Compare the2022 Fiat 500XVS 2023 Kia Sportage

The Fiat 500X 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 500X has standard Reactive Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Reactive Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sportage doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the 500X. But it costs extra on the Sportage.

Both the 500X and the Sportage have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, front and rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 500X the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 201 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage has not been tested, yet.

The 500X’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sportage runs out after 100,000 miles.

The engine in the 500X has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Sportage has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

The 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 32 lbs.-ft. more torque (210 vs. 178) than the Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the 500X gets better fuel mileage than the Sportage AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/28 hwy).

The 500X has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sportage doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Fiat 500X higher (6 out of 10) than the Kia Sportage (5). This means the 500X produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sportage every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Fiat 500X, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Sportage.

The 500X AWD’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 Sportage LX/X-Pro’s standard 65 series tires. The 500X Sport’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Sportage SX Prestige/X-Line’s 55 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the 500X’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Sportage’s (36.3 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The 500X is 1 foot, 4.3 inches shorter than the Sportage, making the 500X easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 500X’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its front windows also automatically close, 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. The Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’s rear windows don’t open automatically.

The 500X Trekking/Sport/Trekking Plus’ optional 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.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the 500X offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sportage doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The 500X’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia charges extra for heated mirrors on the Sportage.