New Renault Scenic vs Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: costs

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

As we said at the beginning, we’re testing the range-topping Renault Scenic against the cheapest versions of the Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y, for the sake of price parity. The Scenic range actually kicks off at an even keener £37,495 (with a smaller battery and less power), undercutting its rivals by thousands.

Besides, if you haggle or use our online New Car Deals service, you can already secure a £3803 discount on the Scenic in the trim we’re testing. A much smaller (£1891) saving is available on the EV6, and you’ll be lucky to get a penny off the Model Y. So, if you’re paying for your car outright, the Scenic is the cheapest option.

But does such a big discount lead to heavy depreciation? Well, industry resale value expert CAP HPI doesn’t see it that way. In fact, it predicts that the Scenic will lose value even more slowly than the Model Y, with the EV6 shedding pounds the quickest over the first three years of ownership.

Factor in all the other bills you’re likely to face (including servicing, insurance and electricity) and the Scenic is likely to work out far cheaper than the others to run, assuming you buy now and sell after three years with 36,000 miles on the clock. The EV6’s relatively heavy depreciation is the reason why it’s likely to cost you the most to own in the long run.

Not many people will be paying for these cars in one lump sum, though, and it’s a different story if you decide to sign up to a PCP finance agreement. Put down a £5000 deposit and, assuming a limit of 10,000 miles per year, the Scenic will cost you £580 per month over the next three years, even with a £1000 deposit contribution from Renault. On the same terms, the EV6 costs £528 (thanks in large part to a £2000 contribution towards your deposit by Kia), while the Model Y is cheapest of all at £522.

All of our contenders come with automatic climate control, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, heated front seats and heated steering wheels – so you wouldn’t exactly describe any of them as basic. That said, the EV6 misses out on a few creature comforts that are standard on its rivals, including the electric seats and powered bootlid we mentioned earlier and a heat pump (for more efficient warming of the interior in cooler weather). You have to step up to GT-Line trim or higher for the latter to even be an option.

None of these cars skimps on safety, although the EV6 is the only one without blindspot monitoring (you’ll need to go for at least GT-Line trim for that). All three have been awarded the maximum five stars for safety by independent body Euro NCAP, with the Model Y doing the best job of protecting adults sitting in the front and children in the rear.

While the Scenic is too new to have featured in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, the EV6 came 17th (out of 20 models) in its class; its score of 83.4% was dragged down by the fact that, when the car goes wrong, it can be slow and sometimes costly to repair. The Model Y fared much better, with a rating of 97.4%.

It’s a good thing the Scenic has the longest range, because it takes a fair while to replenish its battery. You’ll be waiting at least 40 minutes for a 10-80% top-up from even the fastest public chargers, whereas the EV6 can do the same thing in as little as 18 minutes. While you’ll be waiting for about 25 minutes in the Model Y, it has a huge bonus: unlimited access to Tesla’s brilliant Supercharger network. Only a few of these locations are open to non-Teslas.

Used alternative

2023 BMW iX3

For around £40,000, you could pick up a year-old BMW iX3 in M Sport trim with 10,000 miles on the clock, saving £25k on its original list price. Its 285-mile official range is respectable (though not outstanding), and the iX3 is great to drive, with precise, balanced handling and a comfortable, well-controlled ride. Inside, the iX3 is classy, well built and mostly very user-friendly.

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