Four electric sedans now sit within about $7,000 of each other, and the cheapest one just got cheaper. Tesla's new base Model 3 lists at $45,900 plus on-road costs, $9,000 under the old entry car. That drags it below the BYD Seal, the Kia EV4 and the Mazda 6e, all of which looked like the value play a month ago.
So which one should you actually buy? We checked every price and spec on 6 October 2026, directly on each brand's Australian website, configurator or official brochure. Brands quote prices differently, so we state the basis every time. Drive-away figures include registration, stamp duty and CTP, and they vary by state, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.
The short answer
Cheapest way in: the Tesla Model 3 RWD, at $45,900 plus on-road costs or $50,967 drive-away in Victoria.
Most performance for the money: the BYD Seal Premium, with 230kW and 570km of WLTP range for $52,990 plus on-road costs.
Most range: the Kia EV4 Earth, at 612km WLTP, though it costs $10,000 more than the base EV4 Air.
Simplest pricing: the Mazda 6e GT, at $52,990 drive-away nationally, with a 78kWh battery and 560km of range.
The key numbers
Price as quoted by each brand: Model 3 RWD $45,900 plus on-road costs ($50,967 drive-away, VIC). Seal Premium $52,990 plus on-road costs ($57,250 drive-away, NSW). EV4 Air $49,990 recommended retail ($52,990 drive-away estimate, postcode 3000). Mazda 6e GT $52,990 drive-away, national offer.
WLTP range: Model 3 572km, Seal 570km, Mazda 6e 560km, EV4 Air 456km (612km for the Earth and GT-Line).
Battery: Seal 82.56kWh, Mazda 6e 78kWh, EV4 Air 58.3kWh (81.4kWh for the Earth and GT-Line). Tesla does not publish a battery size.
Power and drive: Seal 230kW and 360Nm, rear drive. Mazda 6e 190kW, rear drive. EV4 150kW and 283Nm, front drive. Tesla does not publish a power figure for the Model 3; it is rear drive.
Warranty: Kia 7 years, unlimited km. BYD 6 years or 150,000km, battery 8 years or 160,000km. Tesla 5 years, unlimited km. Mazda 5 years, unlimited km.
Sources: Tesla AU configurator and model page; BYD AU configurator and the 2026 Seal brochure; Kia AU build and price tool (postcode 3000) and the MY27 EV4 brochure; Mazda AU 6e page. All checked 6 October 2026.
Tesla Model 3 RWD: the new price leader
The new base Model 3 is $45,900 plus on-road costs, and Tesla's own configurator turns that into $50,967 drive-away for a private buyer in Victoria. Tesla quotes 572km of WLTP range, 0 to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds and a 201km/h top speed, with deliveries estimated from October to November. Above it sit the Premium RWD at $54,900, the Premium Long Range RWD at $61,900 and the Performance AWD at $80,900, all plus on-road costs.
To hit the price, Tesla took out some comfort kit rather than range. Our news story on the new base car covers what went: the rear touchscreen and ventilated front seats are gone. Tesla quotes 682 litres of total cargo space, counting the front boot, and its warranty is now five years with unlimited kilometres.
Buy it if you want the cheapest entry to a long-range electric sedan and you value Tesla's Supercharger network and app. Skip it if you want physical controls and a conventional dashboard, or comfort features the base car has dropped.
BYD Seal Premium: the most car per dollar
The BYD Seal now comes in two grades: Premium at $52,990 and Performance at $61,990, both plus on-road costs. BYD's configurator quotes the Premium at $57,250 drive-away for a private buyer in NSW. BYD is also running a 6 per cent novated lease offer on both grades for orders between 1 October and 21 December 2026.
For that extra $7,090 over the base Tesla, the Seal Premium brings an 82.56kWh Blade battery, 230kW and 360Nm to the rear wheels, 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and 570km of WLTP range, according to BYD's 2026 brochure. It charges at up to 150kW DC, has V2L so you can run appliances off the car, and offers 400 litres in the boot plus a 53 litre front boot. The Performance adds a front motor for 390kW, 3.8 seconds and 520km of range. Warranty is six years or 150,000km, with eight years or 160,000km on the battery.
Buy it if you want the strongest performance near $50,000 and the bigger battery. Skip it if you need more than a 400 litre boot, or want the lowest price.
Kia EV4: the range champion, at a price
The Kia EV4 Air has a recommended retail price of $49,990, and Kia's build and price tool shows a $52,990 drive-away estimate for a private buyer in postcode 3000. The Earth is $62,990 and the GT-Line $68,490 drive-away on the same basis.
This is where the grade choice matters more than in any other car here. The Air uses a 58.3kWh battery and Kia quotes 456km of WLTP range. Step up to the Earth or GT-Line and you get an 81.4kWh battery and 612km, the longest range of any car in this comparison. All grades make 150kW and 283Nm through the front wheels, so the EV4 is the slowest of the four at about 7.4 seconds to 100km/h for the Air. Kia's brochure quotes a 490 litre boot (VDA), the biggest conventional boot here, and 10 to 80 per cent charging in about 29 minutes on a 350kW charger for the Air. Kia's seven year, unlimited km warranty is the longest of the group.
Buy it if you do long country drives and want the most range on a single charge (Earth or GT-Line), or the longest warranty. Skip it if you want rear-drive handling or brisk acceleration. The base Air's 456km is also the shortest range here.
Mazda 6e GT: the easy, well-equipped choice
The Mazda 6e GT is advertised by Mazda at $52,990 drive-away, with premium paint extra, as covered in our Mazda 6e price story. That is the same drive-away figure Kia quotes for the EV4 Air in Victoria, but for a much bigger battery. Mazda quotes a 78kWh battery, 190kW to the rear wheels, up to 560km of WLTP range and 30 to 80 per cent charging in 15 minutes.
The GT comes with 19 inch wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a power tailgate and dual-zone climate. The Atenza above it adds tan leather and suede trim. Note that the 6e is a liftback rather than a true sedan, so the rear window lifts with the tailgate, which makes bulky loads easier to get in.
Buy it if you want a well-equipped cabin, a big boot opening and one clear drive-away price. Skip it if you want the lowest price or the longest warranty.
Which one should you buy?
Tightest budget: the Model 3 RWD. Nothing else here gets you 572km of range for under $51,000 drive-away.
Best all-rounder: the BYD Seal Premium. It costs more up front, but it matches the Tesla's range and is quicker.
Longest trips: the Kia EV4 Earth. At 612km it goes furthest, and the warranty is seven years.
Practicality and polish: the Mazda 6e GT. The liftback tailgate and one national drive-away price make it the least stressful buy.
If you are buying through salary packaging, the BYD 6 per cent novated lease offer can change the maths; see our novated lease explainer for how the EV fringe benefits tax exemption works. Still deciding between an EV and something else? Read EV vs petrol in 2026 and hybrid vs electric. If an SUV suits you better, our Model Y vs Sealion 7 vs EV5 comparison and best EVs under $60,000 cover the alternatives, and the cheapest EVs in Australia guide goes below $40,000.
Cartell verdict
The new base Model 3 is the price to beat, and for most buyers it is the sensible default: 572km for $45,900 plus on-road costs is hard to argue with. But it is not the best car here on every measure. The BYD Seal Premium is quicker and has a bigger battery for about $7,000 more, the Kia EV4 Earth goes furthest, and the Mazda 6e GT is the nicest place to sit with the simplest price. Drive the Tesla and the Seal back to back first. That is where the real decision is.
