Compare the2025 Toyota Rav4 Plug-In HybridVS 2025 Kia Sportage PHEV

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Sportage PHEV, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

The Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV 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.

Both the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid and the Sportage PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and available around view monitors.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sportage PHEV runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV.

There are over 56 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (302 vs. 261) than the Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid is faster than the Kia Sportage PHEV:

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the Sportage PHEV running on electricity (105 city/84 hwy vs. 88 city/79 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Sportage PHEV running its gasoline engine (40 city/36 hwy vs. 36 city/35 hwy).

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 42 miles. The Sportage PHEV has to start its internal combustion engine after only 34 miles.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage PHEV (14.5 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port and which locks and unlocks with the power locks, respectively. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sportage PHEV:

The Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV are solid, not vented.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Sportage PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid SE’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Sportage PHEV’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.6 feet). The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid XSE’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Sportage PHEV’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid has .3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage PHEV.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sportage PHEV’s (2500 vs. 2000 pounds).

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid XSE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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 PHEV doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 Plug-In 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 PHEV can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sportage PHEV’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sportage PHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Both the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid and the Sportage PHEV have standard heated front seats. The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage PHEV.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid XSE offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid will cost $630 to $1265 less than the Sportage PHEV over a five-year period.

The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid will retain 59.06% to 59.32% of its original price after five years, while the Sportage PHEV only retains 56.18% to 56.69%.

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Kia Sportage by over three to one during 2023.