2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Kia Sportage

The 2020 Honda Passport was a quintessential Honda, embodying the brand's familiar design language and reliable components. Its exterior, reminiscent of a scaled-down Honda Pilot or an enhanced CR-V, struck a balance between ruggedness and athleticism. The Passport's design, with its matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and increased ground clearance, suggested a vehicle ready for off-road adventures. Inside, the Passport's cabin was more sophisticated than rugged, featuring a mix of durable and soft-touch materials. The Elite trim level boasted luxurious amenities like perforated, heated, and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, and a moonroof, making it a comfortable and practical choice for frequent Honda buyers.

The 2021 Kia Sportage, with its distinctive tiger-nose grille and bulbous headlights, aimed for a "Euro-focused" design. Its compact dimensions, short wheelbase, and overhangs made it ideal for urban environments. The interior featured an 8-inch touchscreen display, flanked by air vents and physical buttons for tuning and volume, creating a user-friendly interface. While not as tech-forward as some of Kia's newer models, the Sportage's cabin was still a pleasant place to be, offering good interior space for both driver and passengers. The SX Turbo trim added premium touches like a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and heated and ventilated seats, enhancing comfort and convenience.

The 2020 Honda Passport was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided sufficient power for various driving situations, though its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. AWD models performed slightly worse. The Passport excelled in off-road conditions, thanks to its increased ground clearance and torque-vectoring AWD system, which could send 70% of engine torque to the rear axle and 100% to either rear wheel. It also offered Snow, Sand, and Mud drive modes, making it more capable than expected. The Passport could tow up to 5,000 pounds with the available towing package, outclassing rivals like the Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Blazer.

The 2021 Kia Sportage offered two engine options: a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque for the LX and EX trims, and a 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine generating 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque for the SX Turbo trim. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy for the 2.4-liter engine was 23 mpg city, 30 highway, and 26 combined for FWD models, and slightly lower for AWD models. The turbocharged engine's fuel economy was 20/28/23 for FWD and 19/24/21 for AWD. The Sportage's McPherson-strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension provided a smooth ride, though its steering and tire grip left room for improvement. The SX Turbo trim offered a more engaging driving experience, making it a good choice for those seeking a sporty drive.

The 2020 Honda Passport was a practical midsize SUV, offering ample space and comfort for four adults. Its size, slightly larger than the CR-V, provided good visibility and spacious seats. The Passport featured height-adjustable seatbelts, three full LATCH connections in the second row, and available tri-zone automatic climate control and second-row sunshades. Cargo space was generous, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. The Passport's small-item storage was also impressive, with a large center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors. The interior materials were easy to clean, though the piano black trim pieces tended to gather dust.

The 2021 Kia Sportage, while on the smaller side of the compact crossover segment, offered good interior space for the driver and passengers. The SX Turbo trim featured a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and 8-way power adjustment for the passenger, along with heated and ventilated seats. Rear legroom and headroom were adequate, but cargo space was limited, with 30.7 cubic feet behind the second row and 60.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. This cargo capacity was less competitive compared to other compact crossovers.

The 2020 Honda Passport's base Sport model came with a 5.0-inch display monitor, while higher trims featured an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The larger screen was responsive and easy to navigate, with pinch, swipe, and tap functionality. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, a seven-speaker audio system, push-button start, and keyless entry. Higher trims offered a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, additional USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Passport's dashboard design, borrowed from the Pilot, looked slightly outdated but remained functional.

The 2021 Kia Sportage featured an 8-inch touchscreen interface with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and USB ports as standard equipment. Most trims also included Kia's UVO Link connected services. The SX Turbo trim added wireless charging and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The Sportage's technology was user-friendly, with logical menus, physical buttons, and handy knobs, making it easy to use without frustration.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assist technology, including collision mitigation braking, forward-collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. A rearview camera with a birds-eye view was also standard. Higher trims offered dynamic gridlines for the rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Kia Sportage excelled in safety, with standard advanced driver assistance systems like forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, and a driver-monitoring system. The SX Turbo trim added adaptive cruise control. The Sportage earned Top Safety Pick status from the IIHS for the SX Turbo trim and performed well in NHTSA crash tests.