Hyundai Tucson vs KIA Sportage - Which SUV Is Better to Buy in 2023-2024?

Hyundai and KIA are both South Korean brands that actually belong to one corporation and use common technologies. Hyundai engineers new engines, transmissions, platforms, suspension units, etc., and then shares with KIA to help the sister brand make more affordable vehicles that would beat competitors in different countries.

In the US, both brands are presented and they are pretty popular. Today, we'll look closer at two of the most interesting SUVs by the Korean brands - KIA Sportage and Hyundai Tucson - and compare them to find out which is better to buy. Both vehicles are great and more or less affordable, both have recently got new generations and are now attracting a lot of attention.

Here's what exactly we'll look at:

• Design of KIA Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
• Engines and transmissions - is there any difference?
• Which SUV is more durable - Tucson or Sportage?
• What is the better choice for money?
• What about hybrid versions of the Tucson and Sportage?

Let's get started!

Design comparison of the Sportage and the Tucson

We won't take a lot of your time talking about design because this is a very personal feature and buyers will surely form their own opinions after test-driving these SUVs and looking at them at showrooms or just on the street.

But we should say that both, Sportage and Tucson, got absolutely new designs in 2021-2022 and now look wonderful. To us, KIA has a sleeker design and is more like what we want to see in a compact SUV. But some writers in our team like Tucson more thanks to its laconic and practical features that are combined with super-modern design.

In terms of interiors, both vehicles leave a feeling that manufacturers wanted to save some money. Materials are cheaper than you expect and the design of some things is hard to see as clever. Though, seats are comfortable in both of them and the level of tech is acceptable even in base versions.

To us, the Tucson looks more like the RAV4 - we couldn't help comparing these two vehicles. And this similarity is not a positive feature of the Korean SUV. The Sportage has a more unique style and really cool appearance that basically develops the earlier generation of the model to make it look modern and cool.

What about pricing?

Both SUVs start over $26,000 but the Sportage comes a little less expensive. Though, this is more of a marketing trick because once you add all the needed add-ons, you will end up with approximately the same price for both SUVs.

Their technologies and available features are pretty much the same. We won't go deep into comparing prices for different trims - you can easily do this at one of the other websites that lists all the features in every single trim.

The most expensive gas-powered Tucson will go over $40,000 while the most expensive Sportage costs $38,400. This sounds like another important advantage of the Sportage - you get the same car with a better (arguably) design for less money. Not bad, KIA, not bad!

What's with engines and transmissions?

When it comes, to the Tucson, you can get it with a 2.5-liter Smartstream engine with 187 horsepower and eight-speed automatic. You can choose FWD or AWD. Also, there is a hybrid powertrain that we'll cover later.

KIA Sportage comes with exactly the same 2.5-liter Smartstream engine having 187 horsepower and also the same 8-speed automatic transmission. Hybrid versions are also available and compared separately at the bottom of this article.

So, if you want a pure-gasoline-powered SUV from Korea, you will get a really good and solid engine without any turbochargers and with enough power to move it quite actively. The transmission is also good.

Here, we have nothing to compare because the gas versions of the Sportage and Tucson are basically the same.

Which SUV is more durable?

While you may think the question is stupid because the engines and transmissions are the same, we wouldn't jump to conclusions. The Hyundai Tucson may still be a little more durable thanks to the quality of materials and assembly. These models are assembled in different locations in the USA and they will have some differences in the quality.

Traditionally, KIAs are assembled a little less carefully and this plays a certain role in the longevity of the vehicles. Of course, the difference will be negligible but the fact that Tucsons are a little better in quality may make you choose this model.

We still want to assure you that the KIA Sportage will be a good purchase and it's not going to fall apart after three years of driving. You still need to be ready to address some minor issues that are connected with the quality of assembly and materials if you choose the Sportage. The number of such issues depends purely on your luck.

Which SUV is a better choice for money?

It's really hard to say which model is better to buy for the money. Comparing the Tucson and the Sportage, we would say that they are equally good for the money sellers want to get for them.

These vehicles are both modern in terms of design, they are pretty technological, even if we take the base versions. In the more expensive trims, these SUVs look premium. And yes, they are really worth their money.

If you want to check that, just compare it with other SUVs in the same class on sites like Edmunds to see the side-by-side comparison of the features. You'll be surprised by the technological level of the vehicle.

What about hybrid versions of these SUVs?

Korean cars are known for cool hybrid systems. And the Tucson and Sportage are available with hybrid powerplants. Both SUVs base their hybrid versions on their 1.6L Turbo Smartstream engine. There are both full hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

The situation with prices for plug-in hybrid vehicles is different here. The Tucson is available for about $36,000 while the Sportage will take over $40,000 from your pocket. The powertrains are very similar, they include the six-speed automatic transmission. Both plug-in hybrid SUVs come with a 13.8 kWh battery pack and can drive several miles in the all-electric mode.

Although these hybrids are not the most technological and modern in the class, they are affordable and very practical. We expect both Tucson and Sportage plug-in hybrid versions to last over 150,000 miles with no major issues and with probably one battery replacement.

Overall emotions of driving Tucson and Sportage

The vehicles are extremely alike. But there are some differences in how they feel on the road.

We personally like the Sportage more. It feels a little roomier. Maybe, that's because it's about an inch longer and also a little higher than the Tucson. We like the settings on the driver's place more in the Sportage. It feels a little bit more premium inside. This is a very personal thing but the majority of our writers feel like sitting comfortably in the Sportage is an easier task than in the Tucson.

On the other hand, in the Tucson, you get a little bit more technologies. This vehicle has more add-ons, more options when you are choosing a needed trim. This may not be important if you are buying the most expensive or the cheapest trim because they are almost identical in both vehicles, but when it comes to mid-range trims, Tucson wins our attention. Also, the Tucson feels more compact being almost the same size as the Sportage, and many drivers may like it.

So, we can't say for sure whether we certainly like one of these models more than another one. But if personally I wanted to buy a Korean SUV now, it would be the Sportage. For a little less money, it offers a little more of what's important for me in a car.

What else can you look at in this price range?

We will not cover all the compact SUVs on the market because there are tons of them. This is probably the hottest class in the modern world of cars, so we will just make some hints of what you can maybe compare the Tucson and Sportage with.

We would try the following models:

• Toyota RAV4. Yes, it costs much more than any of the Korean SUVs and it only makes sense to compare it to the Sportage or Tucson if you are looking at a top trim of Hyundai SUVs. But the RAV4 offers so much more for the money that sometimes it's worth making a little bigger downpayment.
• Ford Escape. We would also give it a try because the new Escape seems to be really cool. It looks wonderful and has great engines to choose from. You will love it if you liked the previous generation of the Escape SUV, but please keep in mind that this is not the vehicle for everyone.
• Subaru Crosstrek. Maybe, this is a little weird competitor as it's smaller and comes from a completely different world. But the Crosstrek wins a lot of hearts - you just need to test drive this SUV. It feels so good on the road and looks so cool that in some cases people tale instant decisions to buy it right at the moment when they get into the car. The good thing - its starting price is just the same as with the Sportage and the Tucson.

So, we hope now you have made up your mind and know what vehicle is more appropriate for you - the Tucson or the Sportage. We love both and we think both are worth your money but remember that there is plenty more fish in the sea and don't make quick decisions.