Subaru Forester vs. Kia Sportage: Which is Better?
The Kia Sportage costs less than the Subaru Forester—but there are more factors to consider when choosing the best car for your family.
Written by Amber Reed
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The Kia Sportage has lower starting costs than the Subaru Forester, but its lack of standard all-wheel drive could be a dealbreaker for some car buyers.
There’s a reason small SUVs are so popular. They’re affordable and come with the convenience of generous cargo space and comfortable seating. But if you’re trying to decide between a Subaru Forester and a Kia Sportage—both of which have stellar safety ratings, impressive tech, and spacious cabins—how do you determine which one is right for your family?
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!Subaru Forester vs. Kia Sportage: which is more expensive?
The Kia Sportage is generally less expensive than the Subaru Forester. However, the Forester offers six trims compared to the Sportage’s four, making it hard to compare the two across trim levels.
Model | Starting MSRP | Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
Subaru Forester Base | $27,070 | Kia Sportage LX | $25,305 |
Subaru Forester Premium | $29,320 | Kia Sportage Nightfall | $ $29,305 |
Subaru Forester Sport | $30,890 | Kia Sportage EX | $29,605 |
Subaru Forester Limited | $33,000 | Kia Sportage SX Turbo | $34,965 |
Subaru Forester Wilderness | $33,945 | ||
Subaru Forester Touring | $36,420 |
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Your exact cost for either vehicle will change based on which packages and optional upgrades you choose—but in general, a Subaru Forester costs around $2,000 more than a comparable Kia Sportage.
Ownership costs
Starting costs can give you a good idea of what you might pay when you first buy your new car, but to really understand whether the Subaru Forester or Kia Sportage is more expensive, we need to look at their long-term ownership costs. These costs include things like routine maintenance, repairs, fuel, and car insurance.
According to Edmunds.com, owning a 2022 Subaru Forester costs about $38,101 over the first five years. That’s about $7,973 more than its total cash price of $30,128. On the other hand, the five-year true cost to own a 2022 Kia Sportage is $42,301—$12,408 more than its cash price of $29,893.
So what do those numbers mean, exactly? Although the Sportage costs less than the Forester to start, you might pay more on Kia repair and maintenance costs for a Sportage than you would on a Subaru Forester over the first few years.
MORE:
Subaru tune-up cost
Insurance costs
In addition to repairs and maintenance, car insurance can have a major impact on how much you pay for your car. As it turns out,
Subaru Forester insurance costs
are lower than Kia Sportage insurance costs
, making the Forester the clear winner when it comes to overall ownership costs. Kia Sportage drivers pay an average of $2,642 a year for their auto insurance, while the Forester costs around $2,072 per year. Remember though, those prices aren’t set in stone! By using the
Jerry
app to shop for new quotes, you can get a lower rate on insurance for either SUV.Winner: Subaru Forester
We think the Subaru Forester is the clear choice when it comes to affordability thanks to its affordable car insurance rates and lower ownership costs. Despite the Kia Sportage’s cheaper upfront costs, the Forester provides more long-term value.
MORE: Subaru Forester Limited vs. Touring: which trim is better?
Subaru Forester vs. Kia Sportage: In-depth comparison
Choosing the right car for your family can be hard—and you need to consider more than just price. Consider the vehicle’s style, performance, fuel economy, and more to determine whether the Subaru Forester or Kia Sportage is right for you.
Body style and size
While both the Subaru Forester and Kia Sportage are small, five-seater SUVs, they look pretty different from the outside! The Forester features a truck-like body and a large grille, giving it the rugged, outdoorsy look Subaru is known for. By comparison, the Sportage is boxier in appearance and sits lower to the ground.
Both vehicles are classified as compact crossovers and are therefore pretty close in size. The Forester offers a little more passenger space for passengers to stretch out, and way more maximum cargo capacity—although the Sportage has more space for cargo when all seats are in use. Here’s how they compare across dimensions.
Dimensions | 2022 Subaru Forester | 2022 Kia Sportage |
|---|---|---|
Wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 105.1 inches |
Passenger volume | 111.6 cubic feet | 98 cubic feet |
Headroom (front/rear) | 41.2/39.6 inches | 39.3/39.1 inches |
Legroom (front/rear) | 43.3/39.4 inches | 41.5/38.2 inches |
Cargo volume w/seats up | 28.9 cubic feet | 30.7 cubic feet |
Cargo volume w/seats down | 74.2 cubic feet | 60.1 cubic feet |
Ground clearance | 8.7 to 9.2 inches | 6.4 to 6.8 inches |
Base curb weight | 3,454 lbs | 3,739 lbs |
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Engine and performance
When it comes to power and performance, neither the Subaru Forester nor the Kia Sportage is going to win any speed races—but they’ve got enough power to satisfy most drivers. Every Forester is fitted with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque and comes with Subaru's symmetric all-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission.
Most versions of the Kia Sportage feature a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that achieves 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. That’s nearly identical to the Forester, but drivers looking for better performance can opt for the top-of-the-line SX Turbo trim for its potent 237-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 260 lb-ft of torque. All Sportage models come with a six-speed automatic transmission, but all-wheel drive is only available as an optional upgrade.
For some drivers, the Kia Sportage might come out ahead thanks to the optional turbocharged engine—but if you live in a four-season climate, the Sportage’s lack of standard all-wheel drive could be a dealbreaker.
Fuel economy
With no hybrid powertrain available for either the 2022 Subaru Forester or Kia Sportage models, neither is exceptionally fuel efficient—but the Forester slightly outperforms the Sportage with its EPA ratings of 26 city mpg/33 highway mpg/29 combined mpg.
The Sportage, on the other hand, gets 20 city mpg/28 highway mpg/26 combined mpg. Upgrading your Sportage with the optional all-wheel drive or the turbocharged engine will reduce your fuel economy even further.
Safety
Both the Subaru Forester and the Kia Sportage get stellar safety ratings, making either one a fantastic family car. They both performed well enough on crash tests to earn a perfect five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), although the Forester gets higher ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
While the Forester was given the IIHS’s highest ranking of Top Safety Pick+, the Kia Sportage earned its second-highest title of Top Safety Pick. So what made the difference? According to the IIHS, the Subaru Forester came out ahead in side crash tests.
Tech
Both the Subaru Forester and the Kia Sportage come with tech basics like a digital infotainment display, smartphone integration, and USB ports.
The Forester steps things up with conveniences like a built-in navigation system, onboard Wi-Fi, and rear-seat charging ports. Voice recognition is standard in both vehicles, but can be clunky in the Sportage and requires a subscription to Kia Connect if you want to improve it.
Every Forester comes equipped with Subaru EyeSight—a suite of driver-assistance technology including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward-collision mitigation. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts are also available as optional upgrades.
The Sportage’s DriveWise driver assists include forward-collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alerts, and lane-keeping assist.
Interior and comfort
Whether you opt for the Subaru Forester or the Kia Sportage, you can expect a spacious interior with comfortable seats and a roomy cargo area. The base models of both vehicles include some necessities like automatic climate control and a basic sound system—but they’re both utilitarian in nature, and lack the cabin amenities of the upper trims.
Starting with the
Subaru Forester Premium
, you can get cabin comforts like heated and power-adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, a sunroof, keyless entry, a Harman Kardon audio system, and a power liftgate. Similarly, an upgraded Kia Sportage can be fitted with faux- or real-leather upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, or a posh-looking gloss black interior trim.
When it comes to your car’s interior, the choice just comes down to your preferences on style and cabin amenities, but keep in mind that the Forester offers more room for passengers and greater maximum cargo capacity.
Winner: Subaru Forester
Even after our in-depth comparison of the two vehicles, we still think the Subaru Forester comes out on top! Overall, the Forester and Sportage are pretty similar, but low ownership costs, impressive safety ratings, and good fuel economy give the Forester an edge that makes the additional upfront costs worth it!
However, if you’re looking for a little more fun behind the wheel, the
Kia Sportage SX
Turbo is the only model with a powerful turbocharged engine, and the ability to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under 8 seconds. How to save on car insurance costs
Whether you're comparing
Subaru insurance costs
with Kia insurance costs
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