Kia Sportage vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2026 Kia Sportage showcased a refreshed styling that gave it a more rugged, truck-like appearance, ensuring it stood out in the compact crossover segment. The wide grille design, which pushed the headlights to the corners, continued from the previous generation but evolved into a more rectangular shape with vertical headlights and daytime running lights. This design aligned the Sportage with the larger Sorento and Telluride models, enhancing its rugged appeal. Despite these changes, the rest of the vehicle maintained its previous look, with a curvaceous rear end and taillights that didn't quite match the restyled front. The Sportage's 2,755-millimetre wheelbase was notably longer than its competitors, adding visual interest with crisp body lines.

Inside, the 2026 Sportage featured a new steering wheel design reminiscent of early airbag-equipped wheels from the late 1980s, adding a distinctive touch to an otherwise straightforward interior. The dashboard's large air vents were removed, making the curved screen more prominent. While the materials used weren't luxurious, they offered a quality feel suitable for active lifestyles. The test vehicle, a U.S. specification Sportage X-Pro, was not available in Canada, but the X-Line models offered off-road appearance packages with unique bumpers, SynTex artificial leather upholstery, and all-season tires on 19-inch wheels. The EX Premium trim also featured 19-inch wheels, while other trims came with 17-inch or 18-inch wheels.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was available with a standard turbocharged gas engine, a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain, and a powerful Hybrid Max configuration with full-time AWD and 362 horsepower. The hybrid powertrains, priced between $57,465 and $69,060, offered a range of options for Canadian buyers. The top trim level, the Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max, featured Storm Cloud paint and a smart, upscale interior with Portobello leather and artificial suede upholstery. The Grand Highlander's design drew inspiration from the previous-generation RAV4, resulting in a familiar yet conservative look with seating for up to eight and ample cargo space.

Inside, the Grand Highlander emphasized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. The climate system was simple and user-friendly, while the infotainment interface had some usability issues, such as a small volume knob and the lack of a tuning knob. The Hybrid Max powertrain delivered impressive performance with 362 horsepower, allowing the Grand Highlander to accelerate quickly and tow up to 2,268 kilograms. The ride quality was soft and isolating, though handling was secure only up to a modest point. The Grand Highlander offered excellent outward visibility, aided by available camera systems, though the front camera's frequent takeover of the infotainment screen was a minor annoyance.

The 2026 Kia Sportage offered a range of powertrains, including conventional gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options. The gas powertrain featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models used a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, delivering 232 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque for hybrids, and 268 horsepower for plug-in hybrids. While the base powertrain was adequate, the hybrid and plug-in hybrid options provided more refined performance.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid emphasized efficiency with its regular hybrid system, while the Hybrid Max configuration focused on performance. The Hybrid Max powertrain, based on a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine with electronic full-time AWD and two electric motors, produced 362 net horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate quickly, with a traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning common in CVTs. The Hybrid Max's fuel economy was rated at 8.8 L/100 km combined, with a towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms. During testing, the Hybrid Max averaged 9.1 L/100 km on a balanced city and highway route and 10.1 L/100 km on a mountainous loop.

The 2026 Kia Sportage's exterior styling changes did not affect its interior space, which remained competitive in the segment. Headroom in both rows was nearly identical to key rivals, while rear-seat legroom surpassed the Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4. Cargo space was nominally 1,036 litres with the rear bench seat in place and 1,962 litres with it folded. The dual-level cargo floor allowed for expansion to 2,098 litres behind the first row and 1,121 litres behind the second row. The Sportage's towing capacity was 1,130 kilograms for non-hybrid models and 900 kilograms for hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid offered comfortable seating in all three rows, with more than 2,700 litres of maximum cargo space. The Platinum-trim test vehicle featured Portobello leather and artificial suede upholstery, with heated and ventilated front and second-row seats. The second-row captain's chairs with a removable centre console allowed for easy access to the third row. The Grand Highlander provided 586 litres of cargo space behind the third row, 1,640 litres with the third row folded, and 2,761 litres with the second row folded.

The 2026 Kia Sportage came standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, while the X-Line Limited trim added a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless phone charging were standard on all but the base LX trim. The X-Line Limited also featured a Harman Kardon premium audio system, head-up display, and digital key functionality. The horizontal display blended the instrument cluster and touchscreen into one unit, similar to luxury cars. However, the screen-centric interface required regular swiping and complicated exiting from Android Auto.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, with a 7-inch digital driver display in XLE trim and a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel in Limited and Platinum trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services offered features like automatic collision notification and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was easy to use, though the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously and the low-contrast font were minor drawbacks.

The 2026 Kia Sportage came equipped with standard driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and lane following assist. Higher trims offered the Highway Driving Assist system, surround-view camera system, and blind-spot view monitor. The Sportage received the highest Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which included lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and Proactive Driving Assist. While the safety tech operated with accuracy, the PDA system was found to be irritating. The Grand Highlander earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.