If you’re cross-shopping a Model 3 against something cheaper, the Chevrolet Equinox EV is one of the most common alternatives to come up. The two aren’t really aimed at the same buyer — one’s a compact sedan, the other a compact SUV — but the price and range numbers are close enough to warrant a real comparison.
Price
The 2026 Equinox EV starts at $34,995 for the base LT1 trim, moving up to $41,795 for LT2 and $44,095 for the dual-motor RS. The 2026 Model 3 starts at $38,380 for the base Standard RWD trim, with the Model 3 Performance starting around $56,380. At the entry level, the Equinox EV undercuts the Model 3 by roughly $3,400.
Range
Here the Equinox pulls ahead on paper: Chevrolet’s front-wheel-drive LT1 and LT2 trims are EPA-rated at 319 miles, and the all-wheel-drive RS is rated at 307 miles. Tesla’s own figures put the Model 3 Standard RWD at up to 321 miles and the higher-trim Premium RWD at 363 miles, with the Performance trim rated lowest at 309 miles. In other words, range depends heavily on which trim of each car you’re comparing — Chevrolet’s numbers are more consistent across its lineup, while Tesla’s spread is wider.
Power and charging
The Equinox EV’s single front motor makes 220 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque; adding the RS’s dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup raises that to 300 horsepower and 355 lb-ft. The Model 3 Performance, by contrast, is rated well over 500 horsepower and is built for straight-line acceleration rather than efficiency. For day-to-day charging, both cars support DC fast charging, but Tesla owners also get access to the Supercharger network, which remains denser than most public fast-charging options in the U.S. as of this writing.
Which one actually fits you
If your priority is the lowest sticker price and EPA range on a mainstream trim, the Equinox EV’s base LT1 wins on both counts. If you want a hatchback-style sedan with access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, over-the-air software updates, and a wider range of trims from efficiency-focused to performance-focused, the Model 3 is the more flexible pick. Neither is objectively better — they’re built around different priorities, and the right call depends on which of those you’re actually optimizing for.
Photo by Reinhard Bruckner.