2012 Kia Sportage vs. Its Competition

Martin Padgett Editorial Director

Kia's Sportage presents itself much more confidently in a class of very strong-selling vehicles.

First, it has to get past its own corporate cousin, the Hyundai Tucson, which has an entirely different look that's more flair-focused, and which lacks the Sportage's turbo option and its UVO voice controls.

The Ford Escape is still a best seller 11 years in its current form, and has more interior space and a Hybrid model to distinguish it.

The Nissan Rogue sports interesting styling and good road manners, but its continuously variable transmission--still the best of its kind--leads to more drivetrain noise and slower responses to throttle inputs.

The Honda CR-V is new this year, and it's evolutionary change at best, with no major advances in powertrain or features.

For the most refined driving experience in this group, we recommend the Subaru Forester; it has a tall and spacious cabin, sedate good looks, and a reputation for durability, though fuel economy is much lower than the numbers generated by the non-turbo Sportage.