Compare the2022 Kia SportageVS 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Sportage are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage’s standard Downhill Brake Control allow you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Sportage’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sportage and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, 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 Chevrolet Equinox:

	Sportage	Equinox
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	222	376
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	151 lbs.	153 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	33/16 lbs.	264/236 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 Kia Sportage is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Sportage	Equinox
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	87	109
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	104 G’s	195 G’s
Hip Force	327 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	288
Hip Force	465 lbs.	630 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	301	377

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 3.8% less likely to roll over than the Equinox.

Warranty

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 Equinox’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

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

Reliability

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 24 points higher than the Equinox.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage first among compact suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Equinox isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 12th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 2 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Sportage’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (181 vs. 170) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sportage SX Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 67 more horsepower (237 vs. 170) and 57 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sportage SX Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 70 more horsepower (240 vs. 170) and 57 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Sportage 4 cyl. is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Sportage	Equinox
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	9.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	16.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.4 MPH	81.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Sportage has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank (16.4 vs. 14.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sportage LX/Nightfall/EX	Sportage SX Turbo	Equinox
Front Rotors	12 inches	12.6 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.9 inches	11.3 inches

The Sportage stops shorter than the Equinox:

	Sportage	Equinox
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sportage SX Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Equinox (245/45R19 vs. 235/50R19).

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 Equinox LS/LT’s standard 65 series tires. The Sportage SX Turbo’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Equinox’s optional 50 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Sportage has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sportage flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

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 Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Equinox.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Equinox LT AWD (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sportage’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Sportage’s turning circle is 6.8 feet tighter than the Equinox RS’ (34.8 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

Chassis

The Sportage is 6.7 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the Sportage easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Sportage has .6 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Equinox.

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage has a larger cargo volume than the Equinox with its rear seat up (30.7 vs. 29.9 cubic feet).

Towing

The Sportage’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Sportage has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Equinox doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Equinox doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sportage is less expensive to operate than the Equinox because it costs $355 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Sportage than the Equinox, including $115 less for a water pump, $415 less for a muffler, $162 less for front brake pads, $231 less for a starter, $234 less for fuel injection, $429 less for a fuel pump and $293 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

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

	Sportage	Equinox
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE