Compare the2023 Kia StingerVS 2023 Tesla Model 3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Stinger are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Stinger has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Stinger GT2 has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Stinger’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Stinger has standard 911 Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Stinger and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Stinger is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Stinger	Model 3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	18.3%	22%
Neck Stress	137 lbs.	230 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	97/355 lbs.	333/455 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Stinger is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Stinger	Model 3
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	310	384
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	41 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Stinger comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Model 3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Stinger 2 years longer than Tesla covers the Model 3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Model 3 ends after only 8 years or 100,000 miles.

There are over 5 times as many Kia dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Stinger’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 70 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 28th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 10 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Stinger GT2 3.3 turbo V6 is faster than the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive electric motor:

	Stinger	Model 3
Zero to 60 MPH	4.6 sec	5 sec
Quarter Mile	13.1 sec	13.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	106.9 MPH	104.9 MPH

Transmission

The Stinger GT2’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s at 2250 in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Model 3 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Stinger’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model 3:

	Stinger	Model 3
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.6 inches

The Stinger stops much shorter than the Model 3:

	Stinger	Model 3
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	104 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Stinger has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model 3; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Stinger has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Stinger flat and controlled during cornering. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Stinger offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Stinger’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Model 3 (114.4 inches vs. 113.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Stinger is .6 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Model 3.

The Stinger GT2 handles at .93 G’s, while the Model 3 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Stinger executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Model 3 (24.8 seconds @ .79 average G’s vs. 26.4 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Stinger’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (36.7 feet vs. 38 feet).

Passenger Space

The Stinger has 2.1 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, 3.7 inches more rear hip room and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Stinger’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Stinger to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model 3.

Ergonomics

The Stinger GT2 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Stinger GT2 has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Model 3 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Stinger’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Stinger has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Stinger GT2 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Model 3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.