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 Compass doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.
Both the Sportage and Compass have 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 Compass’ Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.
Both the Sportage and the Compass 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, 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, 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 Jeep Compass:
|
Sportage |
Compass |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
24.5% |
41% |
Neck Stress |
263 lbs. |
445 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
14 lbs. |
38 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
48/154 lbs. |
326/489 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.8 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
30.9% |
36% |
Neck Stress |
177 lbs. |
235 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
292/203 lbs. |
299/387 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 Jeep Compass:
|
Sportage |
Compass |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
70 |
102 |
Hip Force |
247 lbs. |
335 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
82 |
101 |
Spine Acceleration |
47 G’s |
56 G’s |
Hip Force |
581 lbs. |
928 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
270 |
355 |
Spine Acceleration |
35 G’s |
39 G’s |
Hip Force |
480 lbs. |
663 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 Compass:
|
Sportage |
Compass |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Structure |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
121 |
189 |
Neck Tension |
223 lbs. |
268 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
-45 lbs. |
22 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Force |
223 lbs. |
245 lbs. |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
POOR |
Pelvis Force |
759 lbs. |
1517 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
116 |
202 |
Neck Compression |
-134 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.1 in |
2.13 in |
Shoulder Force |
245 lbs. |
491 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.38 in |
1.77 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
5 MPH |
14 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
669 lbs. |
937 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Sportage, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 3.5% less likely to roll over than the Compass, which received a three-star rating.