Compare the2023 Hyundai TucsonVS 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
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Tucson 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Tucson Limited has standard Reverse Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Sportage doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Tucson Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sportage only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Tucson has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Sportage’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Kia charges extra for rear cross-path warning on the Sportage.

The Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited has a standard Blue Link, 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 Tucson 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 and available all wheel drive.

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

	Tucson	Sportage
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	164 lbs.	203 lbs.
Neck Compression	14 lbs.	72 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	27/60 lbs.	11/231 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	42%
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	151 lbs.
Neck Compression	59 lbs.	70 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 Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Tucson	Sportage
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	87
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	239
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	614 lbs.	873 lbs.

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

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 standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tucson its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The Tucson’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 Tucson 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.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Tucson has a 150-amp alternator. The Sportage’s standard 140-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (187 vs. 181) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 175) than the Sportage’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Tucson
	FWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 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 Tucson’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.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Hyundai Tucson, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sportage.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Tucson	Sportage LX/Nightfall/EX	Sportage SX Turbo
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	12 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.9 inches	11.9 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Sportage (235/65R17 vs. 225/60R17).

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the Sportage (108.5 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Sportage LX pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sportage LX (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the Tucson 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 Tucson has 9.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sportage (108.2 vs. 98.6).

The Tucson has .8 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom, 2.7 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Sportage with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 30.7 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Sportage with its rear seat folded (80.3 vs. 60.1 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Sportage doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Sportage doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Tucson Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Sportage doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Tucson Limited’s standard easy entry system 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 Sportage doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Tucson’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 Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sportage’s optional passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sportage can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tucson 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.

The Tucson’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 Tucson’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Sportage’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Sportage doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tucson third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Sportage isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Kia Sportage by 40% during 2022.

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