2023 Chevy Equinox Vs Kia Sportage: A Comparison

Chevy Equinox Vs Kia Sportage

Table of Contents

As the dawn of the electric age emerges, the battle for supremacy in the compact SUV market is heating up. The 2023 Chevy Equinox and the Kia Sportage are two contenders that have made significant strides in defining what a modern compact SUV should be. Both have garnered favorable reviews and loyal followings, making the decision between them a challenging one for potential buyers. 

This article aims to dissect the intricacies of each vehicle, comparing them across various domains to help you understand their strengths and nuances.

Exterior Design

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox carries on its proud lineage with an updated exterior design that exudes sophistication. The Equinox’s athletic stance is accentuated by a bold front grille, sweeping lines, and LED daytime running lights. Its dynamic profile showcases a blend of elegance and ruggedness that makes it stand out in its segment.

On the other hand, the 2023 Kia Sportage boasts a futuristic exterior design that feels both premium and unique. It flaunts a bold tiger-nose grille, sharp LED headlights, and a muscular, aerodynamic silhouette. The Sportage’s design gives it a distinctive look that is both modern and appealing.

Interior Design

Inside, the Chevy Equinox offers a comfortable and luxurious environment. The layout is ergonomic, with controls intuitively placed for ease of use. High-quality materials are used throughout, including optional leather upholstery, creating a plush setting for passengers.

The Sportage, however, offers a more futuristic interior. It boasts a modern and high-tech dashboard with a digital instrument cluster and a large, centrally-mounted touchscreen infotainment system. The cabin feels spacious and airy, thanks to its clever design and use of quality materials.

Seating

The Equinox comfortably seats up to five people with generous legroom in both rows. The seats are supportive and comfortable, making it perfect for long drives. Higher trims offer power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated seats, enhancing the overall comfort.

The Sportage also provides seating for five, with equally ample legroom. The seats are well-cushioned, and the driving position is excellent. Higher-end models come with heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable seats, with the added option of leather upholstery.

Storage

In terms of cargo space, the Equinox offers an impressive 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Fold the seats down, and this expands to 63.9 cubic feet, making it one of the roomiest in its class.

The Sportage, while not as spacious as the Equinox, still offers decent cargo space with 30.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 60.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

Performance

Under the hood, the Equinox comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 170 horsepower. The ride is smooth, and handling is nimble, making it fun to drive around town and on the highway.

The Sportage, on the other hand, offers more power with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower. It offers a comfortable ride and handles well, giving it an edge over the Equinox in terms of performance.

Fuel Efficiency

When it comes to fuel efficiency, the Equinox impresses with an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

The Sportage trails slightly behind, offering an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. While the difference isn’t drastic, over time, the Equinox’s superior fuel efficiency could translate into significant savings.

Safety

Safety is a high priority for Chevrolet, and it shows in the 2023 Equinox. Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane keep assist. Higher trims offer additional safety features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view parking camera system.

The Sportage also takes safety seriously. Kia equips it with standard features such as forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, and driver attention warning. Optional safety enhancements include blind-spot collision warning, rear cross-traffic collision warning, and smart cruise control.

Trim Levels

The Chevy Equinox is available in four trim levels: L, LS, LT, and Premier. Each trim level offers a step up in terms of luxury and convenience features. The base L model comes with a decent array of features, while the top-of-the-line Premier model adds luxury touches like leather upholstery, a Bose premium sound system, and wireless device charging.

The Kia Sportage also offers four trim levels: LX, S, EX, and SX Turbo. The LX base model is well-equipped, but moving up to the SX Turbo gives you features like a larger touchscreen, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and a more powerful turbocharged engine.

Pricing

The 2023 Equinox starts at a competitive price of around $24,000 for the base L model. The top-of-the-range Premier model begins at around $32,000, offering excellent value for the features and performance it provides.

The 2023 Sportage starts slightly higher, with the base LX model priced around $25,000. The high-end SX Turbo model can reach up to $34,000, offering a host of premium features and a more potent engine.

Key Differences

Performance:

The Kia Sportage outshines the Equinox in terms of power. Its standard 2.4-liter engine generates 181 horsepower, compared to the Equinox’s 1.5-liter engine that produces 170 horsepower. This difference gives the Sportage a slight edge in performance.

Fuel Efficiency:

On the other hand, the Equinox takes the lead in fuel efficiency. It delivers an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway, compared to the Sportage’s 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway estimates.

Cargo Space:

When it comes to cargo space, the Equinox comes out ahead with 63.9 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded down, compared to the Sportage’s 60.1 cubic feet. This makes the Equinox a better choice for those who frequently need to haul larger items.

Interior Technology:

The Sportage takes a leap into the future with its interior technology. Its high-tech dashboard, featuring a digital instrument cluster and a large touchscreen infotainment system, is more modern than the Equinox’s more traditional, albeit high-quality and user-friendly, setup.

Pricing:

Finally, pricing is another area where these two compact SUVs differ. The Equinox offers a slightly lower starting price, making it a more budget-friendly choice. However, the Sportage provides a bit more power and technology, which may justify its slightly higher starting price for some buyers.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, both the 2023 Chevy Equinox and the Kia Sportage represent excellent choices in the compact SUV segment. They each have their unique strengths and characteristics, providing a variety of options for discerning buyers. The Equinox leans towards efficiency, practicality, and affordability, while the Sportage touts its performance, modern design, and advanced technology. 

What truly matters is how these factors align with your specific needs, lifestyle, and budget. Take a test drive, compare the feel, the drive, and the features, and trust your judgment. Because the best choice, as always, is the one that suits you best.

Features Breakdown

2023 Chevrolet Equinox Features:

  • Exterior Design: Athletic stance, bold front grille, sweeping lines, LED daytime running lights.
  • Interior Design: Comfortable and luxurious environment, ergonomic layout, high-quality materials, optional leather upholstery.
  • Seating: Seats five with generous legroom, supportive seats, power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated seats in higher trims.
  • Storage: Offers 29.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, expanding to 63.9 cubic feet with seats folded down.
  • Performance: Powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower, smooth ride, nimble handling.
  • Fuel Efficiency: EPA-estimated 26 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
  • Safety: Standard features include automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, additional features in higher trims.
  • Trim Levels: Four options – L, LS, LT, and Premier.
  • Pricing: Starts at around $24,000 for the base model, with the top-of-the-range Premier model starting at around $32,000.

2023 Kia Sportage Features:

  • Exterior Design: Futuristic design with bold tiger-nose grille, sharp LED headlights, muscular, aerodynamic silhouette.
  • Interior Design: Modern and high-tech dashboard, digital instrument cluster, large touchscreen infotainment system, spacious cabin.
  • Seating: Seats five with ample legroom, well-cushioned seats, heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable seats in higher-end models.
  • Storage: Offers 30.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, expanding to 60.1 cubic feet with seats folded down.
  • Performance: Powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower, comfortable ride, good handling.
  • Fuel Efficiency: EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
  • Safety: Standard features include forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, driver attention warning, additional features in higher trims.
  • Trim Levels: Four options – LX, S, EX, and SX Turbo.
  • Pricing: Starts at around $25,000 for the base model, with the high-end SX Turbo model starting at up to $34,000.

About Marcus The Car Guy

I've been in car sales and finance for over 20 years, working at the highest volume dealerships in the nation including Fletcher Jones, DCH and more. Want to pick my brain on finding cars, negotiating cars, and structuring car deals?

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