2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid vs 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

The Kia Sportage is the automaker’s longest-running nameplate in North America. It started out as a no-frills off-roader, but today the Sportage competes in the red-hot small crossover SUV segment against big names like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4, as well as the Hyundai Tucson from Kia’s parent brand. All of those nameplates have added hybrid variants recently, so Kia followed suit as part of a 2023-model-year redesign. This segment slots in size-wise below mid-size SUVs such as the Kia Sorento (also offered as the Sorento Hybrid and PHEV) and Kia Telluride.

The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid will be offered alongside non-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the new Sportage, which represents the nameplate’s fifth generation. The hybrid model is part of an effort to create more space between the Sportage and the smaller Kia Seltos, which also brought increased interior space, more tech, and radical exterior styling.

The Sportage Hybrid is offered in Canada in EX and SX trim levels. We drove the U.S. equivalent of the SX trim for this review. Note that this isn’t the same lineup as the non-hybrid Sportage, which is offered in Canada in five different trims (LX, X-Line, EX, EX Premium, and X-Line Limited).

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid comes equipped with a hybrid four-cylinder powertrain and plenty of cargo space. Although the Santa Fe hybrid may not look as modern as some of its primary competitors—namely the Kia Sorento Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, or Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe—it remains a sensible choice, priced competitively against those other options.

Verdict: We recommend the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid to shoppers who value cargo space and fuel efficiency over the latest tech features or the newest styling trends.