2022 Kia Sportage vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

The 2022 Kia Sportage sported a somewhat polarizing exterior design, with Kia's signature tiger-nose grille affixed in an odd manner. Nestled under large headlights and framed by a chrome strip that resembled a fake mustache, the grille felt out of place against the rest of the SUV's aggressive facial features. Despite this misstep, Kia excelled in other design areas. The Sportage exhibited style through its four-dot running light setup reminiscent of the Porsche Macan and a rear door symmetry similar to Volkswagen models. It also had a sense of strong proportions with 19-inch wheels placed at the corners to give it a steady stance.

Inside, the Sportage reflected German influences. The dashboard featured polished metallic accents, and the instrument panel had straightforward white markings on a black background. The SX Turbo trim took it further with metal pedal covers, and the choice of interior colors in black, gray, and beige added a high-contrast, luxurious vibe. The physical buttons and knobs for controlling the stereo, cabin temperature, and infotainment system provided an intuitive user experience, emphasizing ease of use and quality.

Conversely, the 2023 Toyota Sienna aimed to redefine the perception of minivans. Abandoning traditional minivan aesthetics, the Sienna's front-end was inspired by Japanese bullet trains. Although standard trims featured 18-inch wheels, the FWD versions of the XSE and Platinum trims flaunted sporty 20-inch wheels. The Sienna came with a range of trims, including a special 25th Anniversary Special Edition.

Inside, the Sienna impressed with its high-quality materials and finishes. The Platinum trim we tested featured rich brown leather upholstery matched with beautiful wood-grain center console accents. The interior was spacious with seating options for seven or eight, accommodating multiple car seats in three-across configurations. Despite its minivan stigma, the Sienna exuded a modern, family-friendly appeal with thoughtful design choices.

The 2022 Kia Sportage offered a choice between two engines. The standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder produced 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, providing competent though unremarkable performance. The SX Turbo trim enhanced the experience significantly with a more potent 2.0-liter turbocharged engine delivering 240 horsepower (237 with AWD) and 260 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission and an optional dynamax all-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential, the Sportage excelled in delivering power, especially at higher elevations.

The versatile suspension system, consisting of MacPherson struts in the front and an independent multi-link rear suspension, ensured a smooth ride. The SX Turbo, with its upgraded brakes and larger ventilated discs, handled corners with an athletic flair, although it wasn't as refined as competitors like the Mazda CX-5 Turbo. Despite some body roll and slight vibration over rough patches, the Sportage managed to be fun to drive.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Sienna dropped its traditional gasoline engine in favor of a hybrid system combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors—plus an additional motor for AWD models. This setup produced 245 net system horsepower, which felt underwhelming given the Sienna's size. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) wasn't the most pleasant sounding and occasionally felt strained.

However, the driving experience was salvaged by its exceptional chassis and nimble steering. Maneuvering the Sienna around town was easy, and it performed admirably on highways. The light steering feel was a boon for city driving, and various drive modes offered flexibility, although the EV mode proved largely ineffective. The Sienna was fun to drive, but didn’t provide the same thrill as some of its more powerful competitors.

The 2022 Kia Sportage may be a smaller compact crossover but it made excellent use of its space. The SX Turbo trim boasted perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching, ten-way power adjustments for the driver's seat, and eight-way power adjustments for the front passenger seat—features rare in this class. The seats were both heated and ventilated, with additional amenities like a heated flat-bottom steering wheel. Rear passengers enjoyed ample legroom, air conditioning vents, and USB charging ports, though getting in and out of the back seat without a mishap required some finesse.

Cargo space was a mixed bag for the Sportage. While offering 30.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 60.1 cubic feet with seats folded, it fell short compared to rivals like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The smart liftgate technology mitigated some logistical woes but its tendency to activate inadvertently was a minor inconvenience.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna epitomized utilitarian design with an abundance of interior storage solutions. The innovative open cubby below the center console and a long shelf extending across the dashboard provided plenty of space for personal items. Higher trims even featured a wireless charging pad.

The Sienna’s expansive 200-inch length and 120.5-inch wheelbase created an enormous interior. There was 33.5 cubic feet of space behind the third row, expanding to 75.2 cubic feet with the seats folded, and a whopping 101 cubic feet total cargo space. This spaciousness was hampered slightly by the non-removable second-row seats, a limitation competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica with stow-n-go seating did not share. The second-row captain’s chairs were exceptionally functional, ensuring comfort for occupants of all sizes, and the Sienna’s third-row seats provided sufficient legroom for adults, highlighting its user-friendly design.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB ports, and satellite radio. With UVO Link connected services and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio system in the SX Turbo trim, it promised a good audio experience. Despite its user-friendly interface and convenient physical controls, the UVO Link system lagged technologically. An 8-inch screen and wired smartphone integration felt outdated compared to rivals offering larger screens and wireless capabilities.

Toyota’s 2023 Sienna, while housing all essential features like SiriusXM, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, lacked the new tech showcased in other Toyota models. The older infotainment interface, although functional with physical buttons, seemed outdated and clunky. It required wired connections for smartphone integration, and navigating the menu for Android Auto was cumbersome. However, the 9-inch touchscreen proved sufficient in person, and the 12-speaker JBL audio system delivered good sound quality.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came well-equipped with standard safety features including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high beams, and a driver monitoring system. Higher trims added blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The SX Turbo included adaptive cruise control. While effective, the lane-keeping system could sometimes be bothersome. The Sportage earned top safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS, though only the SX Turbo's headlights met the criteria for the IIHS Top Safety Pick award.

In terms of safety, the 2023 Toyota Sienna was robust, sporting ADAS features as standard, such as automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. These features were especially crucial for family vehicles. The Sienna earned a 5-star rating from NHTSA, and the 2022 model, sharing the same mechanicals, received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.