Not really in size or price, and we'll say that plainly. The EV9 is a proper 3-row midsize SUV that seats up to 7 standard on every trim. The Model Y is a compact 2-row crossover that seats 5 standard, with a tiny, child-oriented third row available only as a $2,500 option on one trim. If you need real 3-row space, the EV9 is built for it from the ground up. If you want the lowest possible EV price and Tesla's own Supercharger network, and don't need to seat more than five comfortably, the Model Y is a genuinely strong choice for a different kind of buyer.

As of 2026, Tesla reintroduced an optional third row on the Model Y, but only on the Premium AWD Long Range trim, for an extra $2,500. It's a small, mostly child-sized seat, not a full-size adult third row. The EV9, by contrast, seats up to 7 standard on every trim, included in the base price. Tesla has also launched a separate, longer-wheelbase Model Y L with a proper 6-seat third row, but as of publication it's limited to a single Launch Series trim starting at $61,990 and isn't yet broadly available.

The Model Y, honestly. It starts at $39,990 for the Standard RWD, well below the EV9's $54,900 starting price. That gap reflects the size difference: the Model Y is a smaller, 2-row vehicle. Buyers cross-shopping the two should weigh the roughly $14,910 price gap against whether they actually need the EV9's standard 3-row, 7-passenger seating.

Kia's is significantly longer. The EV9 carries a 10-year/100,000-mile EV battery warranty plus Warranty Forever, unlimited-time and unlimited-mile powertrain coverage, at Dean McCrary Kia. Tesla's basic warranty is 4 years/50,000 miles, with an 8-year/100,000-to-120,000-mile battery and drive unit warranty depending on trim — shorter across the board than Kia's terms.

Yes. AWD EV9 trims are rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds with the optional tow package. The Model Y is rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds with Tesla's factory tow hitch, a roughly $1,350 option. Neither figure is enormous, but the EV9's capacity is meaningfully higher.

Several real things, for the right buyer: a starting price about $14,910 lower, access to Tesla's own Supercharger network rather than borrowed access to it, and better range-per-dollar on its Premium RWD trim (up to 357 miles). If you don't need 3-row seating and want the most efficient, most affordable EV crossover Tesla sells, the Model Y is a genuinely strong choice. It simply isn't built to do what the EV9 does: carry seven people across three real rows.

Dean McCrary Kia at 1733 E I-65 Service Rd S in Mobile stocks the EV9 lineup and serves Daphne, Spanish Fort, Saraland, Fairhope, and the Alabama Gulf Coast. Come drive an EV9 and feel the difference real 3-row space makes in person.