2026 Hyundai Elexio vs BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV5 vs Tesla Model Y: Popular electric SUVs compared on the numbers

The electric vehicle space in Australia continues to grow, with another competitor joining the battle imminently in the Hyundai Elexio.

The Elexio will be Hyundai’s first car on sale in Australia which has been built in China, and it brings with it an important test for the brand’s future EV strategy. 

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The Elexio will have to beat the best to be the best, so here is how it sizes up to its competitors, at least on paper.  

Pricing

	Price (before on-road costs)
Hyundai Elexio	$61,990
BYD Sealion 7	$54,990
Kia EV5	$56,770
Tesla Model Y	$58,900

The Elexio lands in Australia with an attractive introductory drive-away offer of $59,990, which is available until the 31st of March. From that point it is expected a cheaper entry-level variant of the Elexio will arrive in Australia, for around a similar starting price. 

The up-spec Elexio for under $60k appears to be a competitive deal compared to the base variants of its rivals, but when the drive-away deal expires, it will be the most expensive of the four, possibly more equivalent to higher-grade versions of each.

It may be a different story when the cheaper variant of the Elexio lands in time for the drive-away deal’s expiry, offering a more fair comparison. 

Using before on-road costs pricing, the Sealion 7 is the cheapest of the bunch at just under $55,000, while the EV5 is available from $56,770. The Model Y is only slightly more affordable than the Elexio's introductory price at $58,900 before on-roads, making it more expensive by the time you're driving it out of a Tesla delivery centre.

Dimensions

Dimension	Hyundai Elexio	BYD Sealion 7	Kia EV5	Tesla Model Y
Length	4615mm	4830mm	4615mm	4794mm
Width	1875mm	1925mm	1875mm	1982mm
Height	1673mm	1620mm	1715mm	1621mm
Wheelbase	2750mm	2930mm	2750mm	2890mm

The Elexio shares similar dimensions to the Kia EV5, but it is slightly smaller than the Sealion 7 and the Model Y. 

Electric motor and efficiency

	Hyundai Elexio	BYD Sealion 7	Kia EV5	Tesla Model Y
Electric motor	Single	Single	Single	Single
Power	160kW	230kW	160kW	255kW
Torque	310Nm	380Nm	310Nm	450Nm
Drive wheels	Front	Rear	Front	Rear
Battery	88kWh (LFP)	82kWh (LFP)	64.2kWh (LFP)	62.5kWh (LFP)
Driving range (WLTP)	546km	482km	400km	466km
DC charging 10-80 per cent	38 minutes	32 minutes	36 minutes	30 minutes (est.)

The Elexio leads the way in the important driving range category, being the only car in this comparison offering more than 500km. This is mostly due to its 88kWh battery being bigger than the rest of the pack. It is significantly larger, for example, than the entry-level versions of the EV5 (64.2kWh) and the Model Y (62.5kWh). 

The incoming base variant of the Elexio is expected to offer the same if not a better driving range, as it features the same 88kWh and will likely have smaller wheels. 

It is a tight race when it comes to charging times, with the Elexio’s being the slowest at 38 minutes for 10-80 per cent top-ups, but all these cars boast times of less than 40 minutes. 

While all these cars have a single electric motor, the Elexio has less power than the Sealion 7 and the Model Y and the same as the EV5, with 160kW and 230Nm. The Model Y’s 255kW and 450Nm is the best of the category. 

The Elexio is not yet available with the option of all-wheel drive, while the other three cars can be in higher trim levels. 

Standard features

	Hyundai Elexio	BYD Sealion 7	Kia EV5	Tesla Model Y
Wheel size	20-inch	19-inch	18-inch	19-inch
Central touchscreen	27.0-inch	15.6-inch	12.3-inch	16.0-inch
Digital driver display	Shared	10.25-inch	12.3-inch	N/A
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity	Wireless	Wireless	Wireless	N/A
Speakers	6	12	6	9
Satellite navigation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wireless phone charging	Yes (x2)	Yes (x1)	No	Yes (x2)
Seat material	Leather appointed	Leather wrapped	Cloth and synthetic leather	Synthetic leather

The Elexio currently on sale has 20-inch wheels, which are the largest in this pack. 

Unlike the Sealion 7 and the EV5, it features a 27.0-inch display which spans across the dashboard as opposed to having separate sections. The Tesla also differs from the Sealion 7 and the EV5, with its 16.0-inch horizontal ‘floating tablet’ central screen and no screen real estate for a dedicated digital instrument cluster. 

The Elexio is similarly kitted-out with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation and wireless phone charging capabilities. This version of the Elexio also comes with a head-up display, something which along with phone mirroring is missing from the Model Y.

Safety

All four of these cars received five-star ANCAP safety ratings with high scores in all categories. 

Protection area	Hyundai Elexio	BYD Sealion 7	Kia EV5	Tesla Model Y
Adult	88 per cent	87 per cent	88 per cent	91 per cent
Child	86 per cent	93 per cent	86 per cent	95 per cent
Vulnerable road user	77 per cent	76 per cent	74 per cent	86 per cent
Safety assist	85 per cent	78 per cent	82 per cent	92 per cent

Standard safety features

	Hyundai Elexio	BYD Sealion 7	Kia EV5	Tesla Model Y
Airbags	9 airbags	9 airbags	7 airbags	7 airbags
Lane keep assist	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blind spot monitoring	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Adaptive cruise control	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto emergency braking	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camera	360-degree	360-degree	Rearview camera	360-degree
Parking sensors	Front and rear	Front and rear	Front and rear	No
Traffic sign recognition	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Verdict 

The enticing but temporary drive-away deal for Elexio makes it a strong prospect for buyers in the mid-size EV segment, especially with its comparatively superior driving range. This comes at a detriment to other aspects of the car, such as the power and torque figures, which trail that of the Sealion 7 and the Model Y. 

Its 27.0-inch display gives the Elexio a different flavour to the rest, while it has much of the same equipment levels as its rivals here.

The Elexio will have a tough time dislodging the established trio of competitors, but in a time when EV sales are ever expanding, now might be the best time to pull it off.