Compare the2024 Kia Sportage PHEVVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Sportage PHEV are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cherokee only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Sportage PHEV and Cherokee have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Sportage PHEV has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Cherokee’s Rear Cross-Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

The Sportage PHEV’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sportage PHEV and the Cherokee 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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 Cherokee has not been tested, yet.

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 Cherokee’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 Jeep covers the Cherokee. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Cherokee 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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated lower.

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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th.

The Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 81 more horsepower (261 vs. 180) and 87 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 171) than the Cherokee’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage PHEV running on electricity gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage PHEV running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

The Sportage PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 34 miles. The Cherokee can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Sportage PHEV’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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

The Sportage PHEV has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Cherokee. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

For better traction, the Sportage PHEV has larger tires than the Cherokee (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 Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s standard 65 series tires. The Sportage PHEV’s tires are lower profile than the Cherokee Altitude LUX’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sportage PHEV has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4. The Cherokee’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Sportage PHEV has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Cherokee’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage PHEV’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the Cherokee (108.5 inches vs. 106.6 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Sportage PHEV has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Cherokee (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Sportage PHEV to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Sportage PHEV has .3 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cherokee.

The Sportage PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cherokee with its rear seat up (34.5 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Sportage PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cherokee with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

On a hot day the Sportage PHEV’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Cherokee can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sportage PHEV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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 Cherokee’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Jeep Cherokee by over three to one during 2022.