Compare the2021 Kia SportageVS 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Both the Sportage and the Highlander Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Highlander Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years and 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Highlander Hybrid. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Highlander Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sportage’s reliability 12 points higher than the Highlander Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage second among compact suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Highlander Hybrid was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 41 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 19th, below the industry average.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Sportage 4 cyl. is faster than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Highlander Hybrid requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Sportage stops much shorter than the Highlander Hybrid:

For better traction, the Sportage SX Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander Hybrid (245/45R19 vs. 235/65R18).

The Sportage LX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The Sportage SX Turbo’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

The Sportage has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sportage’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Highlander Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kia Sportage may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1050 pounds less than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

The Sportage is 1 foot, 6.5 inches shorter than the Highlander Hybrid, making the Sportage easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander Hybrid with its rear seat up (30.7 vs. 16 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Sportage easier. The Sportage’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.8 inches, while the Highlander Hybrid’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

The Sportage offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Sportage to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the Sportage’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Highlander Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Kia Sportage has won recognition from these important consumer publications: