Compare the2023 Jeep CompassVS 2023 Kia Sportage

The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Sportage doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Jeep Compass 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 Compass has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests 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 Compass. But it costs extra on the Sportage.

The Compass has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Compass has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Compass 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, driver alert monitors and available around view 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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Compass its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

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

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Compass for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage.

There are over 3 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Compass’ warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Compass has a standard 180-amp alternator. The Sportage’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 more horsepower (200 vs. 187) and 43 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 178) than the Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Compass gets better fuel mileage than the Sportage AWD (24 city/32 hwy vs. 23 city/28 hwy).

The Compass has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sportage doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Compass higher (6 out of 10) than the Kia Sportage (5). This means the Compass produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sportage every 15,000 miles.

The Compass 4x4’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sportage SX Prestige/X-Line’s 55 series tires.

The Compass Trailhawk 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.

The Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Sportage doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Compass Trailhawk’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Sportage’s (35.3 feet vs. 38.6 feet). The Compass 4x4’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Sportage’s (36.3 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Compass is 10.1 inches shorter than the Sportage, making the Compass easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Compass’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Sportage does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Compass’ 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.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sportage doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

Both the Compass and the Sportage offer available heated front seats. The Compass Trailhawk/Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage.

The Compass (except Sport) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Sportage doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited’s optional ParkSense Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Sportage doesn’t offer an automated parking system.