An athletic driving feel and turbo power are two of the main points that separate the Kia Sportage from most of the other crossovers in this class.
The Hyundai Tucson is a mechanical cousin of the Kia, but with softer "fluidic sculpture" styling and without the turbo-four option.
The Nissan Rogue is due to be all-new this year, with an improved feature set, although its continuously variable transmission doesn't make it feel all that lively.
The Chevy Equinox is noticeably bigger than the Sportage, but the four-cylinder model gets the same top EPA highway rating, and its second-row seat slides for flexible interior space.
The Honda CR-V makes the most of its interior space and reputation for durability, while styling's just improved enough to ignore, and fuel economy's now a bit above average.
There's also the Ford Escape, which has very sporty handling and styling, and features that will awe some and confuse others.
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 2014 Kia SportageBrowse Used Listings |  2014 Chevrolet EquinoxBrowse Used Listings |  2014 Ford EscapeBrowse Used Listings |  2014 Honda CR-VBrowse Used Listings |  2014 Hyundai TucsonBrowse Used Listings |  2014 Nissan RogueBrowse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | |||||
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With up to 260 horsepower on tap and styling that's suitably athletic, the 2014 Kia Sportage shows that practical compact crossover wagons don't need to be so stodgy. |
The 2014 Chevrolet Equinox is every bit as solid, spacious, and well-equipped as cost-conscious families could expect -- and far more quiet and refined than many other models without a luxury badge. |
With authentically athletic looks and performance balancing out good passenger space, cargo versatility, and loads of high-tech features, the 2014 Ford Escape is attractive to a wide range of buyers. |
The 2014 Honda CR-V isn't exactly sprightly, but it nails efficiency on a few levels and finally brings more features to the family-wagon fight. |
A better ride and improved handling should add to the appeal of the 2014 Hyundai Tucson, which carries forward with curvaceous sheetmetal and against-the-grain crossover styling. |
The 2014 Nissan Rogue gets mainstreamed in all the right ways, though engine noise and the teensy third-row seat are minor letdowns. |
| MSRP From | |||||
| $21,600 | $24,440 | $23,100 | $23,120 | $21,450 | $20,150 |
| Gas Mileage | |||||
| 19 MPG City / 28 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 32 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 32 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 31 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 29 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 33 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | |||||
| Regular Unleaded I-4 | Gas/Ethanol I4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 |
| EPA Class | |||||
| Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | 2WD Sport Utility Vehicle | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD |
| Style Name | |||||
| 2WD 4-Door LX | FWD 4-Door LS | FWD 4-Door S | 2WD 5-Door LX | FWD 4-Door GLS | FWD 4-Door S |
| Drivetrain | |||||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||||
| Sport Utility | Sport Utility Vehicle | Sport Utility | Sport Utility | Sport Utility | Sport Utility |
| Transmission | |||||
| Automatic w/OD | Automatic | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | CVT w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||||
| 2014 Kia Sportage vs. 2014 Chevrolet Equinox | 2014 Kia Sportage vs. 2014 Ford Escape | 2014 Kia Sportage vs. 2014 Honda CR-V | 2014 Kia Sportage vs. 2014 Hyundai Tucson | 2014 Kia Sportage vs. 2014 Nissan Rogue | |
