Compare the2023 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2023 Kia Sportage

The Subaru Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front 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.

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

Both the Crosstrek 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, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Crosstrek the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 141 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage has not been tested, yet.

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

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 7 places higher in reliability than Kia.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Sportage doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

The Crosstrek has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage (16.6 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Crosstrek higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Sportage (5). This means the Crosstrek produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sportage every 15,000 miles.

The Crosstrek offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Sportage doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Crosstrek offers an optional 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 Crosstrek’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.

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Sportage’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sportage (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Crosstrek may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 550 pounds less than the Kia Sportage.

The Crosstrek is 7 inches shorter than the Sportage, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Crosstrek has .2 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room and 1.8 inches more rear hip room than the Sportage.

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

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Sportage. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Crosstrek’s front power windows 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. The Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Crosstrek’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Crosstrek Base). The Sportage doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its 911 Connect can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sportage offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Crosstrek, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Kia Sportage by 43% during the 2021 model year.