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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.
The Sportage Prestige has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outlander Sport 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 and Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport’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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
The Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro has standard 911 Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.
Both the Sportage and the Outlander Sport 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, available all wheel drive and blind spot warning systems.
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 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:
|
Sportage |
Outlander Sport |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
24.5% |
29% |
Neck Stress |
263 lbs. |
412 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
14 lbs. |
90 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
48/154 lbs. |
334/511 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.6 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
30.9% |
43% |
Neck Stress |
177 lbs. |
221 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
292/203 lbs. |
394/494 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Kia Sportage is safer than the Outlander Sport:
|
Sportage |
Outlander Sport |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Restraints |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head injury index |
77 |
84 |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
Steering Column Movement Rearward |
1 cm |
1 cm |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Max Chest Compression |
23 cm |
28 cm |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
1%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Tibia index R/L |
.68/.55 |
.68/.36 |
Tibia forces R/L |
1.4/.2 kN |
1.9/1.9 kN |
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 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:
|
Sportage |
Outlander Sport |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
70 |
163 |
Abdominal Force |
162 lbs. |
163 lbs. |
Hip Force |
247 lbs. |
518 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
82 |
349 |
Hip Force |
581 lbs. |
794 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
13 inches |
17 inches |
HIC |
270 |
365 |
Spine Acceleration |
35 G’s |
41 G’s |
Hip Force |
480 lbs. |
807 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.