Compare the2025 Kia SportageVS 2024 GMC Terrain

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
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 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 GMC Terrain 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 Terrain doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Sportage and Terrain offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Terrain’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Sportage’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 Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the GMC Terrain:

	Sportage	Terrain
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	48/154 lbs.	363/349 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	307	376
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	292/203 lbs.	264/236 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the GMC Terrain:

	Sportage	Terrain
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	70	109
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	162 lbs.	195 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	82	288
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	55 G’s
Hip Force	581 lbs.	630 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	270	377
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	480 lbs.	730 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 is much safer than the Terrain:

	Sportage	Terrain
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	121	131
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	-45 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	1.73 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.69 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	781 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Injury Criterion	116	733
Head Peak Forces	no contact	101 G’s
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	-134 lbs.	491 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.38 in	1.57 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

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 Terrain’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 GMC covers the Terrain. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Terrain 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 11 points higher than the Terrain.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 11 places higher in reliability than GMC.

Engine

The Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (187 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage gets better mileage than the Terrain:

			MPG
Sportage
	FWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	X-Pro 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sportage	Terrain
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.3 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sportage has larger tires than the Terrain (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

Suspension and Handling

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Terrain (108.5 inches vs. 107.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Terrain.

The Sportage X-Pro handles at .81 G’s, while the Terrain Denali AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Sportage has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain SLE (8.3 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Sportage to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Sportage’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches).

Passenger Space

The Sportage has .5 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear hip room than the Terrain.

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Terrain with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 29.6 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Terrain with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 63.3 cubic feet).

Towing

The Sportage’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Terrain’s (2500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Terrain’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

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

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Terrain isn’t in the top three.

The Kia Sportage outsold the GMC Terrain by 81% during 2024.

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