2018 head-to-head · Midsize Car
2018 Cadillac CTS vs Tesla Model 3
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
The 2018 Tesla Model 3 is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $699 a year to fuel (130 MPGe), versus $1,938 for the 2018 Cadillac CTS (24 MPG). That's roughly $1,238 a year, or about $6,191 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- Cadillac CTS
- Tesla Model 3
Side by side
| Cadillac CTS | Tesla Model 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| $1,938 | Your annual fuel cost | $699 |
| 24 MPG | Combined efficiency | 130 MPGe |
| 20 MPG | City | 136 MPGe |
| 30 MPG | Highway | 123 MPGe |
| — | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 25.9 kWh |
| — | Driving range | 310 mi |
| 97 cu ft | Passenger volume | 97 cu ft |
| 13 cu ft | Cargo volume | 15 cu ft |
| 376 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 0 g/mi |
| 5/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 10/10 |
| 5/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| — | Charge time at 240V | 10 hrs |
| Gas | Powertrain | Electric |
| Regular gasoline | Fuel | Electricity |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | Engine / motor | Electric motor (202 kW) |
| 8-speed automatic | Transmission | Single-speed |
| RWD | Drivetrain | RWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
Cadillac CTS vs Tesla Model 3 across model years
- Cadillac CTS
- Tesla Model 3
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Per EPA interior volume figures, the Tesla Model 3 has more cargo space (15 vs. 13 cu ft).
Among 74 2018 midsize cars, the Cadillac CTS ranks 41st and the Tesla Model 3 2nd for lowest fuel cost.
Because the Tesla Model 3 is fully electric, it has no tailpipe emissions and its running cost depends almost entirely on your electricity rate. Cheap overnight home charging widens its advantage over the Cadillac CTS; relying on DC fast chargers can erase it.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2018 Cadillac CTS or the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
Measured by cost to drive, the Tesla Model 3. The Cadillac CTS is rated 24 MPG combined and the Tesla Model 3 130 MPGe (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2018 Cadillac CTS vs. the Tesla Model 3 per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $1,938 for the Cadillac CTS and $699 for the Tesla Model 3.
Which has more cargo space?
The Tesla Model 3, with 15 cu ft of luggage volume versus 13 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Cadillac CTS vs Tesla Model 3 in other years
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