Compare the2023 Ford BroncoVS 2023 Kia Sportage

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Bronco 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.

The Bronco has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Bronco. But it costs extra on the Sportage.

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

The Ford Bronco weighs 463 to 2360 pounds more than the Kia Sportage. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bronco’s warranty.

The Bronco has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Sportage doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Bronco has a standard 240-amp alternator. The Sportage’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The Bronco’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 113 more horsepower (300 vs. 187) and 147 lbs.-ft. more torque (325 vs. 178) than the Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Bronco’s optional 2.7 turbo V6 produces 143 more horsepower (330 vs. 187) and 237 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 178) than the Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Bronco Raptor’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 231 more horsepower (418 vs. 187) and 262 lbs.-ft. more torque (440 vs. 178) than the Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

The Bronco 2-Door’s standard fuel tank has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage (16.9 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Bronco Raptor’s standard fuel tank has 6.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage (21.2 vs. 14.3 gallons).

The Bronco 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.

The Bronco offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Sportage doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Ford Bronco, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Sportage.

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

The Bronco’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.

For better traction, the Bronco has larger standard tires than the Sportage (255/70R16 vs. 235/65R17). The Bronco Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sportage (37 x 12.5R17 vs. 235/65R17).

The Ford Bronco’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Kia Sportage only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Bronco 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 Bronco Badlands has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Sportage doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Bronco offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Sportage’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Bronco’s 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 a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Bronco 4-Door’s wheelbase is 7.6 inches longer than on the Sportage (116.1 inches vs. 108.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Bronco is 4.7 inches wider in the front and 4.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Sportage.

For better maneuverability, the Bronco 2-Door’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Sportage’s (35.5 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Bronco 4-Door has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Sportage with its rear seat folded (77.6 vs. 74.1 cubic feet).

The Bronco 4-Door’s optional sliding cargo floor makes loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Sportage doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

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

The Bronco’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Sportage’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Bronco’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sportage’s (3500 vs. 2500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Sportage is only 2500 pounds. The Bronco offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Bronco can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Bronco can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Sportage can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Bronco 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.

The Bronco’s 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 Bronco’s 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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Bronco’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Sportage doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its 911 Connect can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Bronco’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 Bronco (except Base) 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 Ford Bronco comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Kia Sportage isn’t available as a soft top.

The Bronco will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Bronco will retain 55.78% to 58.62% of its original price after five years, while the Sportage only retains 49.33% to 51.02%.

The Bronco was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2022. The Sportage has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Ford Bronco outsold the Kia Sportage by 5% during the 2022 model year.