Compare the2024 Kia Sportage PHEVVS 2024 Toyota Venza

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage PHEV’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Venza doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sportage PHEV has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited offers Parking Support Brake.

Both the Sportage PHEV and the Venza 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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 Kia Sportage PHEV is safer than the Venza:

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 Sportage PHEV its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 58 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Venza is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

The Sportage PHEV comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Venza’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage PHEV 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Venza. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Venza ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

The Sportage PHEV’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 42 more horsepower (261 vs. 219) than the Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kia Sportage PHEV is faster than the Toyota Venza:

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage PHEV running on electricity gets better mileage than the Venza (88 city/79 hwy MPGe vs. 40 city/37 hwy).

The Sportage PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 34 miles. The Venza has to start its internal combustion engine after only 1.6 miles.

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

The Sportage PHEV stops much shorter than the Venza:

For better traction, the Sportage PHEV has larger tires than the Venza (235/55R19 vs. 225/60R18).

The Sportage PHEV’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Venza LE’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sportage PHEV has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Venza LE.

The Sportage PHEV has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Venza doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage PHEV’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Venza (108.5 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige handles at .84 G’s, while the Venza Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Sportage PHEV has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Venza (8.3 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Sportage PHEV to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Sportage PHEV is 3.1 inches shorter than the Venza, making the Sportage PHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sportage PHEV has .5 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 8.2 inches more rear hip room than the Venza.

The Sportage PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Venza with its rear seat up (34.5 vs. 28.8 cubic feet). The Sportage PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Venza with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 55.1 cubic feet).

The Sportage PHEV has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Venza has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sportage PHEV uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Venza doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Venza doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

When the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige 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 Venza’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Venza doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Toyota Venza by almost four to one during 2022.