2023 Kia Sportage vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Kia Sportage arrived with a completely redesigned look that was both exciting and exotic, reminiscent of French automaker designs. Its styling was a departure from previous generations, featuring bright boomerang-shaped daytime running lights and a distinctive grille that drew attention. The Sportage was available in five trim levels in Canada, starting with the LX trim, which offered front-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive as an option. Inside, Kia opted for synthetic leather upholstery, which, while durable, lacked the luxurious feel of genuine leather. The interior boasted a large display dominating the dash in higher trims, though some hard plastic elements detracted from the overall premium feel.

The 2023 Ford Escape, meanwhile, embraced a more European design language, moving away from the blocky exterior of its predecessors. A 2023 refresh introduced a more traditional front end with a stylish LED light bar. The Escape was one of the smallest vehicles in Ford's lineup, with trim levels ranging from Active to ST-Line Elite. The top-trim ST-Line Elite featured 19-inch wheels and body-colour mirror caps, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Escape offered diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt hard and plasticky. The seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver's seat made long drives enjoyable. However, the interior was dominated by plastic, which felt cost-cutting in some areas.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine was available with front-wheel drive on the LX trim, with all-wheel drive optional on LX and standard on other trims. The Sportage's engine was slightly larger than the previous 2.4-litre engine, offering better fuel economy at 9.3 L/100 km city and 7.4 highway with FWD, and 10.4 city and 8.5 highway with AWD. However, the lack of a turbocharged engine option, which was available in previous models, left the Sportage feeling less powerful than some competitors.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered two engine options: a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the more powerful four-cylinder available exclusively with AWD. The Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, making it comfortable on rough roads, while the brakes provided predictable stopping power. The steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2023 Kia Sportage, as a compact crossover, offered increased interior space compared to its predecessor, with a longer wheelbase and more ground clearance in AWD trims. Rear-seat legroom was impressive at 1,050 mm, and the trunk provided 1,121 litres of cargo space, expanding to 2,098 litres with the rear seats folded. The front seats offered decent storage, but the touch-sensitive HVAC controls were frustrating to use, complicating basic functions.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided comfortable seating with excellent ergonomics, though it fell short in cargo space compared to segment leaders. It offered up to 1,061 litres of storage behind the second row and 1,851 litres with the seats folded. Passenger space was adequate, with good headroom and soft, scalloped front-seat backs maximizing space for rear passengers. However, the Escape's cargo and passenger space were slightly less than some competitors.

The 2023 Kia Sportage featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system on EX-and up trims, paired with a digital instrument cluster on the X-Line Limited. However, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were wired on the top interface, despite a wireless charger being standard. The base LX trim offered an 8-inch screen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sportage included Bluetooth, keyless entry, and a Harman Kardon audio system on higher trims.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims. Sync 4 was well-organized, with easy navigation between Android Auto and the native system. A wi-fi hotspot was available, and a static "Home" button facilitated navigation. The Escape's audio system included a standard six-speaker setup, with a Bang & Olufsen system optional on higher trims.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a range of standard collision-avoidance tech and advanced driver assistance systems, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and a backup camera. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. The X-Line Limited trim included advanced safety features like a blind-view monitor and highway driving assist, though crash-test ratings were not yet available.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though it did not earn a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to a Marginal score in the side-impact test. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and lane-centring technology for a semi-autonomous driving experience.