Kia Sportage vs Hyundai Tucson Hybrid

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid showcased a daring and dramatic new design that deviated significantly from its previous iterations and much of its competition. Angular cues adorned the fascia and sides, while a unique grille seamlessly integrated with the LED headlights and running lights, resulting in a futuristic look. On higher trims, the grille had a dark chrome finish that added an extra flair. The Tucson was both longer and wider than its predecessors, contributing to its imposing road presence. Internally, the Tucson’s interior was open and airy, although the center console felt bulkier than necessary. The driver information display was sharp, albeit a dust magnet, and the panoramic sunroof added to the interior's bright and airy feel. Higher trims offered premium interior features, including a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated and ventilated seats.

In contrast, the 2023 Kia Sportage followed a completely redesigned path, drawing inspiration from French automakers' distinctive styling. Its front end was marked by boomerang-shaped daytime running lights framing a grille that was both striking and classy. The Sportage was offered in seven trims, including new variants like the X-Line and X-Pro. Inside, Kia opted for synthetic leather, which was durable but not quite as luxurious to the touch as real leather. The interior’s standout feature was the expansive infotainment display, complemented by a well-placed driver information display in higher trims. However, the overwhelming use of piano-black plastic and the frustrating hard plastic plates at knee touchpoints slightly marred the overall luxurious feel. Advanced features like dual-zone climate control became standard above the base trim.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid impressed significantly more with its hybrid powertrain than its gas-only counterpart. It featured a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine paired with an electric motor, producing a combined 226 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a noticeably quicker and more responsive drive. The six-speed automatic transmission, while less complex than some competitors, managed power delivery well. Its suspension system was strong, efficiently absorbing road imperfections while maintaining stability through corners. Fuel economy ratings stood at a commendable 37 mpg city, 36 highway, ensuring that it delivered both performance and efficiency.

Kia’s 2023 Sportage, on the other hand, featured a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine generating 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. This engine was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and came in both FWD and AWD variants. Despite its larger size and slight power increase from its predecessor, it felt significantly less powerful than the hybrid version. The new generation also missed out on the previously available turbocharged option, which had been a strong performer. Kia introduced rugged trims like X-Line and X-Pro, which added off-road visual cues and functional features such as all-terrain tires and specific driving modes. However, while these trims improved off-road capability, they compromised on-road performance with increased noise and vibration.

Even though the 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid was larger than its predecessor, it remained a compact crossover with impressive cargo and interior space. It offered 38.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the rear seats and expanded to 74.5 cubic feet when the rear seats were folded down. This was notably more than competitors like the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4. The Tucson also boasted over 41 inches of legroom in both the front and rear seats, adding to passenger comfort. Practical features included a dual-level cargo floor for flexible storage options and ample bottle holders in the doors.

The 2023 Kia Sportage also saw a significant size increase compared to its previous model, becoming 7.1 inches longer with a 3.4-inch longer wheelbase. This growth translated into ample interior space, with 41.3 inches of rear-seat legroom and 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 74.1 cubic feet with the seats down. This made it highly competitive in the segment. However, the Sportage’s use of technology sometimes overcomplicated basic functions, such as HVAC controls through a dual-purpose touchscreen interface, which could become a source of frustration during use.

Technology in the 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid was robust yet slightly frustrating. The 10.25-inch touchscreen on the Limited trim offered excellent native software performance but limited functionality with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which required a wired connection. The smaller 8-inch screen in lower trims provided wireless connectivity, making this design choice perplexing. The touch-capacitive buttons for infotainment and climate control added to the frustration, despite the availability of steering-wheel controls as a workaround. Positive aspects included numerous USB ports and a Bose premium stereo system.

For the 2023 Kia Sportage, tech offerings were similarly impressive. The 12.3-inch touchscreen on higher trims, paired with a 12.3-inch driver display, provided a luxurious feel akin to premium vehicles. However, the fact that wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were only available on the smaller 8-inch screen in base trims caused confusion. The icons' similarity in appearance also made navigating the interface challenging while driving. Yet, the Sportage included advanced features such as wireless charging, rear USB-C charging ports, navigation, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, and a Harman Kardon stereo on premium trims.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid excelled in safety, offering a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as standard. These included automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention monitor, lane-keeping and following assist, safe-exit warning, and rear occupant alert. Higher trims added a surround-view monitor, highway-driving assist with adaptive cruise control, and innovative features like blind-spot view monitor and remote smart park assist.

The 2023 Kia Sportage also packed an impressive range of standard ADAS. Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, and rear backup sensors were all included. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The top trims included Kia’s standout safety features, such as blind-view monitor and highway driving assist. However, these premium features were limited to the most expensive trims, which limited their accessibility.