Compare the2022 Hyundai KonaVS 2023 Kia Sportage

Both the Kona 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, 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.

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 Kona the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 203 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage has not been tested, yet.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the Sportage’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 9 places higher in reliability than Kia.

The Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (195 vs. 187) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 178) than the Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

The Kona has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sportage doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Kona offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Sportage doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Kona SE’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 Kona N Line/Limited’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Sportage SX Prestige/X-Line’s 55 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the Sportage’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 500 pounds less than the Kia Sportage.

The Kona is 1 foot, 5.9 inches shorter than the Sportage, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kona Limited’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.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Kona, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kona was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The Sportage has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.