Compare the2023 Kia SportageVS 2022 Land Rover Discovery Sport

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 Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Sportage are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sportage Prestige has standard Parking Collision Avoidance-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Sportage and the Discovery Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sportage the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 155 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Discovery Sport has not been tested, yet.

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 Discovery Sport’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Discovery Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Discovery Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Kia dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sportage’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 22nd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 139 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 32nd.

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage gets better mileage than the Discovery Sport:

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

The Sportage has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Discovery Sport’s suspension doesn’t offer rear gas-charged shocks.

The Kia Sportage may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 750 pounds less than the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The Sportage is 8.1 inches narrower than the Discovery Sport, making the Sportage easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The front grille of the Sportage uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Sportage has .1 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom and 3.2 inches more rear legroom than the Discovery Sport.

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 5.5 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 55.6 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sportage’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro’s standard Easy Access Function glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Sportage (except LX/EX/X-Line) to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Sportage has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Sportage is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Land Rover Discovery Sport by over 14 to one during the 2021 model year.