Both crossovers beat the RAV4 on price
The Chevrolet Equinox and Kia Sportage may not be the most popular compact crossovers around, but they’re two of the most affordable. While the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V dominate the sales charts, the Equinox and Sportage are quietly two of the most high-value offerings in this category; both start at under $29,000 and are priced just $10 apart. If you need an affordable compact SUV, look no further than this pair, but how do they differ? Here are five of the main differences between the Equinox and Sportage.
1. Only Kia Offers Hybrid Options
Kia
Chevrolet
Chevrolet keeps it simple for the Equinox in the powertrain department. It comes with just one gas engine, which is turbocharged. The Sportage has a standard non-turbo gas engine but is also available with hybrid or plug-in hybrid options. Here’s a look at how they compare.
| Chevy Equinox | Kia Sportage | Kia Sportage Hybrid | Kia Sportage PHEV | |
| Engine | 1.5L I4 Turbo | 2.5L I4 | 1.6L I4 Turbo Hybrid | 1.6L I4 Turbo PHEV |
| Horsepower | 175 hp | 187 hp | 232 hp combined | 268 hp combined |
| Torque | 184 lb-ft (FWD); 203 lb-ft (AWD) | 178 lb-ft | 271 lb-ft combined | 271 lb-ft combined |
| Transmission | CVT (FWD); 8-speed auto (AWD) | 8-speed auto | 6-speed auto | 6-speed auto |
| Towing capacity | 800 lbs (FWD); 1,500 lbs (AWD) | 2,500 lbs | 2,000 lbs | 2,000 lbs |
In base form, the turbocharged Equinox is around half a second quicker to 60 mph than the sluggish Sportage (8.6 to 9.1 seconds). Unusually, Chevy offers a CVT for FWD models and an eight-speed automatic for AWD models. Both Sportage Hybrids are a lot peppier, with the PHEV able to reach 60 in just under seven seconds. All versions of the Kia can tow more than the Chevy.
2. Sportage Is More Efficient
Kia
Without a hybrid, the Equinox is left behind in the efficiency stakes. It manages 26/29/27 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD and 25/29/26 mpg with AWD. The base Kia Sportage achieves 25/33/28 mpg, so its engine appears not to be working as hard in highway driving. Add AWD, and the Kia’s figures drop to 24/30/26 mpg.
The real efficiency stars are the Sportage Hybrids, though. The regular hybrid gets 41/44/42 mpg with FWD and 35/36/35 mpg with AWD. If you go for the pricier PHEV, you get 36 mpg/83 MPGe combined and a 33-mile all-electric range.
Now that many rivals offer a hybrid in this segment, Chevy will need to consider adding such an option to the Equinox if it wants to remain competitive.
3. Chevy Packs More Standard Features
Chevrolet
Kia
Although the Kia generally looks and feels like a more upscale vehicle, the Chevy has a better standard specification. For the record, the Chevy starts at $28,800 and the Kia begins at $28,790. Here’s a look at what you get if you go for the cheapest trims of each.
| Chevy Equinox | Kia Sportage | |
| Wheels | 17-inch alloys | 17-inch alloys |
| LED headlights and taillights | S | S |
| Heated outside mirrors | S | O |
| Power liftgate | O | N/A |
| Touchscreen | 11.3 inches | 12.3 inches |
| Heated steering wheel | S | N/A |
| Heated front seats | S | O |
| Speakers | 6 | 6 |
| Air conditioning | S | S |
| Adaptive cruise control | S | S |
| Dual-zone automatic climate control | O | N/A |
| Wireless device charging | O | N/A |
The cheapest Equinox has a few more standard and available features than the Sportage, which is on the basic side. If you want more features, you have to upgrade to a higher trim for the Sportage, while the cheapest Chevy has a few packages to choose from.
4. Sportage Has More Interior Space
Kia
Chevrolet
Both SUVs have spacious interiors with decent room for four people—or five at a squeeze. The Equinox has a fraction more front headroom, but the Sportage shines in the back seat, where it has a very generous 41.3 inches of legroom. That beats the Chevy’s 39.9 inches, so the Kia is better if you have taller kids.
In the trunk, the Kia has up to 39.6 cubic feet of space behind the second row, one of the most generous figures in the class. That’s nearly 10 cubic feet ahead of the Equinox, quite a large difference for two vehicles in the same segment.
5. Kia’s Warranty Outshines Chevy’s
Kyle Edward
The Kia Sportage has had one of the best warranties around for years now. The limited warranty runs for five years/60,000 miles, while the powertrain warranty extends to 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The Chevy has a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, well short of what Kia offers. However, the Equinox does also enjoy one complimentary maintenance visit in the first year/12 months.
Final Thoughts
With their low prices, up-to-date tech, and large interiors, the Chevrolet Equinox and Kia Sportage ably demonstrate the high standards in the packed compact crossover class. They’re two great vehicles, yet none is a true class leader.
If you’re buying one of these at the base level and don’t plan on adding any expensive options, the Equinox makes a strong case for itself. Its standard engine provides better performance than the Kia’s and it comes with a more robust specification. If, however, you’ll be spending over $30,000, the Kia stands out. It has more upmarket looks, a powerful and efficient hybrid powertrain, and a larger interior.
About the author
Karl Furlong
Senior Editor, Autoblog