2023 Kia Sportage vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2023 Kia Sportage emerged with a completely redesigned look, reminiscent of French automotive styling. Its bold and exotic appearance, highlighted by boomerang-shaped daytime running lights and textured metal trim on the D Pillar, made it stand out in the compact crossover segment. The Sportage offered seven trim levels, including new options like the X-Line, X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige. Inside, Kia opted for synthetic leather upholstery, maintaining a balance between durability and style, though some might have missed the feel of genuine leather. The interior featured a large display dominating the dash, but some hard plastic elements detracted from the overall premium feel.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared design elements with the Tundra, such as hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior's appearance varied significantly with color choices, with the Capstone model in Celestial Silver appearing more traditional, while bolder colors like Solar Octane orange gave it a more rugged look. Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky design, with physical controls for climate and audio. The Capstone trim featured semi-aniline leather, while other trims offered a mix of fabric and SofTex. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, though the third-row seating was somewhat compromised by the hybrid powertrain's battery placement.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Available in both FWD and AWD, it delivered a fuel economy of 25 mpg city and 32 highway with FWD, and slightly less with AWD. While more powerful than its predecessor, the Sportage lacked the turbocharged engine option from previous models, which some drivers missed. The X-Line and X-Pro trims added rugged visual cues and off-road capabilities, with the X-Pro featuring all-terrain tires and specific drive modes.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia, exclusively a hybrid, used the iForce MAX powertrain, combining a twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor to produce 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. This marked a significant power increase over its V8 predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved to 20 mpg combined with 4WD. The TRD Pro trim offered serious off-road features, while the TRD Off-Road package added all-terrain tires and an off-road suspension. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 9,520 pounds, with various towing upgrades available.

The 2023 Kia Sportage, now larger than its predecessor, offered impressive interior space with 41.3 inches of rear-seat legroom and 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space. The front seats provided ample storage, though the touch-sensitive HVAC controls were frustrating to use. The Sportage's increased size positioned it more competitively against rivals like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia provided up to 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space with seats folded. The second-row seats were easy to move for third-row access, though the third-row seating was less comfortable due to the battery placement. The Sequoia's interior dimensions were competitive, though it lagged behind some rivals in legroom. Second-row captain’s chairs were available on higher trims, offering comfort but lacking bolstering.

The 2023 Kia Sportage featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen on higher trims, paired with a driver information display for a premium look. However, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on higher trims puzzled some users. The Sportage included wireless charging, rear USB-C ports, and a Harman Kardon stereo on select trims, offering impressive tech for its price.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim boasted a 14-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashiness. A 12.3-inch driver-information display and a panoramic view monitor were standard, enhancing usability. The Sequoia offered a 14-speaker JBL audio system on higher trims, providing a rich audio experience.

The 2023 Kia Sportage came with standard collision-avoidance tech, including automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. However, the Sportage had not yet been crash-tested by major safety organizations.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia included the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite as standard, offering features like adaptive cruise control and lane-departure alert. The Sequoia's blind-spot monitoring system was enhanced for towing. Optional safety features were bundled in the Tow Technology Package. The Sequoia had not been rated by safety organizations, but its Tundra sibling received high marks.