Tesla Model Y faces off against its rivals, which is best?

Few segments of the new-car market have become as competitive – and as quickly – as mid-size electric family SUVs.

This size category – across all propulsion types – is already the most popular in Australia, dominated by big names such as Toyota’s RAV4 and Mazda’s CX-5, but electric power has dialled its cut-throat nature up to 11.

When the Tesla Model Y – the car that has grown to become the country’s top-selling electric car – went on sale in Australia in mid-2022, it was only the third sub-$100,000, mid-size electric SUV money could buy.

Today, there are more than 20, mostly from Chinese upstarts that few in this country had even heard of this time last year.

To sort the mediocre from the magnificent, we’ve picked what we believe to be the four best new mid-size electric SUVs on sale for about $60,000 before on-road costs – and placed them head-to-head.

The newly updated Tesla Model Y was the catalyst for this comparison, as the top seller in its class and – in our opinion – the previous class leader.

It faces off against two new Chinese entrants – one from a brand you’ve probably now heard of, the BYD Sealion 7, and another from one you may not have, the XPeng G6 – plus a wildcard: the Volkswagen ID.4, the only one of these four cars not made in China.

In what could be the most important electric-car comparison of 2025, which is best? Read on to find out.

As mentioned, we think these four represent the best of the best in this mid-size electric SUV class – vehicles around 4.6 to 4.8 metres in length – priced around $60,000 before on-road costs, on a mix of performance, comfort, handling, space, technology, safety and value.

There are, naturally, plenty of cars that aren’t here.

We didn’t feel the Kia EV5 goes far enough on value for money and driving refinement at this price, the Deepal S07 falls short on range, charging and safety, and the Cupra Tavascan is better represented on value terms by the VW ID.4 (from within the same Volkswagen Group conglomerate).

The likes of the Skoda Enyaq and Toyota bZ4X are all either too expensive or, in their circa-$60K forms, don’t punch hard enough on value – while, just as we wouldn’t compare a Toyota to a much dearer Lexus, the Geely EX5 is in a different price league (and not as refined to drive).

The Zeekr 7X is a recent and compelling addition to the market, but it has only just opened for orders, and motoring media aren’t due to get behind the wheel until the back half of September – so it wasn’t here in time for this test.

SUVs such as the BYD Atto 3, MG S5 EV, Kia EV3 and others are too small to fall into what we’d define as the ‘mid-size’ category.

Is there a car we’ve not mentioned that you’re wondering why it isn’t present? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll answer.

We aimed to secure all four vehicles in trim grades and levels of optional extras that place them around the $60,000 mark, excluding on-road costs – and all with single electric motors and two-wheel drive.

Unfortunately, XPeng could not supply us with a $59,800 G6 Long Range in our test window, so we had to make do with the $54,800 Standard Range – which has the same feature list but a smaller battery, slower charging and a bit less power.

BYD was also unable to provide the $54,990 Sealion 7 Premium rear-wheel drive we would’ve liked, so we had a $63,990 Performance all-wheel drive for this test. We did not focus too much on its straight-line performance in this comparison to keep things fairer.

All told, it means that, with options, there is a circa-$14,000 gap in drive-away prices between the cheapest and most expensive cars here. Option them up differently, however, and they’re all quite close – so that span is not as broad as it may initially seem.

There is a lot to digest in terms of equipment, but we’ll briefly cover the highlights of each car here, before calling out more later on.

Standard on all four cars are LED headlights and tail-lights, alloy wheels measuring 19 inches on the Tesla and Volkswagen, or 20 inches on the BYD and XPeng, auto-folding mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers.

Inside, all four offer auto climate control, voice control in their large touchscreens, power-adjustable front seats, a glass roof with or without a sunshade, heated front seats, wireless phone charging, ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel, and a power tailgate.

All four cars in this test have minimalist interiors without many buttons, but the Model Y is easily the best example of that philosophy.

Most vehicle functions and parameters – from navigation and music to the air-conditioning controls, and even the speed display – run through a 15.4-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard.

It has a steep learning curve, with myriad menus and features for buyers to get their head around, but it becomes second nature once they do – and the system’s quick responses and relatively intuitive layout will make the screen in your old car feel like dial-up in the wireless internet age.

The lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a continued criticism of Tesla vehicles, and may prove a deal-breaker for some potential customers, but the Model Y counters with in-built music and podcast streaming through the likes of Apple Music and Spotify, plus FM/digital radio and Bluetooth.

In-built navigation based on Google Maps includes class-leading route planning capable of building charging stops into your journey, and accurately predicting your remaining battery range upon arrival.

Usability is helped by customisable shortcut buttons on the steering wheel, as well as voice control, but they are all imperfect substitutes for traditional buttons and dials.

Improvements delivered with the updated Model Y include more comfortable and supportive front seats with heating, ventilation, leather-look trim, and plenty of power adjustment, alongside leather-look trim on the heated steering wheel’s chunky rim.

Soft materials cover the armrests and other areas in the cabin you touch, offset by a felt-like accent on the dashboard, multi-colour ambient lighting, metallic highlights, and light from above through a glass roof with an effective UV coating in place of a sunshade.

An indicator stalk has been kept behind the steering wheel, but buyers will need to get used to the gear selector on the touchscreen. There is helpful ‘Auto Shift’ software on hand that anticipates the driver’s moves at low speed, and it works reliably enough that the on-screen shifter is not too much of a burden after some time behind the wheel.

Storage space is plentiful, with deep compartments under the centre armrest and ahead of the cupholders, plus well-sized door pockets. The glovebox is small, however, and its latch continues to operate through a menu in the touchscreen.

Amenities include dual wireless phone chargers, one front USB-C port, dual-zone climate control with a HEPA filter, a nine-speaker stereo, and keyless entry through Tesla’s phone app, which is the most feature-laden and easiest-to-use in the industry.

There’s generous space to be found in the second row, with plenty of knee room, head room and toe room for a 186cm-tall passenger behind a similarly sized driver. The cabin is wide, and Tesla has carved out part of the front-centre console to boost middle-seat toe room.

A longer seat base than the old Model Y equates to improved under-thigh support, but it is still not as good as other cars in this test. Two USB-C ports, map pockets, deep door pockets, and a blend of outboard ISOFIX and three top-tether anchors for child seats are present.

Rear-seat gizmos include an 8.0-inch touchscreen for control of the ventilation, music, and even rear-seat video streaming – though it is mounted quite low, so it could make kids carsick – plus power reclining for the heated outboard seats, and a 40:20:40 split-folding backrest that can be folded or raised from the boot or front seats.

Tesla appears to measure boot space to the roof, not the rear seatbacks – thus the 822-litre quoted capacity is hundreds of litres higher than rivals – but it is still a cavernous space, with enough under-floor space for a carry-on suitcase, deep cubbyholes on the side, and plenty of room for prams, bags, and more.

A power-operated tailgate with a hands-free function through the phone key is standard, plus a 116L under-bonnet storage area – with a drain plug – but buyers need to pay extra for charging cables and a tyre repair kit, unlike its rivals.

Tesla is as new to building cars as BYD, but you’d never guess it from the maturity to the way the latest Model Y drives – itself a big step up in comfort and refinement over its predecessor.

There remains a taut feel to the suspension, but the updated Model Y now takes the sharp edge off bumps in the road, and prevents ‘head toss’ and jostling over rough tarmac that the previous model – and, in fact, the XPeng – would experience.

New frequency-selective dampers – which react differently to bumps depending on their size – unlock the Model Y’s new-found comfort, especially for rear-seat passengers, without sacrificing its trademark sure-footedness and composure at high speed on country roads.

Truly poorly surfaced roads with lots of sharp bumps can upset the Model Y’s composure, and not everyone will like the sporty feel to the way it rides, but it’s far more liveable than it used to be.

It is a quiet car to drive – without much tyre roar, wind rustle or suspension noise – and forward visibility is excellent, as the bonnet drops away below the big windscreen, but it is limited out the rear of the vehicle. A broad turning circle hurts in low-speed manoeuvring.

Floor the accelerator and drivers are snapped into the back of the seat with more vigour than all, bar the dual-motor BYD. It is a quick and responsive car, even in the single-motor base variant, but there is enough precision in the pedal to modulate the performance you’re after around town.

The quick steering takes some getting used to, but it and the sporty suspension lend the Model Y a level of precision and poise in corners that makes it feel more agile and athletic than it is. Being the lightest car in this group helps, but it is still heavy by family-car standards.

Tesla’s regenerative braking is the most aggressive of the four cars here, locked in ‘one-pedal’ mode – where the car comes to a full stop when lifting off the accelerator pedal.

It won’t be for everyone, but we found it well tuned and easy to get used to, with a choice of two regenerative strength settings – Standard and Reduced. The brake pedal, should you need to touch it, is firm but reassuring in its feel.

Tesla’s matrix LED headlights are also good across low and high beams, with much improved software controlling the auto high-beams compared to a Tesla vehicle 18 months ago.

If the Tesla has the minimalist Scandinavian chair of car interiors, the BYD’s cabin is like sinking into a big leather armchair. It feels the most expensive in the showroom, with a door that closes with a loud thunk, swathes of leather-like materials everywhere, and a general sense of solidity.

The 15.6-inch touchscreen is big, quick to respond, and can rotate between portrait and landscape, running software based on the Android system used in smartphones. There are quite a few menus to learn, but it’s easier to navigate than the XPeng’s system.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present – and work reasonably well, though we experienced a few stutters in using the former, and they operate only in landscape mode – plus voice control, FM radio, and in-built navigation.

The air-conditioning controls run through the screen, but recent over-the-air software updates have made them easier to manage. Shortcuts for climate control and other vehicle functions are always pinned to the bottom of the screen, while drivers can swipe with three fingers up and down for temperature, or left and right for fan speed, in any app.

The 10.25-inch instrument display can show a full-screen map, but the layout is busy, and it is mounted flush with a gloss black panel stretching across the dashboard, so it attracts glare on sunny days, as well as plenty of dust. A head-up display is, fortunately, standard.

The BYD uses a more conventional gear selector on the centre console, surrounded by physical buttons for select functions, including a volume dial.

The front seats are comfortable and supple, with genuine leather upholstery, heating, ventilation, memory and power adjustment, including lumbar and under-thigh control for the driver – the latter rare for a Chinese car.

There is a similar leather wrap on the steering wheel, with heating included, but the wheel is large, and angled away from the driver, so it feels a little too much like driving a bus for my liking.

Amenities include a panoramic sunroof with power sunshade, multi-colour ambient lighting, keyless entry via a key fob, card or phone app, dual-zone climate control with a PM2.5 filter, as well as a wireless phone charger that’s ventilated, though placed in such a way that it will catch solar rays and heat up your phone.

Below the wireless charger is a storage area which, while hard to access while driving, adds useful extra space, and houses the one USB-A, one USB-C and one 12-volt socket. Combined with a deep centre console box, it helps make up for small door pockets and an average-sized glovebox.

The Sealion 7 is the roomiest for rear-seat occupants, with excellent leg room for a 186cm-tall passenger, plus ample head room and toe room. Occupants sit low, and the seatback is well bolstered, with a manual recline function allowing you to stretch out.

The soft materials continue to the second row – on the rear seats and door panels – and passengers get two USB ports, multi-slot map pockets, storage and cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, and in the Performance, heated outboard rear seats.

Boot space is quoted at 500 litres, the smallest on paper both in this comparison and in reality. There’s a lot of bodywork around the load area opening, as well as a high load lip, but there is a tyre repair kit under the floor, pockets on the side of the cargo space, and a further 58L under the bonnet for charging cables.

BYD didn’t have a rear-wheel-drive Sealion 7 Premium available to test for this comparison, so we’ve had to settle with the not-overly-expensive-but-much-faster Performance.

With 390kW and 690Nm on tap from dual electric motors its performance is, unsurprisingly, ferocious, dispatching overtakes on country roads at higher speeds with ease.

There is a surprising amount of lag before unlocking that. There is a split-second of hesitation between pressing the accelerator pedal and the car starting to build speed – and then upon lifting off, the car will keep the power on for a moment.

The former is annoying, the latter is slightly unnerving, and neither has a reason to exist given how responsive the other cars in this test, particularly the Tesla, can be.

The BYD mirrors the Tesla with frequency-selective damper technology, but its suspension is not as well tuned for comfort or handling.

Speed bumps are soaked up in a supple manner, but the ride is busy on rough roads, the 20-inch wheels reacting harshly to potholes and smaller bumps in the bitumen that the suspension should iron out.

At higher speeds, it is more settled and composed than other BYD models, but it can still wallow and pogo over undulations and big bumps on country roads, unsettling the car’s composure at a time when drivers want to deploy its incredible power.

Body roll is not excessive, but on a winding road it feels as big and heavy as it is on paper, and there’s not a lot of agility or feel transmitted through the steering. All-wheel drive and Michelin tyres help put the power down, however.

Around town, the steering’s lightness and accuracy are welcome, and there is a soft feel to the brake pedal that makes it easy to modulate in traffic, although lacking in confidence in an emergency stop.

No one-pedal mode is offered – only Standard and Larger settings for the regenerative braking, neither of which is very strong.

There is some tyre roar on rough roads, but it is generally well insulated from the outside world, while the good forward visibility is met by limited, letterbox-like vision out the rear.

City drivers purchasing a Sealion 7 to potter around the suburbs will find it an easy-going and comfortable car to drive, but we would steer clear of this Performance version, because it writes straight-line cheques the suspension, steering and brakes cannot cash.

The XPeng’s cabin tries to bridge the gap between the Tesla’s minimalism and BYD’s luxury, but it doesn’t hit the basics of comfort, ergonomics and ease of use as well as either.

The 14.96-inch infotainment touchscreen is quick to respond, and mirrors the Model Y in running most vehicle controls – from multimedia and navigation to headlights and mirrors – through it.

But the menus are not as well laid out as Tesla – the mirror controls are in the drive mode menu, and even the seat lumbar controls are in the screen – and it’s not as intuitive to use.

It exhibited the most stuttering and glitches of the four vehicles on test – mirrored in earlier testing of a different G6, when we had the instrument display briefly go black – and the air-conditioning menu is multiple taps away when in CarPlay, with no easy shortcuts like the BYD. It’s especially frustrating given that adjusting the central air vents runs through the display, much the same as the experience in the Tesla.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, however, plus in-built navigation, FM and DAB radio, over-the-air updates, and ‘Hey XPeng’ voice recognition. XPeng offers a phone app connected to the car, like its rivals, and it’s the only way keyless entry works.

It’s good to see XPeng hasn’t followed Tesla in ditching an instrument display – though the steering controls are not well marked, so it isn’t the easiest to navigate – and while the 18-speaker XPeng audio system is good, it requires fiddling with the EQ settings to get right.

The heated, ventilated and six-way power-adjustable front seats are the least impressive of the four vehicles on test. They are not terrible, but they’re quite flat, lack under-thigh support, and the leather-look upholstery is the least convincing of the group.

The steering wheel is also divisive. It is an unusual, non-circular shape, and the rim is thick, so our testers didn’t find it particularly comfortable to grip, but your mileage may vary.

There is no glovebox in the XPeng, and the cupholders are small, but the centre console storage box is big – as long-armed drivers will find when they accidentally lean on the latch when resting their elbow – and there’s more space under the dual ventilated wireless phone chargers, also placed in view of the sun.

Soft-touch leather-look and fabric materials are used throughout the cabin, and it’s well equipped, with dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a glass roof without a sunshade, and a gear selector on the right-side gear selector stalk.

Space in the rear is roomier than the VW, but behind the Tesla and BYD. There’s plenty of knee room for tall occupants, a surprising amount of head room, and modest toe room, plus good under-thigh support, and a flat floor.

As with the Tesla, electronic door releases are used in the front and rear of the XPeng. There are manual releases, but compared to the well-marked lever in the front of the Model Y, both cars hide small loops under the trim in the door pockets for rear-seat occupants – and it’s even harder to find in the G6 than in its rival.

Rear-seat passengers get a fold-down armrest, map pockets, two USB-C ports and air vents, as well as a reclining seatback and the usual complement of child-seat anchors, but there are no power-operated tricks or rear screens like the Model Y.

Boot space is in line with the other non-Tesla vehicles, at 571L, including plenty of under-floor storage, but there is no under-bonnet ‘frunk’, shopping bag hooks, or extra pockets. A tyre repair kit is standard, as is a power tailgate.

For the first global product from a company founded little more than a decade ago, the XPeng G6 is a competent car to drive – but it doesn’t set any benchmarks on the road, whether that’s in performance, comfort, handling or refinement.

The 190kW/440Nm rear electric motor delivers plenty of punch when you need it to, and a progressive and linear power delivery when you don’t. It’s brisk by petrol and hybrid family SUV standards, and competitive with its rivals in this test, and outside it.

Drivers get the greatest choice of regenerative braking modes in the G6. Low, Medium and High modes are joined by X-Pedal, which is pitched as a one-pedal mode, but seems to require a light tap of the brakes at crawling speed to keep the vehicle stopped.

The regenerative braking modes are generally well calibrated, but the brake pedal is soft and not the most confidence-inspiring.

There’s more room for improvement elsewhere. The steering is on the lighter side, and quite accurate, but it has a disconnected feel from the wheels below, and the steering wheel’s odd shape can make twirling motions in car parks slightly clunky.

Comfort over speed humps and undulations is acceptable, but there is an inherent firmness to the suspension that sees the G6 bobble and fidget over sharp bumps, potholes and rough road surfaces.

It is not the worst in the category – if you’ve driven the old Tesla Model Y, it’s more supple than that – but it is not as supple as the ID.4 or updated Model Y in this group. The standard 20-inch wheels with low-profile Michelin tyres won’t help with that.

For buyers who value the way a car handles, the XPeng is competent rather than standout. Grip from the Michelin tyres is good in the dry, but the steering feels artificial, and the car is prone to losing its composure if the wheels hit a sharp mid-corner bump.

The G6 feels most at home on smooth urban roads, or on the motorway, where tyre roar and wind rustle are kept out of the cabin. It’s pleasant and easy to drive, but in the company of the sporty Tesla, and supple Volkswagen, it doesn’t break any new ground.

The Volkswagen has the most conventional cabin of the quartet, with similarities to other models in the company’s range. That’s a good thing, and a bad thing.

The ID.4 wades into battle with fewer features than the other contenders. No ventilated seats, no satellite navigation, no over-the-air updates, no premium audio (only a mediocre seven-speaker unbranded stereo), and no heated rear seats.

But the amenities it offers – power-adjustable heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera, tri-zone climate control, 30-colour ambient lighting, and a panoramic roof with electric sunshade – mean buyers hardly feel short-changed for the price.

The 12.9-inch touchscreen is the smallest of the group, and the software isn’t as snappy as the others, but shortcuts along the upper and lower edges of the display help with usability. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted, plus FM/digital radio and a ‘Hello IDA’ voice assistant.

Less impressive are the touch-sensitive slider controls for volume and air temperature which, while illuminated, are fiddly to use on the move. The same applies to the touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons, which are hard to press accurately yet easy to mistakenly activate in corners.

The driver display is small, but shows vital information in large, clear fonts, while the twist-stalk gear selector is easy to use.

The ID.4 nails seat comfort. There’s plenty of adjustment in them, including an extendable under-thigh cushion, and the microfleece centres may not be leather, but they feel soft and breathe well. Support and comfort are good on long drives too.

Soft-touch materials are used on the dashboard and armrests, but there are scratchier materials lower down on the dashboard, and there is no shortage of fingerprint-prone gloss black plastic, including on the doors’ grab handles.

The low and open centre console includes two cupholders, space for small items, and the wireless phone charger, joined by a modestly sized glovebox and door pockets. Storage, therefore, is ample rather than class-leading.

With the smallest exterior dimensions of this quartet, knee room is tighter than the Chinese-built vehicles, but it is still sufficient for a 186cm-tall occupant to sit behind a similarly tall driver. Head room is also enough for tall passengers to get comfortable, though toe room is tight.

Seat comfort is good, with ample under-thigh support and a near-flat floor, but there are no recline or slide capabilities, nor heating. Amenities include two USB-C ports, map pockets and phone holders on the front seatbacks, and outboard ISOFIX and three top-tether anchors.

The ID.4’s rear climate controls are placed low beside the vents, and hard to reach with your seatbelt on.

Boot space is quoted at 543L behind the rear seats – not a leader in this company, but practicality is aided by a net on the floor, lights, a 12-volt socket, small pockets on the side, and a ski port for thin but long items in the 60:40 split-folding rear backrest.

There is no under-bonnet storage, but a tyre repair kit, and two home charging cables are included in the purchase price.

Volkswagen has built dynamic-feeling cars for a long time – and that’s clear in the ID.4’s refined, well-balanced character on the road.

It is the slowest car in this test on paper (0–100km/h in 6.7 seconds), but it hardly feels it. The 210kW/545Nm rear motor has more than enough grunt for overtaking, and it’s suitably responsive around town, rolling on the power unless you floor the accelerator pedal – compared to the greater immediacy of the Tesla.

The ID.4 is the only vehicle here with adaptive suspension, allowing drivers to adjust the shock absorbers to be softer or firmer through the various drive modes, or 15 settings in an Individual profile.

It allows for a soft and supple response to potholes, expansion joints, speed humps, and other bumps on city streets, yet on a country road it retains the control and composure it needs over undulations and crests to avoid feeling like a boat in rough seas.

There is a lot of wheel travel available for the suspension to work with in dealing with poorly surfaced country roads, helped by chubby tyre sidewalls that act as extra cushions over bumps. It strikes the best balance of ride comfort and sharp handling of these vehicles.

The steering is similarly natural – direct and precise, but not excessively heavy – and it helps the ID.4 excel on a winding road without too much body roll. The suspension shrugs off mid-corner bumps, and although it feels heavy, it hides its heft better than the BYD.

Tyre roar and wind noise are relatively well suppressed, though it’s not quite as hushed as the Tesla. Visibility is good as well, and it’s easy to park thanks to its small size and Golf-like 10.3-metre turning circle, though the quality of the parking cameras isn’t very good.

The Hankook tyres leave much to be desired in terms of wet-weather grip on a country road, however. The same rubber is fitted to the Tesla, but its electronic systems do a better job of mitigating wheelspin and keeping the car in shape out of tight corners.

Where the ID.4 leaves the most room for improvement is in the brakes, which are discs at the front but old-school drums at the rear. Volkswagen says an electric car’s regenerative braking abilities reduce the need for rear discs, but it’s still unusual nonetheless.

The brake pedal is far too soft, and requires a lot of flex in your foot before the car begins to pull up in a hurry. You will need to use the brake pedal often, as both regenerative braking modes – D and B – aren’t the strongest, and there’s no one-pedal option.

But it’s not enough to displace the Volkswagen as the most enjoyable, and most ‘normal’ car to drive of this bunch.

All four vehicles are designed to modern standards for family buyers, so they pack the full complement of crash protection and crash avoidance features to keep occupants safe.

The BYD and XPeng earned five-star safety ratings from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program under the latest and most stringent criteria in force from 2023 to 2025, while the Volkswagen’s score is based on older 2020–22 criteria in place when it was crash-tested in 2021, shortly after its European launch.

The outgoing Tesla Model Y carried a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on 2022 testing, but it has not been applied to the new model. It is not confirmed if the updated Model Y will be crash-tested again under the latest standards.

All four vehicles are equipped with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park distance warnings, and a rear-view camera. Differences appear when you dig deeper.

All cars bar the Volkswagen have traffic sign recognition and direct tyre pressure monitors (rather, it has a tyre pressure loss warning, without exact pressure read-outs), all bar the Tesla have a top-down 360-degree camera, and only the BYD has front cross-traffic alert.

The Tesla lacks traditional parking sensors – it judges distances based on its cameras, which work well in the dry but struggle with accuracy in the wet – but it and the XPeng are the only cars with blind-spot cameras activated by the indicator stalk.

Optioned on the Tesla we’re testing here is the $5100 Enhanced Autopilot pack, which includes assisted lane changes on the motorway, and automatic parking – standard on the XPeng – which also includes the brand’s Summon remote parking function.

On the road, the Volkswagen’s safety systems are calibrated the best. Lane-keep assist doesn’t intrude on your driving, and there are no excess beeps and bongs from an overzealous driver attention monitoring camera.

The other three cars are fitted with driver monitor cameras – which watch your eyes for inattention from the road ahead – but the Tesla’s works well, only intruding when you are genuinely distracted.

The calibration of the BYD’s system is acceptable, but the XPeng’s is very sensitive, and often chimes at drivers to put their hands on the steering wheel when they’re already touching it.

Lane-centring is natural and smooth in the Volkswagen, followed by a precise and accurate, but a little too decisive and hard-to-trust system in the Tesla. The BYD and XPeng’s versions are prone to bouncing between the lane markings and lack sophistication.

Overall, the Volkswagen wins in terms of the real-world performance of its safety features, followed by the Tesla. The BYD and XPeng tick all the boxes on paper, but need more refinement to be less overzealous in reality.

All four cars were sent through a suburban test loop to gauge everyday energy consumption, followed by – for the Tesla, BYD and VW – a 250km highway loop, and a fast-charging test.

Poor weather and illness during the vehicle’s loan scuppered our plans for the XPeng. On paper, it has the shortest claimed range, but the fastest charging, at 10 to 80 per cent in a rapid 20 minutes, which third-party testing conducted overseas shows is achievable in the real world.

Claimed energy consumption ranges from 15.3kWh per 100 kilometres in the Tesla – the lightest car on test, with the smallest battery, yet with the second-longest claimed range – to a staggering 21.4kWh/100km in the big, heavy and all-wheel-drive BYD.

The XPeng (17.5kWh/100km) and VW (16.7kWh/100km) split the difference.

Based on European WLTP lab testing, the manufacturers claim driving range of 466km in the Tesla, 456km for the BYD, 435km for the XPeng, and 544km for the Volkswagen.

All four cars beat their claimed energy consumption in suburban driving, but because the lab test for EV range is not the same as that for energy consumption, real-world suburban ranges are lower than the claims: 422km in the Tesla, about 400km in the BYD, 437km in the XPeng, and 470km in the VW.

The BYD performed even worse on our 110km/h highway range-test loop, returning an estimated 376km of full-charge range. The rear-drive Premium would’ve done slightly better, but given its on-paper range is only 26km longer, it’s unlikely to be a big difference.

We saw an indicated 15kWh/100km from the Tesla, and 17.8kWh/100km from the VW, for 417km and 433km of real-world range respectively. The latter is well short of the 544km determined in the WLTP lab test.

Come time to plug in, and we boosted the Tesla up from 10 to 80 per cent in 23 minutes and 40 seconds on a 250kW Supercharger, hitting a peak charging power of 184kW – notably higher than the quoted 175kW maximum.

That’s a healthy improvement on the outgoing 60kWh Model Y’s 26 minutes and 50 seconds, at a peak of 171kW (vs 170kW claimed).

Exceeding its claimed charge times on a 350kW Evie DC plug were the VW – 29min 50sec vs 28min – and the BYD, which took 35min 35sec (vs 32min) at a peak of 148kW, a slow time for a just-launched vehicle.

European buyers get access to a 91.3kWh Sealion 7 capable of 230kW charging, a better match for the standard-range XPeng, which quotes 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes at up to 215kW.

It must be said that the BYD and XPeng’s batteries run at higher voltages than the usual 400V – the Sealion 7 at about 550V, and the G6 at 800V – so, for example, certain chargers that quote 150kW may only supply 75kW if they cannot support ultra-high-voltage cars.

AC charging is capped at 11kW in all contenders.

All bar the VW use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which can be charged to 100 per cent more frequently without accelerating the pack’s degradation – plus a heat pump. The BYD and XPeng also feature vehicle-to-load tech through the exterior charging port.

All four vehicles carry eight-year/160,000km (whichever comes first) warranties for their high-voltage battery packs, but the coverage for most other components in the vehicle varies considerably.

The Tesla’s warranty is shortest, at four years/80,000km, followed by the XPeng (five years/120,000km), BYD (six years/150,000km) and VW (five years/unlimited kilometres if privately used, or five years/150,000km if used for ‘commercial’ purposes, such as ridesharing).

XPeng buyers can extend the warranty to 10 years/220,000km for an extra $2990; something that was being offered for free at the time of testing these vehicles.

Service intervals are set every 12 months or 20,000km for the BYD and XPeng, and 24 months or 30,000km for the Volkswagen, for four-year costs that favour the German entrant to the tune of about $650.

While Volkswagen operates its own dealer network, and BYD vehicles can be maintained at its dealers or at Mycar (formerly Kmart Tyre and Auto) locations, XPeng has partnered with Ultra Tune for servicing – which arguably lacks the polish that a factory showroom would.

In typical Tesla style, the Model Y beats a different drum. It doesn’t quote traditional time- or distance-based service intervals, instead lists maintenance as “condition-based”, which means it is only needed when the car tells you it detects a problem that requires fixing.

There are some recommended service items listed on the Tesla website, however:

A number of these items can be conducted at your home or workplace by a mobile technician – or by yourself – to save needing to visit a service centre.

A year of comprehensive insurance coverage from a leading insurer is quoted at $3433 for the Tesla, $2261 for the BYD, $2215 for the XPeng, and $2057 for the Volkswagen.

It is based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

There are no bad cars here. In fact, all four represent some of the best options in the circa-$60,000 mid-size electric SUV segment, and will appeal to different buyers.

At the same time, all have room for improvement, whether that’s comfort, handling, energy efficiency, charging, features, technology or interior ergonomics – and there are weaknesses that could turn some buyers away from one car and toward another.

The BYD Sealion 7 is the car to buy if you’re after a champagne taste on a beer budget. There’s a luxurious, high-quality feel to the seats and cabin materials that belies the price, for which buyers get a long list of equipment and strong performance.

Hit the road, however, and its weaknesses appear. Its driving range and charging performance are behind the pace for a new vehicle launched in 2025, and the way it handles bumps and corners, even around town, trails its rivals – relegating it to fourth place.

The XPeng G6 finishes third. In some ways, it’s the opposite of the BYD, quick to charge, easy on energy, and better suited to corners. It’s spacious inside, and exudes a tech-driven feel that will appeal to electric-car customers looking for a futuristic vehicle.

However, aside from charging, it doesn’t set benchmarks in any key area – cabin space, boot volume, ergonomics, features, performance, ride comfort, handling or energy efficiency – to take the win.

XPeng and its (current) distributor’s servicing arrangement with Ultra Tune – rather than investing in an in-house dealer network – would give us pause for thought in purchasing one.

That leaves the ID.4 as the runner-up. It feels the most like a ‘normal’ car, with a conventional but nicely finished interior, well-tuned safety features, a supple ride, fun-to-drive handling, and a value-for-money equation surprisingly close to its Chinese-made peers.

But it is not as spacious as the others, nor is it as well equipped, both in terms of traditional features and electric-car items. The lack of one-pedal driving falls into the latter camp, and is particularly noticeable when interacting with the soft and mushy brake pedal.

By process of elimination, the Tesla Model Y is our winner.

It is a great family car, and an even better electric car. Passenger and luggage space are standout, the technology on offer is excellent, it’s well equipped and well priced, doesn’t use much energy, is quick to charge, and strikes a good balance between comfort and handling.

It is not perfect. The continued lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is frustrating, as is the absence of a traditional speed display; the warranty is short, and buyers need to pay extra for charging cables and a tyre repair kit.

If those weaknesses aren’t deal-breakers for you, then the Tesla Model Y is the pick of the bunch.