Compare the2023 Kia SportageVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Sportage are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Sportage’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sportage and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sportage the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Equinox has not been fully tested, yet.

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Equinox’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Equinox. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Equinox ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 2 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (187 vs. 175) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

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

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

The Sportage has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sportage flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Sportage has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Equinox (108.5 inches vs. 107.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Equinox.

For greater off-road capability the Sportage has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Equinox (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Sportage to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Sportage has .5 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.7 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Equinox with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 29.9 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Equinox with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 63.9 cubic feet).

The Sportage’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (2500 vs. 1500 pounds).

The Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Equinox’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Sportage has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Equinox doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Sportage (except LX/EX/X-Line) to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Equinox doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Sportage will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Sportage will retain 49.33% to 51.02% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 44.91% to 45.97%.