Kia Sportage vs Toyota Sequoia

No model demonstrates Kia’s growth like the Sportage compact crossover SUV. The nameplate has been around since Kia’s early days in the United States, and has evolved into a true rival for popular crossovers like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4. The current-generation Sportage was introduced for the 2023 model year; it gets revised styling for 2026.

Verdict: The refreshed Sportage arrives with the competent execution we’ve come to expect from Kia, but the X-Pro Prestige model doesn’t live up to the brand’s reputation for value.

The 2025 Sequoia is Toyota’s full-size SUV, based on the same platform as the Tundra pickup truck and using the same i-Force Max hybrid powertrain. It seats up to eight people, holds up to 86.9 cubic feet of cargo, carries up to 1,730 pounds of payload, and tows up to 9,520 pounds of trailer. The new Sequoia 1794 Edition slots into the lineup as a Texas-themed luxury model, and it certainly is nice. But it cannot mask this SUV’s fundamental flaws.

Verdict: People buy full-size SUVs to carry lots of people, haul lots of cargo, and tow lots of weight. However, due to its packaging requirements, the Sequoia is a rock star only if you’re attaching a trailer to it, and even then, it’s not class-leading in capability.