Compare the2026 Hyundai Tucson HybridVS 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Sportage Hybrid, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Kia Sportage Hybrid has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Tucson Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Sportage Hybrid.

The Tucson Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson Hybrid has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the Tucson Hybrid and the Sportage Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Sportage Hybrid has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

The Tucson Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the Sportage Hybrid’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

On the EPA test cycle the Tucson Hybrid gets better mileage than the Sportage Hybrid:

The Tucson Hybrid stops shorter than the Sportage Hybrid:

The Tucson Hybrid Limited handles at .84 G’s, while the Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Tucson Hybrid has .5 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, .5 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage Hybrid.

The Tucson Hybrid has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Sportage Hybrid with its rear seat folded (74.5 vs. 73.7 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Consumer Reports rated the Tucson Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Tucson Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid retains 52.59% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 50.2% resale value of the 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid after five years, which can save the Hyundai’s owner.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and the Kia Sportage Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Kia Sportage by 28% during 2024.