2023 Kia Sportage vs 2024 Toyota Sienna

The 2023 Kia Sportage emerged with a completely redesigned look, drawing comparisons to French automakers like Renault and Citroen. Its styling was exciting and exotic, featuring standout elements such as bright boomerang-shaped daytime running lights and textured metal trim on the D Pillar. The Sportage offered seven trim levels, including new options like the X-Line, X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige. Inside, Kia opted for durable synthetic leather over traditional leather, maintaining a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob in higher trims. The interior boasted a large display, though some areas felt typical of the compact-crossover class, with hard plastics and piano-black finishes.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna maintained its distinctive look with sleek front and rear fascias and vibrant color options. The XSE trim added sporty elements like a black metallic mesh grille and 20-inch dark wheels. The Woodland Edition catered to off-road enthusiasts with features like roof rails and a tow hitch. Inside, the Sienna offered a spacious cabin with options for captain’s chairs and leather-trimmed seats. The interior design emphasized functionality, with ample storage and a built-in vacuum cleaner in upper trims. The Sienna's interior was practical, catering to families with features like a tri-zone climate control system.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Available in both FWD and AWD, it delivered fuel efficiency of 25 mpg city and 32 highway with FWD, and 23/28/25 with AWD. While more powerful than its predecessor, the Sportage lacked a turbocharged engine option, which affected its performance appeal. 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. Despite its off-road prowess, the Sportage's on-road performance was less impressive, with noticeable road noise and vibration.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna, a hybrid minivan, combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total of 245 horsepower. AWD models included an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. While equipped with a sport-tuned suspension and Sport mode, the Sienna's performance was not particularly thrilling, with a sluggish feel and a loud CVT. However, it offered a smooth ride in Normal or Eco mode, with light and accurate steering. The Sienna excelled in town driving, though it lagged behind competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Kia Carnival in terms of engine power.

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, expanding to 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The front seats provided ample storage, though the touch-sensitive HVAC controls were frustrating to use. The Sportage's increased size positioned it as a strong competitor in the compact crossover segment.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior functionality, with a lower storage pass-through and multiple cupholders. The second-row captain’s chairs offered up to 40 inches of legroom, though their slide function was complex. The third row provided ample space, with 39 inches of legroom when the second row was pushed forward. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control and a rear liftgate with 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 101 cubes with the second row folded.

The 2023 Kia Sportage impressed with its 12.3-inch touchscreen interface and panoramic driver display in higher trims. However, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on top trims puzzled many, as the base trim offered wireless connectivity. The Sportage included wireless charging, rear USB-C ports, and a Harman Kardon stereo in higher trims, making it a tech-savvy choice.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna retained older infotainment technology with a nine-inch touchscreen and wired smartphone integration. While it included physical buttons for common functions, the backup camera's grainy view was disappointing. The Sienna offered a Wi-Fi hotspot, optional JBL stereo, and a rear-camera mirror. USB ports and a 1500-watt inverter added convenience, though the infotainment system felt outdated compared to competitors.

The 2023 Kia Sportage came equipped with a robust suite of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and rear backup sensors. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. However, advanced features like the blind-view monitor were limited to top trims. The Sportage had not yet been crash-tested by major safety organizations.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna featured the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including lane departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and road sign recognition. While most systems performed well, lane-keeping assist showed some side-to-side movement. The Sienna boasted numerous airbags and reminders for rear passengers. It received high safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS, though its front crash prevention was rated as "Average."