Compare the2022 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Kia Sportage

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Highlander are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Sportage doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sportage doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sportage doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sportage doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Highlander Limited/Platinum has standard Automated Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Sportage doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Highlander (except L/LE/XLE/XSE) offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sportage only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Highlander has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Sportage doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Highlander and the Sportage 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 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 Toyota Highlander is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Highlander	Sportage
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Compression	55 lbs.	72 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 flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Highlander	Sportage
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	87
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	79 G’s	104 G’s
Hip Force	300 lbs.	327 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	239
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	465 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	664 lbs.	873 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Warranty

The Highlander’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sportage runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage.

There are over 62 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 114 more horsepower (295 vs. 181) and 88 lbs.-ft. more torque (263 vs. 175) than the Sportage’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 58 more horsepower (295 vs. 237) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (263 vs. 260) than the Sportage SX Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 55 more horsepower (295 vs. 240) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (263 vs. 260) than the Sportage SX Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Highlander is faster than the Kia Sportage:

	Highlander	Sportage 4 cyl.	Sportage SX Turbo
Zero to 60 MPH	7.2 sec	8 sec	8.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.6 sec	16.3 sec	16.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.5 MPH	86.4 MPH	86.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Sportage:

			MPG
Highlander
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
Sportage
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/24 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Highlander’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Sportage doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Highlander has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage (17.9 vs. 16.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Toyota Highlander, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sportage.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Highlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sportage:

	Highlander	Sportage LX/Nightfall/EX	Sportage SX Turbo
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	11.9 inches	11.9 inches

The Highlander’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sportage are solid, not vented.

The Highlander stops shorter than the Sportage:

	Highlander	Sportage
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	118 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Highlander has larger tires than the Sportage (235/65R18 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander L/LE/XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sportage LX. The Highlander XSE/Limited/Platinum’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Sportage SX Turbo.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Highlander’s wheelbase is 7.1 inches longer than on the Sportage (112.2 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Highlander is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Sportage.

The Highlander XLE AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Sportage LX pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Highlander XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sportage LX (27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sportage (8 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Sportage can only carry 5.

The Highlander has 42.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sportage (141.3 vs. 98.6).

The Highlander has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 2.9 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom, 5.8 inches more rear hip room and 3.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage.

Cargo Capacity

The Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Sportage.

	Highlander	Sportage
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	30.7 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	60.1 cubic feet

The Highlander’s cargo area is larger than the Sportage’s in almost every dimension:

	Highlander	Sportage
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	17.8”/48”/80.7”	n.a./33.4”/68.2”
Max Width	50”	52.3”
Min Width	45.8”	41”
Height	31”	29.5”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Highlander. The Sportage doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sportage’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Highlander uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Sportage doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Highlander Limited/Platinum, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Sportage doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sportage doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Sportage’s parking brake has to released manually.

The Highlander’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sportage’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Sportage can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sportage’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Sportage’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sportage doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Highlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Sportage doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Highlander’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia charges extra for heated mirrors on the Sportage.

When the Highlander Limited/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Sportage’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Highlander and the Sportage offer available heated front seats. The Highlander Platinum also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage.

The Highlander has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Sportage.

The Highlander Limited/Platinum has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Sportage doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Highlander is less expensive to operate than the Sportage because it costs $209 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Highlander than the Sportage, including $85 less for a water pump, $386 less for a muffler, $14 less for front brake pads, $135 less for front struts and $945 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander and the Kia Sportage, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Kia Sportage by almost three to one during the 2021 model year.