Compare the2023 Subaru OutbackVS 2022 Kia Sportage

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Outback have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Sportage doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear 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 Outback are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Sportage doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Outback 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 Outback 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Outback (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Sportage doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

The Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx has standard STARLINK Safety and Security, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Sportage doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Outback and the Sportage have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Outback	Sportage
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	207
Neck Compression	57 lbs.	72 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 Subaru Outback is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Outback	Sportage
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	87
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	104 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	327 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	116	239
Spine Acceleration	51 G’s	56 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	301
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	674 lbs.	873 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Outback is much safer than the Sportage:

	Outback	Sportage
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	69	209
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1874 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.81 in	2.2 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.42 in	2.13 in
Torso Deflection Rate	9 MPH	14 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

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

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Outback has larger alternators than the Sportage:

	Outback	Sportage
Standard Alternator	150 amps	140 amps
Optional Alternator	190 amps	150 amps

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Outback has a standard 620-amp battery. The Sportage’s 600-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 2 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The Outback has more powerful engines than the Sportage:

	Horsepower	Torque
Outback 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	182 HP	176 lbs.-ft.
Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	260 HP	277 lbs.-ft.
Sportage 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder	181 HP	175 lbs.-ft.
Sportage SX Turbo 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	237 HP	260 lbs.-ft.
Sportage SX Turbo 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	240 HP	260 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Sportage SX Turbo 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Outback	Sportage
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	8.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	16.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.9 MPH	86.4 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The Sportage doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Outback
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy
Sportage
	FWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
	AWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	22 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/24 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Outback’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Sportage doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Outback has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage (18.5 vs. 16.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Outback higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Kia Sportage (5 to 7). This means the Outback produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sportage every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Outback 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.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Outback	Sportage
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	12 inches

The Outback’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sportage are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx XT has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Sportage; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Outback’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the Sportage (108.1 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Outback Wilderness executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sportage LX (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a 1.9 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sportage (8.7 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the Sportage (9.5 vs. 6.8 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Outback 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sportage doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Outback has 10.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sportage (109 vs. 98.6).

The Outback has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear legroom, 3.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Sportage with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 30.7 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Sportage with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 60.1 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Outback easier. The Outback’s trunk lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the Sportage’s liftover is 29.8 inches.

The Outback’s cargo area is larger than the Sportage’s in almost every dimension:

	Outback	Sportage
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42”/75”	33.4”/68.2”
Max Width	51”	52.3”
Min Width	43.3”	41”
Height	32.1”	29.5”

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

Towing

The Outback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sportage’s (2700 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Sportage is only 2000 pounds. The Outback offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Outback 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.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Outback Limited/Touring, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Sportage doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Outback’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Sportage’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Outback’s standard 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 Outback Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx Edition’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches. With the Sportage’s optional power windows, only the driver’s window opens or closes automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Outback’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Outback Base). The Sportage doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Outback’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Sportage LX/Nightfall/EX’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Outback’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sportage’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Sportage doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Outback Limited/Touring is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Sportage’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Outback’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.

Both the Outback and the Sportage offer available heated front seats. The Outback Limited/Touring/Onyx XT/Wilderness also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Outback with a number “5” insurance rate while the Sportage is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outback is less expensive to operate than the Sportage because typical repairs cost much less on the Outback than the Sportage, including $358 less for a muffler, $16 less for fuel injection and $994 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Outback and the Kia Sportage, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Kia Sportage by 18% during 2022.