2023 Subaru Forester vs. 2023 Kia Sportage

A compact SUV offers you performance, cargo space, and passenger capacity. It can be a great vehicle for commuting, as well as road trips, errands, and more. It is a very versatile option when it comes to a vehicle. The Subaru Forester and Kia Sportage are two different compact SUV options. Both offer you some great features and capability. You can check out a comparison of the 2023 Subaru Forester and the 2023 Kia Sportage below.

Performance and Engine Options

First, let's take a look at the performance and engine options for these two vehicles. The engine found in the 2023 Subaru Forester is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. This engine gives you 182-horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. It is paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, and it comes with standard all-wheel drive. In terms of fuel efficiency, this vehicle can get up to 26 city and 33 highway miles per gallon. You can also do some basic off-roading in the Forester Wilderness model because it offers you features like all-terrain tires, a skid-plate, different drive modes, and 9.2-inches of ground clearance. This vehicle can also tow up to 3,000 pounds when it is properly equipped.

Under the hood of the 2023 Kia Sportage, you can find a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The engine gives you 187-horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, and it is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This vehicle comes with standard front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available. You can expect to get around 25 city and 32 highway miles to the gallon. This vehicle added some light off-roading performance with X-Pro trims that offer you up to 8.3-inches of ground clearance, as well as some different drive modes. This vehicle also gives you up to 2,500 pounds of towing capacity when properly equipped.

Overall, the Subaru Forester offers you slightly better efficiency, standard all-wheel drive, and some more capable off-road features. You also get slightly higher towing capacity in the 2023 Forester as compared to the Sportage.

Exterior

Both of these vehicles are compact SUVs. Let's look at their size and the exterior features they offer you.

The Subaru Forester measures 15.2 feet in length, and it has a curb weight that ranges from 3,454 to 3,620 pounds. As mentioned above, the Subaru Forester can give you up to 9.2 inches of ground clearance. This vehicle can also feature 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels with all-season tires. You also have LED steering responsive headlights, fog lights, LED fog lights, body colored folding side mirrors with integrated turn signals, a panoramic power moonroof, and raised roof rails.

The Kia Sportage is 15.3 feet long. This SUV has a curb weight that ranges from 3,373 to 3,834 pounds. This vehicle also offers you exterior features like a sunroof, raised roof rails, LED headlights, LED fog lights, LED daytime running lights, side mirrors with integrated turn signals, and 17-inch wheels.

Interior and Technology

Next, let's look at the interior and technology features that can be found in these two SUVs. On the inside of the Subaru Forester, you have seating for five people on standard cloth upholstery. There are interior upgrades like synthetic leather upholstery, genuine leather upholstery, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and power-adjustable front seats. In terms of technology features, this vehicle offers you Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a navigation system, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, USB ports, and more.

In terms of cargo space, the 2023 Forester offers you 28.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear row of seating. If you fold down the rear seats, you can get up to 74.2 cubic feet of cargo space total.

The Kia Sportage seats five people on standard cloth upholstery, but there are available interior upgrades. Some of those available upgrades include synthetic leather upholstery, heated seats, ventilated front seats, and power-adjustable front seats.

For technology, the 2023 Sportage gives you an 8 or 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, navigation, Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless device charging, USB ports, and an available Harman Kardon audio system.

Also, the Kia Sportage offers you up to 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and you can get up to 74.1 cubic feet of space with those rear seats folded down. 

As you can see, there is a lot to love about the interior of both of these vehicles with plenty of technology and cargo space.

Safety

Finally, let's look at the safety of these two vehicles, in particular, the driver assistance features and technology found in these SUVs.

Standard safety features in the 2023 Forester include a rearview camera, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, adaptive headlights, automatic high-beam headlights, and a rear seat alert. The other available features include driver attention monitoring, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and reverse automatic emergency braking.

In the 2023 Sportage, you have standard driver assistance features including lane keep assist, rear seat reminder, forward automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, driver attention monitor, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and automatic high-beam headlights. There are additional features available on higher trim levels, including blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, intersection traffic detection, reverse automatic emergency braking, highway driving assist, rain-sensing windshield wipers, safe exit assist, and a surround-view parking camera.

The Kia Sportage has a few additional safety features that are not yet available on the Subaru Forester, but you do have to upgrade your Sportage to get those features.

Overall, both of these vehicles are great SUV options. You may still be wondering which one is right for you. That answer depends on your specific needs in your next vehicle upgrade. You can reach out to us at Granite Subaru to learn more about both of these vehicles. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.