December 8, 2023

2023 Kia Sportage vs. 2022 Toyota RAV4 Comparison

The Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage are both great choices if you’re shopping for a…

The Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage are both great choices if you’re shopping for a compact SUV. The RAV4 has been around in its current generation for a few years, while the Kia Sportage is all-new for 2023.

Let’s take a closer look at these SUVs and find the right one for you.

2023 Kia Sportage

2023 Kia Sportage SX

The Kia Sportage has been fully redesigned for 2023. The big story with the new Sportage is that it’s quite a bit larger than the outgoing model. It’s slotted between the smaller Seltos and the bigger, 3-row Sorento in the Kia SUV lineup. Although it’s bigger than its predecessor, it’s still a similar size to the popular Toyota RAV4. The starting price at the base trim is $25,990.

There’s also a hybrid version of the Sportage available, and a plug-in hybrid variant is on the way.

Kia Sportage Highlights

Huge cabin: The Sportage got bigger with the 2023 redesign, which means more interior space. It has two adult-friendly rows of seats with plenty of legroom in the back. On top of that, Kia claims the Sportage has the biggest cargo hold in its class, with 39.6 cubic feet of room behind the back seats. This adds up to a compact SUV that makes a great family vehicle as long as you don’t need a third row of seats.

High-tech interior: The roomy interior of the all-new Kia Sportage is packed with impressive tech features, especially in the upper trims. Even in the base LX trim, you get a 12.2-inch digital gauge cluster, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and many Kia DriveWise driver assistance tech features. Optional tech features include Harman Kardon premium audio, dual panoramic displays, a surround-view monitor, etc.

X-Pro off-road models: The all-new Kia Sportage does a bit of a return to its heritage as a compact off-road SUV. It still has unibody construction giving it a smooth and car-like ride, but the new X-Pro models are competent off-roaders that can compete with the Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road. The X-Pro trims come with 8.3 inches of ground clearance, all-wheel drive (AWD) with a center locking differential, multi-terrain drive modes, all-terrain tires, and more.

2022 Toyota RAV4

2022 Toyota RAV4 XSE

The Toyota RAV4 is America’s best-selling SUV, and it’s not hard to see why. It continues its well-earned reputation for being good at just about everything. It’s roomy, fuel-efficient, high-tech, and carries the Toyota brand’s calling card of safety and reliability. Starting price is $26,975.

If you’re considering the RAV4 and want the best fuel economy, check out the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime.

Toyota RAV4 Highlights

Excellent fuel economy: The Toyota RAV4 beats the Kia Sportage when it comes to fuel economy. The RAV4 gets up to 30 combined mpg with both front-wheel drive (FWD) and AWD. By comparison, the Sportage gets up to 28 combined mpg with FWD and only 25 mpg with AWD. The result is lower fuel costs with the RAV4, which add up over time.

Stellar resale value: The Toyota RAV4 is our Compact SUV Best Buy for 2022, partially because of its outstanding resale value. If you’re in the market for a new compact SUV and don’t want to take a significant depreciation hit, then the RAV4 is one of the best values in its class.

Many standard features: Every trim of the Toyota RAV4 comes well-equipped with standard features. The base LE trim comes with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety tech suite, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and LED headlights. The top Limited trim has premium features like JBL premium audio and a power sunroof, and the TRD Off-Road model comes with many off-road features like a TRD-tuned suspension and torque-vectoring AWD.

Similarities

Off-road trims, similar sizing, similar pricing, roomy interior, hybrid options

Conclusion

You can’t go wrong with either of these compact SUVs. They’re two of the top choices in the competitive compact SUV class. Both have spacious interiors, excellent standard and available features, and they even both offer impressive off-road chops when properly equipped. Go with the RAV4 if you want better fuel economy and choose the Sportage if you want more interior space. See Kia Sportage models for sale or See Toyota RAV4 models for sale

2023 Kia Sportage 2022 Toyota RAV4
Popular Powertrains
Engine 2.5L 4-cylinder 2.5L 4-cylinder
Horsepower 187 hp @ 6,100 rpm 203 hp @ 6,600 rpm
Torque 178 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm 184 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm
Transmission 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic
Fuel Economy 25 city/32 highway 27 city/35 highway
Also Available AWD AWD
Specs
Basic Warranty 5 years/60,000 miles 36 months/36,000 miles
Powertrain Warranty 10 years/100,000 miles 60 months/60,000 miles
NHTSA Overall Safety Not Rated 5 stars
Max Seating Capacity 5 5
Wheelbase 108.5 inches 105.9 inches
Overall Length 183.5 inches 180.9 inches
Width 73.4 inches 73.0 inches
Height 65.4 inches 67.0 inches
Turning Diameter 38.6 feet 36.1 feet
Headroom, Front 39.6 inches 39.5 inches
Headroom, Rear 39.4 inches 39.5 inches
Legroom, Front 41.4 inches 41.0 inches
Legroom, Rear 41.3 inches 37.8 inches
Shoulder Room, Front 57.5 inches 57.8 inches
Shoulder Room, Rear 55.6 inches 56.4 inches
Cargo Volume 39.6 cubic feet 37.6 cubic feet