Subaru Crosstrek vs. Kia Sportage: Which Is Better?
The Kia Sportage is a bigger and better car than the Subaru Crosstrek, and it only costs a few thousand dollars more.
Written by Cameron Thiessen
Reviewed by Georgina Grant
The Subaru Crosstrek is a more compact, more affordable crossover than the Kia Sportage. Being the bigger and better of the two models, the 2023 Sportage’s higher price is justified.
The Kia Sportage is one step up in size from the Subaru Crosstrek, but they share some similarities. Both models earned high safety ratings, and you’ll find that their longterm costs of ownership are comparable. Ultimately, though, the Kia Sportage offers more bang for your buck.
What distinguishes the 2023 Kia Sportage from the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek?
Jerry
, the trusted insurance comparison app
, is here to answer that question for you. We'll even help you find affordable car insurance
once you make your pick!Crosstrek vs. Sportage: which is more expensive?
The Sportage is the more expensive vehicle. It has a starting price of $27,285, while the cheapest Crosstrek costs $24,870.
Plus, the Sportage’s most expensive models reach into the $45,000 range, placing it among some fairly prestigious compact SUV models. Here’s how pricing looks between the 2023 Crosstrek and Sportage.
Model | Starting MSRP | Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
Crosstrek Base | $24,870 | Sportage LX | $27,285 |
Crosstrek Premium | $26,220 | Sportage LX Hybrid | $28,585 |
Crosstrek Special Edition | $27,970 | Sportage EX | $29,285 |
Crosstrek Sport | $29,220 | Sportage X-Line | $32,085 |
Crosstrek Limited | $30,720 | Sportage EX Hybrid | $32,285 |
Crosstrek Hybrid | $38,070 | Sportage SX | $32,785 |
Sportage SX Prestige | $34,785 | ||
Sportage X-Pro | $35,785 | ||
Sportage SX Prestige | $37,485 | ||
Sportage X-Pro Prestige | $38,085 | ||
Sportage X Line Hybrid | $39,785 | ||
Sportage X Line Prestige Hybrid | $44,285 |
Find out if you can reduce your monthly car payments in minutes
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Check your rate
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Ownership costs
Of course, you shouldn’t just consider initial purchase costs when deciding which vehicle to buy. You also need to consider long-term ownership costs, such as expenses for fuel, maintenance, and insurance, to name a few.
Edmunds gives the base model 2023 Subaru Crosstrek with a CVT transmission a “True Cost to Own” estimate of $41,512 over five years. Edmunds doesn’t have data for the 2022 or 2023 Kia Sportage models, but they estimated that a 2021 model would have a five-year ownership cost of $46,766.
You can expect that a Kia Sportage will cost more to buy, and it will depreciate faster than the Subaru. In terms of fuel and insurance costs, there really isn’t much between the two.
Insurance costs
Let’s look further into insurance cost comparisons between these two crossovers.
Subaru Crosstrek insurance costs
prices are a bit higher than for the Kia Sportage. Kia Sportage insurance costs
come out to $2,205 a year versus annual costs of of $2,652 for the Crosstrek.Despite being a larger, more expensive vehicle, Subarus are generally a bit more expensive to insure than Kias, partially because Subarus usually retain more resale value. Not to mention, the
Kia has better safety ratings
and is cheaper to repair.Winner: Subaru Crosstrek
Overall, the Subaru Crosstrek will still save you about $5,000 worth of ownership costs compared to the Kia Sportage, mostly due to the Sportage’s higher rate of value depreciation.
But if you’re looking for the highest value among these two SUVs, the Kia Sportage is a vehicle that could last much longer than only five years. It still offers more space and a greater towing capacity.
Subaru Crosstrek vs. Kia Sportage: in-depth comparison
While the Subaru Crosstrek is more affordable than the Sportage, the Sportage may very well be the better option in the long run, especially if you’re factoring in towing capability. Let’s take a look at what sets these two apart in terms of key specifications.
Body style and size
The first difference you’ll notice between these two vehicles is that the Kia Sportage is a bit bigger—about 9 inches longer. The Subaru Crosstrek competes with models like the Mazda CX-30 in the subcompact crossover SUV category, while the Kia Sportage competes with other compact SUVs and crossovers like the Hyundai Tucson.
So how does this translate to practical specifications like legroom and cargo space? Let’s take a look.
Dimensions | 2023 Subaru Crosstrek | 2023 Kia Sportage |
|---|---|---|
Wheelbase | 104.9 inches | 108.5 inches |
Passenger volume | 100.9 cubic feet | 109 cubic feet |
Headroom (front/rear) | 39.8 inches/38.0 inches | 39.3 inches/39.1 inches |
Legroom (front/rear) | 43.1 inches/36.5 inches | 41.4 inches/38.2 inches |
Cargo volume w/seats up | 32.8 cubic feet | 39.6 cubic feet |
Cargo volume w/seats down | 64.2 cubic feet | 74.1 cubic feet |
Ground clearance | 8.7 inches | 8.3 inches |
Base curb weight | 3,188 lbs | 3,543 lbs |
Find out if you can reduce your monthly car payments in minutes
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Check your rate
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Engine and performance
The engine options are also quite different between these two models, and the Kia Sportage’s plug-in hybrid engine is the best one between them
The Crosstrek’s base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. It’s powerful enough to allow for a maximum towing capacity of 1,500 pounds, but it’s pretty slow on the get-go, with a 9.2-second zero-to-60 mph acceleration time.
The Crosstrek plug-in hybrid is about a second faster, getting 148 combined horsepower, and the upgraded 2.5-liter flat-four on the
Crosstrek Sport
and Limited
trims provides 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, with no extra towing capability.The Kia Sportage only has one gasoline engine option, a 2.5-liter inline-4 with 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, which allows for an 8-second 0-60 time and 2,500 pounds of towing capacity with the right towing equipment installed.
While the Sportage comes standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on the Crosstrek. Upgrading to AWD costs about $2,000 for the Sportage.
These models also differ in transmission options. The Crosstrek is available with a manual transmission or continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Sportage is only available with a traditional 8-speed automatic transmission.
The brand-new Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid will provide an all-electric range of 32 miles. When its 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 is engaged alongside the electric motor, the Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid gets a total of 261 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. This is by far the best powertrain between the two vehicles, but it raises the price of the
new Kia Sportage
close to the $40,000 range. That being said, the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid starts close to the same price, at $38,070.MORE: Is a Subaru hybrid worth it?
Fuel economy
We still don’t have EPA ratings for the Kia Sportage PHEV, but the numbers of the regular hybrid win out against the Crosstrek plug-in hybrid. The Kia Sportage Hybrid gets 44 mpg on the highway and 42 mpg in the city, while the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid only gets 35 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city while offering 17 miles of electric range.
Time will tell if the Kia Sportage PHEV proves to live up to the fuel economy of its traditional hybrid model.
Safety
The 2023 Kia Sportage earned a 2022 Top Safety Pick award from the Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). And so did the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek!
Both models have issues with headlights—higher trims generally have safer headlights in both cases.
In further terms of crash avoidance, both models have exceptional front crash prevention technology, but the safety features that make it so are standard for the Kia and optional for the Subaru. To get the standard safety tech on the Crosstrek, you need to opt for the CVT transmission, rather than the manual.
Tech
Both vehicles are well-equipped with up-to-date technology features. The EyeSight suite of safety features for the Subaru Crosstrek includes adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and automatic emergency braking. Other tech features are a 6.5-inch Starlink infotainment touchscreen system compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A backup camera is also standard.
The Kia Sportage’s standard safety suite also gets automatic emergency braking and lane assist, in addition to cyclist detection. Apple and Android devices connect here as well, and there’s a new touchpad system for controlling climate and audio features.
The highest trims of the Sportage get even more safety features like navigation-based smart cruise control, a 360-degree camera, and additional parking and blind-spot sensors. Even Remote Smart Parking Assist is available, allowing Sportage owners to exit their SUV and guide it into a parking spot with their smart key.
On the other hand, the Crosstrek focuses less on safety features as you go up the list of options. There’s available navigation, a heated steering wheel, an upgraded Harman Kardon audio system, and a power moonroof, in addition to a larger 8-inch screen.
Interior and comfort
The Crosstrek has a practical and comfortable interior. Visibility is good, and the cabin is quite spacious for a subcompact SUV. However, the Crosstrek interior never really gets into the luxury territory unless you’re opting for more expensive plug-in hybrid versions.
The Kia Sportage is more comfortable, with a smoother ride, durable, well-cushioned seating, and a more intuitive setup for adjusting the various customizable features of the vehicle. In terms of upscale feel, the Sportage has the Crosstrek beaten again. The materials used simply look more modern and feel of higher quality.
Winner: Kia Sportage
When it’s all said and done, the 2023 Kia Sportage offers a better overall SUV package than the Subaru Crosstrek. While the Crosstrek competes well with this larger competitor, there’s no denying that the Kia Sportage simply offers much more value for not that much more cost, especially if you were already considering a higher trim of the Crosstrek.
That being said, if you want a smaller, more affordable SUV, there is lots to love about the Crosstrek!
How to save on Subaru insurance costs
Unfortunately, insurance costs for new subcompact or compact SUVs aren’t always very affordable. That’s why it’s such a good idea to use the
Jerry
app to help you save money on your insurance costs!Jerry is a licensed insurance broker app that can gather quotes from over 55 different providers for your Subaru or Kia car insurance in just 45 seconds. Then Jerry sorts through them and gives you a list of the most competitive offers! In so doing, Jerry saves its users an average of $800+ on their annual car insurance premiums.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Reduce your monthly car payments in minutes?
Find out if Jerry can reduce your payments by an average of $150/month
4.7
