2022 Kia Sportage vs 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

The 2022 Kia Sportage featured a design that was a mixed bag. While Kia's tiger-nose grille styling worked well on other models, it seemed out of place on the Sportage, giving it a somewhat awkward front-end appearance. However, the rest of the design elements were spot-on, from the four-dot running light signature reminiscent of the Porsche Macan to the Volkswagen-style symmetry of the back door shut line and rear fascia seam. The SX Turbo's 19-inch wheels added to its planted stance, making it look stylish and well-proportioned.

Inside, the Sportage exuded a Germanic design ethos with a black dashboard accented by polished metallic elements. The instrumentation was straightforward, featuring plain white markings on a black background. The SX Turbo trim added metal pedal covers and offered a choice of black, gray, and beige interior colors, enhancing the upscale feel. The interior was user-friendly, with buttons and knobs for easy adjustments, and the transmission shifter's solid operation imparted a sense of quality.

The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, despite its minivan stigma, was a practical and efficient vehicle for transporting up to seven people. Its plug-in hybrid drivetrain combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a dual-motor electric drive system, producing a total of 260 horsepower. The 16-kWh battery pack allowed for up to 32 miles of electric-only driving, making it ideal for short commutes and errands. The Pacifica Hybrid's transition between electric and gasoline power was nearly seamless, and the regenerative braking system helped recharge the battery during coasting.

However, the Pacifica Hybrid's driving experience was less engaging. The steering was light and uncommunicative, and the regenerative brakes occasionally felt too grabby. The tires lacked cornering grip, and the low-mounted battery sometimes resulted in an unnatural ride quality. Despite these drawbacks, the Pacifica Hybrid's powertrain was impressive, offering a smooth and efficient driving experience. The minivan's practicality and efficiency made it a strong contender for families seeking a versatile and eco-friendly vehicle.

The 2022 Kia Sportage offered two engine options. Most models came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, which was competitive but unremarkable. The Sportage SX Turbo, however, featured a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged engine delivering 240 horsepower (237 hp with AWD) and 260 lb-ft of torque. This engine provided quick acceleration, especially beneficial for those living at higher elevations.

Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive as standard and Kia's Dynamax all-wheel-drive system available as an option. The SX Turbo's suspension included upgraded brakes and larger ventilated front discs, contributing to its sporty and athletic feel. The ride was smooth and compliant, with a hint of body roll and lateral rocking over uneven pavement. While the Sportage SX Turbo was fun to drive, it wasn't as refined as some competitors like the Mazda CX-5 Turbo.

The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid's plug-in hybrid drivetrain combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a dual-motor electric drive system, producing a total of 260 horsepower. The electric drive system's torque was available immediately, ensuring the Pacifica never felt underpowered, even with a full load of passengers. The 16-kWh battery pack allowed for up to 32 miles of electric-only driving, making it ideal for short commutes and errands.

The Pacifica Hybrid's regenerative braking system helped recharge the battery during coasting, and the transition between electric and gasoline power was nearly imperceptible. However, the driving experience was less engaging, with light and uncommunicative steering, occasionally grabby regenerative brakes, and tires that lacked cornering grip. Despite these drawbacks, the Pacifica Hybrid's powertrain was impressive, offering a smooth and efficient driving experience. The minivan's practicality and efficiency made it a strong contender for families seeking a versatile and eco-friendly vehicle.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, though on the smaller side of the compact crossover SUV scale, offered a remarkably roomy passenger compartment. The SX Turbo trim provided front-seat occupants with perforated leather upholstery, ten-way power adjustment for the driver, and eight-way power adjustment for the front passenger. The front seats were heated and ventilated, and a heated flat-bottom steering wheel was standard.

Rear seat legroom was generous, and the seat itself was comfortable, with air conditioning vents and a USB charging port for rear passengers. However, the Sportage's maximum cargo volume was limited to 60.1 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded down, falling short of segment leaders. The 30.7 cubic feet behind the back seat was acceptable for most needs. The Sportage also featured Kia's smart liftgate technology, which allowed for hands-free operation by standing near the back of the vehicle.

The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid excelled in comfort and utility, offering three rows of comfortable seats and ample cargo space. The Pacifica Hybrid Limited trim featured triple-zone automatic climate control, quality leather upholstery, and heated and ventilated front seats. Storage options were plentiful, with extra shelves in the front door panels, a large floor tray under the center console, and a long storage bin behind the center console.

The second-row seats were more comfortable than the standard Pacifica's Stow n' Go chairs, offering better seat cushion angles and sliding adjustments for legroom. The third-row seat was reasonably comfortable, with cupholders, USB ports, and side window shades. The Pacifica Hybrid provided 32.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seat, expanding to 87.5 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded down. Removing the second-row seats increased cargo capacity to 140.5 cubic feet, though this required lifting the heavy chairs out of the van.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came equipped with a standard 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Most trim levels also included UVO Link connected services and satellite radio, while the SX Turbo added wireless smartphone charging and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with knobs for stereo volume and radio tuning, and logical onscreen menus.

However, the UVO Link system was starting to show its age, with an 8-inch screen that felt small compared to competitors, no WiFi hotspot, hit-and-miss voice recognition technology, and wired smartphone mirroring. Despite these limitations, the system was simple and easy to use.

The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. The system offered appealing graphics, a simple user interface, and quick response times. It included simultaneous Bluetooth pairing for two devices, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and connected services with a WiFi hotspot. The available FamCam overhead camera system allowed parents to check on rear-seat passengers.

The Uconnect 5 system's voice recognition technology was hit-and-miss, sometimes struggling with conversational inputs. The 20-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system required adjustments to achieve satisfactory sound quality. The Pacifica also offered Amazon Fire TV for its rear-seat entertainment system, allowing passengers to stream or download content. The surround-view camera system and parking assist system were useful features, though the latter was less effective than knowing how to drive.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver monitoring system. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning were available on higher trims or with the LX Value Edition Package. The SX Turbo trim included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Sportage earned high safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, with the SX Turbo achieving an Acceptable headlight rating, qualifying it for an IIHS Top Safety Pick.

The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid boasted a comprehensive suite of standard safety features and driving-assistance systems. New for 2022 was a rear-seat reminder system to prevent leaving children or pets in the vehicle. The Pacifica Hybrid included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and lane-keeping assist, though the adaptive cruise control needed refinement in recognizing lane departures and moderating speed in traffic.

The Pacifica Hybrid earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The only concern was its four-star rating for frontal-impact protection in the NHTSA tests.