2023 Kia Sportage vs 2022 Cadillac Escalade

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade made a bold statement with its imposing size and distinctive design elements. Its massive grille, LED daytime running lights, and taillights were scaled to match its bulk, evoking the grandeur of classic Cadillacs. The front end, with its tall hood and vertical running lights, resembled a diesel locomotive, emphasizing the vehicle's robust presence. The Escalade's various styling elements came together to create a unique look that set it apart from other GM full-size SUVs. The 22-inch wheels on the test car appeared small against the vast expanse of sheet metal, further highlighting the vehicle's size. Different trim pieces for "sport" and "luxury" models added to its appeal, with the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims featuring bright exterior trim and wheels, while the Sport trim had darkened trim and a mesh grille.

The Escalade's interior aimed for luxury with leather upholstery, wood trim, and a panoramic sunroof, but it lacked a cohesive design theme. While the materials looked nice, some cheap-looking plastic bits detracted from the overall impression. The Escalade's body-on-frame architecture, shared with other GM full-size SUVs and trucks, provided a solid foundation, but the ride felt unsettled and un-luxurious. Despite its truck DNA, the Escalade didn't offer the off-road capability of its GM cousins, making it less suitable for rugged adventures.

The 2023 Kia Sportage arrived with a completely redesigned look that drew comparisons to French automakers like Renault, Peugeot, and Citroen. Its exciting and exotic styling earned plenty of attention, with standout features like the bright boomerang-shaped daytime running lights and textured metal trim on the D Pillar. The Sportage was available in seven trim levels, including the new X-Line, X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige trims. Inside, Kia opted for synthetic leather upholstery, which, while more durable and animal-friendly, didn't feel as luxurious as real leather. The base LX trim featured cloth seats, while higher trims included leather-wrapped steering wheels and shift knobs.

The Sportage's interior offered excellent visibility with a big front windshield and a relatively low beltline. The dash was dominated by over two feet of display in trims above the base LX, creating an impressive sight. However, the cabin featured a mix of hard-wearing plastic and piano-black plastic, which picked up fingerprints easily. The hard plastic plate ahead of the door handle for front-seat passengers was an uncomfortable touch point. Dual-zone full automatic climate control was standard above the LX trim, adding to the vehicle's comfort and convenience.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade offered two powertrain choices, both shared with other GM SUVs and trucks. The standard 6.2-liter gasoline V8 produced 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Additionally, a $100 option was available for GM's Duramax 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six diesel engine, which generated 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and came with standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) or optional four-wheel drive (4WD). A 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V performance model was also available, featuring a 682-horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8.

During testing, the Escalade diesel impressed with its smooth power delivery and lower torque peak of 1,500 rpm, making it easy to pull away from a stop. However, the brake pedal felt very hard, which didn't inspire much confidence. The gasoline engine had a slight advantage in towing capacity, with a maximum of 8,200 pounds, compared to the diesel's 8,100 pounds. Despite its independent rear suspension, the Escalade's ride felt unsettled, with noticeable vibrations and pitching. It lacked the off-road capability of its GM cousins and fell short of competitors like the Lincoln Navigator and Grand Wagoneer in comfort and composure.

The 2023 Kia Sportage introduced hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, but the gas-powered model featured a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) options. The new engine was slightly larger and more powerful than the outgoing 2.4-liter engine, with improved fuel efficiency at 25 mpg city, 32 highway, and 28 combined for FWD, and 23/28/25 for AWD.

While the 2023 Sportage was more powerful than the 2022 model, its 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque didn't provide a blisteringly quick experience. The previous-generation Sportage's turbocharged engine, which produced 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, was no longer available. The X-Line trim added rugged visual cues, while the X-Pro trims offered genuine off-roading features like BF Goodrich all-terrain tires and specific drive modes. The Sportage's 8.3 inches of ground clearance on AWD models matched or beat most competitors, but the X-Pro's off-road capabilities came at the cost of on-road comfort, with noticeable road noise and vibration.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade, built on the same platform as other GM full-size SUVs, offered a cavernous cabin with the most first-row and third-row legroom among full-size luxury SUVs. The standard Escalade measured 211.9 inches long, while the extended ESV version was 227 inches long. Second-row captain's chairs and a 60/40 power split-folding third-row bench seat were standard, with an optional power-folding 60/40 bench seat for the second row. The Escalade excelled in cargo space, offering 25.5 cubic feet with all seats in place, 63.0 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded, and 109.1 cubic feet with all rear seats folded.

Despite its spacious interior, the Escalade had some minor functionality issues. The raised center console provided limited storage space, and the 12-way power adjustable front seats with massage and lumbar support felt like they could have come from one of the Escalade's GM cousins. However, Cadillac got some details right, including dedicated buttons for seat heating and ventilation and large sun visors for the expansive side-window glass.

The 2023 Kia Sportage, as a compact crossover, competed in a tight segment against popular models like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Subaru Forester. The new Sportage was 7.1 inches longer with a 3.4-inch longer wheelbase than the previous generation, providing more interior space. Rear-seat legroom stretched to an impressive 41.3 inches, and the trunk offered 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The Sportage's front seats provided decent storage space, with a cubby ahead of the shifter, two tandem cupholders, and a spacious center console bin. However, the vehicle's technology overcomplicated basic functions, with touch-sensitive buttons for HVAC controls that could be frustrating to use while driving. The dual-functionality of these buttons, which switched between climate control and navigation/radio controls, added to the confusion.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade featured one of the most elaborate infotainment displays in any current production vehicle. The 38-inch curved OLED display comprised three screens: a 14.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 16.9-inch touchscreen, and a 7.2-inch screen for trip-computer functions. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth connectivity, were standard. Cadillac paid attention to how the display fit into the dashboard, with icons arranged to fit the screen's shape and physical toggles for climate control and other important functions.

However, the Escalade's infotainment system had some issues, such as the awkward carousel format for changing radio stations and the rotary controller that felt like an afterthought. The OLED screens provided unparalleled resolution for the 360-degree camera system, and the rearview camera mirror eliminated blind spots from rear seats or pillars. The Escalade also offered advanced tech features like night vision, augmented-reality navigation, and a 19-speaker AKG Studio sound system, although the latter was difficult to tune properly.

The 2023 Kia Sportage boasted an impressive technology offering, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen interface on EX-and-up trims and a panoramic, curved 12.3-inch driver information display on SX trims and higher. However, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were still wired on the top-of-the-line interface, while the base LX trim featured an 8-inch screen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. The icons on the screen looked too similar, making it hard to find the right button while driving.

Despite these quirks, the Sportage offered excellent tech features, including wireless charging, rear USB-C charging ports, navigation, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, and HD Radio. A Harman Kardon stereo was standard on higher trims, providing impressive sound quality. Overall, the Sportage's technology package was advanced and user-friendly once familiarized.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade came with standard driver-assist tech, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking (front and rear), front and rear park assist, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on Premium Luxury and higher trims, with trailer blind-spot monitoring on Premium Luxury Platinum trims and above. Super Cruise, a $2,500 option on most trims, offered hands-free driving on pre-mapped highways, using a driver-facing camera to ensure safety.

While Super Cruise impressed with its smooth and natural responses, the Escalade's crash protection capabilities were unknown, as the IIHS and NHTSA hadn't published safety ratings for this model year.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a comprehensive suite of collision-avoidance tech and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as standard, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, lane-departure warning, and rear backup sensors. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit warning. Adaptive cruise control was available on SX trims and higher, while the SX Prestige and X-Pro Prestige trims included the blind-view monitor and Highway driving assist.

Like the Escalade, the 2023 Sportage hadn't been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of review.