South Trail Kia
Posted on September 13, 2021
The compact crossover SUV market is a highly competitive one, but the Kia Sportage has a healthy sales advantage thanks to its combination of quality, comfort, and performance. The new 2022 Kia Sportage is now available for test drive at South Trail Kia, but will it maintain its market lead? To find out, we've put it up against one of its closest competitors, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, and here's how it went.
Both these cars are great examples of the compact crossover SUV format, but the Kia has a slight size and weight advantage for busy city driving. The Sportage is a little over 15cm shorter than the Hyundai, giving it that edge in bumper-to-bumper traffic and tight parking slots. It's also a lighter car at 1,567kg compared to the Tucson's 1,660kg, and has a turning diameter of 10.6m compared to the Hyundai's 11.8m. If you need compact manoeuvrability in a car, the Kia Sportage makes the better choice.
However, it's under the hood where performance is really decided. At the base level the two cars offer almost identical performance, with the Kia's 2.4L engine making 181 horsepower compared to the Hyundai's 2.5L and 187 horsepower. But for the Tucson, that's where the story ends, with no other engine options available. In contrast, the high-end trims of the Sportage offer a powerful 2.0L turbo option which increases the output to a searing 237 horsepower and 260lb-ft of torque, and excellent rating for a compact crossover.
Both models offer an attractive suite of active driver assist systems, with features including forward collision warnings with pedestrian detection, lane departure warnings, and lane keeping assist. However, the Kia takes things a step further with optional rear cross-traffic alerts and a rear parking aid, neither of which are available on the Tucson.
You can become a Kia Sportage owner for a significantly lower coast than the Hyundai Tucson, with the Kia starting at just $25,995 in Canada compared to the Hyundai's $27,799. The top-line model in the Sportage range comes in at $40,195 compared to the Tucson at $37,099, but for the extra money you get that turbo engine option for great performance.
However, both cars are supplied with almost identical market-leading warranties, covering five years or 100,000km bumper to bumper, with ten years and 160,000km for the powertrain components. Both cars also offer five years' worth of 24-hour roadside assistance, but the Kia has the lead in one final warranty area. Both manufacturers offer anti-perforation cover to protect the bodywork from corrosion, but the Kia offers a ten-year period option while the Hyundai only covers a maximum of seven years.
There are many excellent reasons why the Kia Sportage remains a consistent best-seller in the compact crossover SUV market. Book a test drive of the 2022 model from South Trail Kia and see for yourself just how easily the Sportage could slot into your driving life.
Categories: Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson