Kia Sportage vs Jeep Renegade

The 2021 Jeep Renegade, introduced in 2015 and sharing its underpinnings with the Jeep Compass, drew clear design inspiration from the iconic Wrangler SUV. It featured a boxy profile, circular headlights, and an upright seven-slat grille. The Renegade received a subtle refresh in 2019, and for 2021, these design changes continued, with some previously optional features becoming standard. Inside, the Renegade boasted a modern, functional cabin design with an upright center stack, reminiscent of the Wrangler, putting controls within easy reach. The Renegade offered various trims and special editions, including Sport, Jeepster, Latitude, Upland, 80th Anniversary, Islander, Limited, and Trailhawk, each with unique features and equipment.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, while not universally praised for its tiger-nose grille styling, excelled in other design aspects. The SUV featured a four-dot running light signature reminiscent of the Porsche Macan and a Volkswagen-style symmetry in the back door shut line and rear fascia seam. The SX Turbo trim, with its 19-inch wheels pushed out to the corners, gave the Sportage proper proportions and a planted stance. Inside, the Sportage adopted Germanic design cues, with a black dashboard featuring polished metallic accents and plain white markings on a black background for instrumentation. The SX Turbo trim included metal pedal covers, and the interior offered a rich, high-contrast look with available black, gray, and beige colors. Buttons and knobs made it easy to adjust the stereo, change cabin temperature, and access the infotainment system's main menus, imparting a sense of quality.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came with a base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. An upgraded turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine, though slightly less powerful at 177 hp, delivered an impressive 210 lb-ft of torque. Both engines used a nine-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). While neither engine was particularly spirited, the turbocharged engine provided added motivation with its extra torque and more refined performance. The automatic transmission sometimes struggled with smooth shifts and gear selection. Despite these critiques, the Renegade offered a solid ride quality, surprising agility through corners, and impressive maneuverability in tight spaces. The Trailhawk trim, with its terrain management system and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, was particularly capable off-road, earning Jeep's "Trail Rated" designation.

The 2022 Kia Sportage featured a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, forming a competitive but unremarkable powertrain. The Sportage SX Turbo, however, equipped the SUV with a robust 240 hp (237 hp with AWD) and 260 lb-ft of torque, making it especially beneficial for those living at higher elevations. Both engines used a six-speed automatic transmission, with Kia's variable distribution Dynamax all-wheel-drive system available as an option. The SX Turbo offered quick acceleration, with maximum torque arriving at a low 1,450 rpm and remaining available until 3,500 rpm. The Sportage SX Turbo's ride was smooth and compliant, with a hint of body roll and some lateral rocking over pavement undulations. The suspension tuning lent the Sportage a sophisticated driving character, though it wasn't as refined as the Mazda CX-5 Turbo. The steering could be quicker and sharper, and the tires could offer a higher threshold before howling.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade provided 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 18.5 cubic feet with the rear seats in use. These specs were above average for the subcompact SUV segment. The Renegade's tall, boxy design offered plenty of headroom in both rows, with great legroom in the front seats and suitable space for adults in the rear seats. The Renegade featured helpful storage solutions, including small cubbies, trays, and unique optional equipment tie-down solutions. The front passenger seat could fold completely forward, creating a table for gear or added space for long items.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, though on the smaller side of the compact crossover SUV scale, offered a remarkably roomy passenger compartment. The SX Turbo trim provided perforated leather upholstery with classy contrast stitching and piping, ten-way power adjustment for the driver's seat, and eight-way power adjustment for the front passenger seat. The front seats were heated and ventilated, and a heated flat-bottom steering wheel was standard. Rear seat legroom was generous, and the seat itself was comfortable, with air conditioning vents and a USB charging port for rear passengers. The Sportage offered 60.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the second-row seats folded and 30.7 cubic feet behind the back seat. Kia's smart liftgate technology allowed hands-free access to the cargo area, though it could be turned off if not needed.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, with an optional 8.4-inch screen available on mid-tier trims and standard on higher trims. Both touchscreens ran the intuitive Uconnect infotainment system, featuring a logical menu layout, easy-to-read graphics, and a helpful dock at the bottom of the screen with icons for major functions. Both screens also came standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A Kenwood premium audio system was available.

The 2022 Kia Sportage featured a standard 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Most trim levels also included UVO Link connected services and satellite radio, while the SX Turbo trim added wireless smartphone charging and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system with Clari-Fi digital music restoration technology. The infotainment system was easy to use, with knobs for stereo volume and radio tuning, and logical onscreen menus. However, the UVO Link system lacked technological sophistication, with an 8-inch screen, no WiFi hotspot, hit-and-miss voice-recognition technology, and wired smartphone mirroring.

For 2021, Jeep made previously optional safety features standard across the Renegade lineup, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-path detection. Adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and front and rear parking sensors were available as options. Despite these features, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Renegade only four out of five stars in crash tests. Parallel parking assist was also available as an option.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came with forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver monitoring system. Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning was available with the LX Value Edition Package or higher trims. The SX Turbo trim included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Sportage received high safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, with the SX Turbo earning an Acceptable headlight rating, qualifying it for an IIHS Top Safety Pick.