Compare the2024 Toyota Highlander HybridVS 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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.

The Highlander Hybrid 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. Only the Sportage Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Highlander Hybrid has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake on the Limited/Platinum automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Sportage Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the Highlander Hybrid and the Sportage Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid weighs 598 to 1063 pounds more than the Kia Sportage Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage Hybrid last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage Hybrid.

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 Highlander Hybrid’s warranty.

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 Highlander Hybrid’s reliability 24 points higher than the Sportage Hybrid.

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 Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 16 more horsepower (243 vs. 227) than the Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Highlander Hybrid has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage Hybrid (17.1 vs. 13.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Highlander Hybrid 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Highlander Hybrid	Sportage Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12 inches

The Highlander Hybrid’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 Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The Highlander Hybrid stops shorter than the Sportage Hybrid:

	Highlander Hybrid	Sportage Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	153 feet	156 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sportage Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sportage LX HEV. The Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Sportage Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Highlander Hybrid’s wheelbase is 3.7 inches longer than on the Sportage Hybrid (112.2 inches vs. 108.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Highlander Hybrid is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Sportage Hybrid.

For better maneuverability, the Highlander Hybrid’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Sportage Hybrid’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

Passenger Space

The Highlander Hybrid offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Sportage Hybrid can only carry 5.

The Highlander Hybrid has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear hip room and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

The Highlander Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Sportage Hybrid.

	Highlander Hybrid	Sportage Hybrid
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	39.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	73.7 cubic feet

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

Towing

The Highlander Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sportage Hybrid’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Highlander Hybrid Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander Hybrid’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 Hybrid’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Sportage Hybrid EX/SX-Prestige’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander Hybrid 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 Hybrid can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander Hybrid Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sportage Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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 Highlander Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Hybrid Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Highlander Hybrid to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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

Both the Highlander Hybrid and the Sportage Hybrid offer available heated front seats. The Highlander Hybrid Platinum also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage Hybrid.

The Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum has a 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Kia Sportage by 78% during 2022.

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