Compare the2023 Toyota VenzaVS 2022 Kia Sportage

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
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 Venza 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 Toyota Venza 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 Venza has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sportage doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited has standard Rear Automated Braking 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.

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

The Venza Limited has a standard Panoramic 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 Venza 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Sportage’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Venza has standard rear cross-path warning, helping the driver avoid collisions. Kia charges extra for rear cross-path warning on the Sportage.

The Venza has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to 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 Venza 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras 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 Toyota Venza is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Venza	Sportage
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	152	207
Neck Compression	56 lbs.	72 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37.4%	42%

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 Toyota Venza is safer than the Kia Sportage:

	Venza	Sportage
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	87
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Hip Force	246 lbs.	327 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	239
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	56 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	299	301
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	835 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 Toyota Venza is safer than the Sportage:

	Venza	Sportage
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	120	209
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	.75 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Pelvis Force	1093 lbs.	1874 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	2.2 in
Shoulder Force	290 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	2.13 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	14 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Venza the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Venza for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Venza’s warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Venza is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Venza’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Sportage’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Venza’s reliability 23 points higher than the Sportage.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 38 more horsepower (219 vs. 181) than the Sportage’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Venza is faster than the Kia Sportage:

	Venza	Sportage 4 cyl.	Sportage SX Turbo
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	8 sec	8.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.3 sec	16.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.8 MPH	86.4 MPH	86.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Venza
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/37 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

The Venza can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The Sportage can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Venza’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Sportage doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Venza’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. 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 Toyota Venza higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Sportage (5 to 7). This means the Venza produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sportage every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Venza 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.

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Venza LE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sportage LX.

Suspension and Handling

For greater off-road capability the Venza has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sportage (8.2 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Venza to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Venza 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 Venza has .1 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage.

Cargo Capacity

An available locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the Venza. The Sportage doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and steering wheel position. The Sportage doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Venza’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Sportage doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Venza Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sportage doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Venza’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 Venza’s front and rear power windows all 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.

If the windows are left open on the Venza the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Sportage can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Venza Limited’s optional 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 Venza’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 Venza’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia charges extra for heated mirrors on the Sportage.

The Venza has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Sportage.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Venza has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Sportage and isn’t available on the Sportage LX.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Venza third among midsize 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 in its category.