Compare the2023 Kia SportageVS 2023 Ford Bronco

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Ford Bronco 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 for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Bronco doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sportage’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Bronco and is not available with Base.

Both the Sportage and Bronco offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Sportage with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning also has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Bronco’s Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Sportage uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Bronco uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the Sportage with standard seats is safer than the Bronco:

	Sportage	Bronco
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance Below Top of Head	-24 mm	20 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Pass
Torso Acceleration	10.1 g’s	13.8 g’s
Neck Force Rating	Low	Medium
Max Neck Shearing Force	3	132
Max Neck Tension	383	770

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

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 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Bronco is not a “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

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 Bronco’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 Ford covers the Bronco. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Bronco ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

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 Sportage’s reliability 13 points higher than the Bronco.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 10th.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 9 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage gets better mileage than the Bronco 4-Door:

			MPG
Sportage
FWD	Auto	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy
Bronco 4-Door
AWD	Manual	2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/21 hwy
		Black Diamond 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	16 city/18 hwy
		Sasquatch 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	16 city/18 hwy
		Badlands 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	16 city/17 hwy
AWD	Auto	3.0 turbo V6	15 city/16 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/21 hwy
		2.7 turbo V6	19 city/21 hwy
		Black Diamond 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	18 city/18 hwy
		Sasquatch 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	18 city/17 hwy
		Badlands 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	17 city/17 hwy
		Badlands/Sasquatch 2.7 turbo V6	17 city/17 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Bronco requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Sportage has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Bronco. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The Kia Sportage comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Bronco.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sportage	Bronco
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	12.2 inches

The Sportage stops much shorter than the Bronco:

	Sportage	Bronco
70 to 0 MPH	180 feet	221 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	144 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	151 feet	168 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Sportage LX/X-Pro’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bronco Big Bend’s standard 75 series tires. The Sportage SX Prestige/X-Line’s tires have a lower 55 series profile than the Bronco’s 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sportage LX/X-Pro has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Bronco. The Sportage SX Prestige/X-Line’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Bronco Outer Banks.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Kia Sportage has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Ford Bronco has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

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

The Sportage X-Pro Prestige handles at .84 G’s, while the Bronco Raptor pulls only .68 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sportage X-Pro executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3 seconds quicker than the Bronco 4-Door (27.9 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 30.9 seconds @ .51 average G’s).

Chassis

The Kia Sportage may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1900 pounds less than the Ford Bronco.

The Sportage is 5.9 inches shorter than the Bronco 4-Door, making the Sportage easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sportage is 6.9 inches narrower on average than the Bronco, making the Sportage easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Sportage is 6.5 inches shorter in height than the Bronco, making the Sportage much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Sportage’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Bronco doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

Passenger Space

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sportage’s rear seats recline. The Bronco’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume than the Bronco 4-Door with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 38.3 cubic feet).

The Sportage’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Bronco’s swing out door blocks loading from the passenger’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sportage’s power cargo door can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Sportage’s power cargo door can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Bronco doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Bronco doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro’s standard Easy Access Function 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 Bronco doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Sportage’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Bronco’s available power window controls are spread out on the center console where they can’t be seen without the driver completely removing his eyes from the road.

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 Bronco doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sportage has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Bronco only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 Sportage’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Bronco’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Sportage’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Bronco’s power mirror controls are on the center console where they can’t be seen without the driver completely removing his eyes from the road.

When the Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Bronco’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sportage Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Bronco doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Sportage has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Bronco doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Sportage and the Bronco offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Sportage has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Bronco doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Model Availability

The Sportage is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Bronco doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sportage owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sportage will cost $830 less than the Bronco over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Sportage will be $5593 to $9891 less than for the Ford Bronco.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Sportage, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Bronco isn't recommended.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Ford Bronco by 7% during 2022.