2023 Kia Sportage vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

The 2023 Kia Sportage underwent a massive transformation across its first four generations, evolving from quirky and boring to highly interesting. By spring of 2023, the Kia Sportage arrived with a completely redesigned look that exuded a somewhat French aura. This crossover, with its exotic and exciting design, drew plenty of attention. Noteworthy features included the outstanding boomerang-shaped daytime running lights (DRLs) that framed a distinctive grille and the textured metal trim on the D Pillar, adding a touch of class.

The Sportage was available in seven trim levels: LX, EX, SX, SX Prestige, X-Line, X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige. Within, Kia chose synthetic leather for the seating upholstery, aiming for durability and animal-friendliness, although it lacked the luxurious feel of genuine leather. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob added a touch of elegance to higher trims.

Visibility from the driver’s seat was excellent, thanks to a large front windshield and relatively low beltline. The interior was dominated by over two feet of display screens in all trims above the base LX. Although impressive, the interior also mirrored typical compact crossovers with hard-wearing plastic and piano-black finishes, which easily attracted fingerprints.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Toyota Sienna aimed to erase any lingering minivan stigma with its design. Toyota worked hard to rid the Sienna of its minivan style, with front-end styling that resembled a Japanese bullet train and optional 20-inch wheels for the XSE and Platinum trims, although most models featured 18-inch wheels.

The Sienna offered several trims: LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, Platinum, and the new 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim. The XLE stood out for value-conscious shoppers, offering standard LED fog lights, power-sliding doors, and a power liftgate.

Inside, the Sienna wowed with high-quality brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents. Available in seven or eight-passenger configurations, the second row of the Sienna included extending ottomans and slid forward and backward for added legroom, accommodating full-size adults comfortably. The second-row seats also supported three-across car seats, making it highly practical for families.

The 2023 Kia Sportage featured a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. This engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and was available in either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The new engine delivered slightly more power and better fuel efficiency compared to the outgoing 2.4-liter engine, with mileage ratings of 25 mpg city, 32 highway for FWD versions, and 23/28/25 for AWD versions.

Although more powerful than its 2022 predecessor, the 2023 model lacked a turbocharged engine option, making it less spirited in acceleration. The popular X-Line trim added rugged visual cues but no additional off-road capabilities. For genuine off-roading, the X-Pro trims offered BF Goodrich all-terrain tires and drive modes tailored for various off-road conditions.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna exclusively ran on a hybrid powertrain featuring a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two front-mounted electric motors, plus a third rear-mounted motor for AWD trims, combining for 245 net system horsepower. This powertrain, mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), delivered less impressive specs compared to competitors but shone in terms of chassis and steering.

Despite its size, the Sienna’s lightweight steering allowed for nimble city driving and smooth highway cruising. The drive modes—EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport—added versatility, but the vehicle performed best in Normal mode. Eco mode overextended the CVT’s simulated gears, while EV mode proved practically useless for keeping the gas engine fully disengaged. Sport mode offered minimal performance enhancement.

The compact crossover segment posed stiff competition, with the 2023 Kia Sportage up against the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, and Hyundai Tucson. Significantly larger than its predecessor, the new Sportage featured an additional 7.1 inches in length and a 3.4-inch longer wheelbase. This increase translated into considerable interior space, boasting 41.3 inches of rear-seat legroom and 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

Front-seat storage included tandem cupholders, a spacious center console bin, and the typical cubby ahead of the shifter. Unfortunately, the HVAC controls utilized touch-sensitive buttons with dual functionality, complicating basic tasks.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior storage solutions typical of minivans. Clever design elements included an open cubby under the center console for large bags and purses, a long dash shelf, and a center console bin with ample cupholders. With a length of over 200 inches and a 120.5-inch wheelbase, the Sienna maximized space, offering 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 101 cubic feet total cargo space.

However, unlike competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica, the Sienna’s middle row could not be fully removed or folded into the floor. This limitation might inconvenience those requiring maximum cargo space but would likely be inconsequential for regular use with passengers.

The 2023 Kia Sportage boasted impressive technology. The 12.3-inch touchscreen interface on the EX and higher trims looked sharp and paired with a panoramic, curved 12.3-inch driver information display on the SX and up, creating a premium feel. Despite this, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on higher trims and confusing icon designs posed challenges. Standard features included wireless charging on trims above the LX, along with rear USB-C charging ports, navigation, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, and HD Radio. The premium Harman Kardon stereo came standard on the SX, SX-Prestige, X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige trims.

Conversely, the 2023 Toyota Sienna continued with Toyota’s older infotainment interface, offering standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and navigation. The 9-inch touchscreen might not impress on paper but fit the Sienna well without seeming undersized. While the interface felt outdated and quirky—especially with wired phone integrations—the 12-speaker JBL audio system delivered stellar sound.

The 2023 Kia Sportage impressed with its array of standard safety technology, such as 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 came with the SX trim and up, while the SX Prestige and X-Pro Prestige offered advanced features like the Blind-view monitor and Highway driving assist, though these weren't widely available. As a new model, crash-test ratings were pending.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna stood out with its comprehensive standard safety technologies, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The 2023 Sienna earned a 5-star rating from the NHTSA, and the 2022 model, identical mechanically to the 2023 version, received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+.