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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:
|
Sportage |
Highlander Hybrid |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
207 |
292 |
Neck Injury Risk |
22% |
38.2% |
Neck Stress |
203 lbs. |
347 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
11/231 lbs. |
321/243 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
222 |
328 |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.6 inches |
Neck Stress |
151 lbs. |
179 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
70 lbs. |
90 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
33/16 lbs. |
545/323 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:
|
Sportage |
Highlander Hybrid |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
13 inches |
15 inches |
HIC |
301 |
366 |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Sportage is .9% to 2.2% less likely to roll over than the Highlander Hybrid.