest driving position, although you still feel higher up than you would in a conventional hatchback or saloon. Like the other two cars, the EV6 has fully electric front seats with adjustable lumbar support, but unlike those rivals, its seats have a ‘Relaxation’ function. Just press a button and they’ll automatically recline, with padded support for your calves folding out from the seat base, so you can enjoy a nap while your car is charging.

One of our biggest gripes with the cheaper Tesla Model 3 saloon relates to the indicator controls, which are positioned unintuitively on one of the steering wheel spokes. Thankfully, Tesla appears to have listened, because a good old-fashioned indicator stalk features in the updated Model Y.

True, as with the latest Model 3, there’s no gear selector stalk (you have to use the touchscreen or a small panel above your head to engage drive or reverse), but at least this isn’t something that could potentially flummox you when barrelling along at speed.

The improvements to the Model Y’s interior quality are just as welcome. More expensive-feeling materials now cover the areas your hands are likely to come into contact with, and overall it feels more upmarket and better screwed together inside than the
Enyaq and EV6, both of which feature more hard plastic and some flimsier-feeling buttons.

Then again, a lot of buyers will appreciate the fact that there are some physical controls. In the Model Y, almost everything (from opening the glovebox to adjusting the door mirrors and tweaking the air-con) is done using the centrally mounted touchscreen. True, you need to use the touchscreen (or the voice control system) to adjust the interior temperature in the Enyaq too, but at least there’s a physical shortcut button to take you straight to the main air-con menu.

The EV6 is the only one with proper physical controls to adjust the interior temperature. These can also double as controls for some of the infotainment functions, such as adjusting the volume of the audio system.

Infotainment systems

Tesla Model Y

The Model Y has essentially the same 15.4in touchscreen as the cheaper Model 3. You use it to control almost every feature of the car, be it unlocking the charging port or opening the glovebox. For the most part, it’s easy to get the hang of, though, and the screen is quick to respond to inputs. You can play games or watch movies on it, and there’s now an 8.0in touchscreen in the back to keep passengers entertained. There’s no phone mirroring, though.

Skoda Enyaq

The Enyaq’s system isn’t brilliant – but it’s far from terrible, either. We have no complaints about the size, positioning and clarity of the 13.0in touchscreen. Our gripes relate to the fact that there can be a delay between you pressing the screen and anything happening, and the mildly confusing operating system takes a while to get your head around. The Canton audio system that’s standard with SportLine trim delivers punchy, consistent sound quality – the best here.

Kia EV6

A curved 12.3in touchscreen is positioned high up in the middle of the dashboard in the EV6. It’s easy to see and relatively intuitive to operate, so it’s not too distracting to use while you’re driving. There is sometimes a lengthy pause between you prodded the screen and it responding, though, and GT-Line S trim’s 14-speaker Meridian sound system lacks clarity when the volume is cranked up. Nor can it match the bass of the Model Y’s in-house system.

Space and practicality

Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot

You’re unlikely to feel cramped in the front of any of these cars. The Model Y’s huge glass roof makes it feel the most spacious
and airy, though; the EV6’s shallow-angled windscreen pillars give the opposite impression.

There are bigger differences in the back, with the EV6 offering rear passengers almost Mercedes S-Class levels of leg room. Even if you’re well over six feet tall, you’ll be able to kick back and relax. True, anyone that tall might find head room a bit tight, but it’s fine for everyone else – and you can adjust the angle of the rear seatbacks for a more laid-back posture.

You can do that in the Model Y too, although the range of adjustment is limited. The Enyaq’s rear seatbacks are fixed, but both it and the Model Y offer far more head room than the EV6, and while leg room is less generous, it’s still far from tight. In short, tall people will prefer to travel in the back of an Enyaq or Model Y – especially because the latter’s seat cushions are longer than before to provide better leg support.

While the EV6’s boot is long and broad, it isn’t very tall; we managed to squeeze in only seven carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf. The Enyaq’s deeper boot can swallow eight cases, and a height-adjustable boot floor is standard – although the difference between its maximum and minimum height is only a few centimetres.

The Model Y has by far the biggest boot – especially when you factor in the massive additional storage area beneath the floor. The main boot can hold nine cases, with another one going in the sizeable space under the bonnet. The EV6 has a much smaller front boot (it’s just big enough to hold a charging cable), while the Enyaq has no under-bonnet storage.

As you’d expect, the rear seatbacks all fold down when you need to carry more clobber. The Model Y’s seatbacks split in a handy 40/20/40 arrangement, while the other two offer a traditional 60/40 split. The Enyaq and EV6 do have a ski hatch for poking long items through between two rear passengers, though.