It is clear why there is such a stir around these cars. Both the Tucson and the Sportage represent the rapidly gaining popularity class of crossovers. Most other manufacturers have cars in this category that are not cheap due to their established image, while the Koreans offer the same benefits of civilization for much more modest money. You can't buy a "European" or even a "Japanese" car for half a million rubles. And even if you can, it will be a car in a poor trim level and with a weak engine. A "Korean" is a completely different matter: at least a two-liter engine, rich equipment, and assembly quality at a decent level. That's why there are plenty of such cars on our roads, despite their specific appearance.

To be fair, neither the Tucson nor the Sportage looks exciting. They don't repel, but they are not beautiful enough to admire them like a desktop wallpaper. Apparently, we have not yet grown up to Asian design. Built on the same platform, the Tucson and Sportage have almost identical interiors with the same volume and linear dimensions. Everything here is so similar that you sometimes forget which car you are in, especially when sitting in the back row. The trim and color schemes are, of course, different, but the layout principle, seat shape, and adjustment kinematics are absolutely the same. Both the Tucson and the Sportage have rear seat backs that adjust for angle and fold in a 2:3 ratio, increasing the trunk volume.

The trunks themselves are also no different, the only difference is that the Tucson has a rigid shelf, while the Sportage's luggage compartment is covered by a roller blind. The latter solution looks more practical: when the blind needs to be removed to load something bulky, it is much easier to stow it in the cabin than a rigid shelf. It is also worth noting that both the Tucson and the Sportage allow opening either the entire tailgate or just the glass.

Up front, there are more differences in the interiors, primarily due to the different dashboard designs. Both dashboards look quite attractive, and it is hard to prefer one over the other—it's a matter of taste. Still, the Sportage's dashboard seems more stylish, and the driver's seat ergonomics are better thought out. This is especially true for climate control: turning knobs to adjust temperature and airflow intensity is much more convenient than pressing buttons. In addition, the Sportage's dashboard has a handle that the front passenger can hold onto on rough roads. In the Tucson, there is nothing to grab except for the "strap" under the ceiling.

As seen in the photos, we took cars with different transmissions for the test: the Kia with a 5-speed manual, and the Hyundai with a 4-speed automatic. But the gearboxes were not the only difference. The Tucson was equipped with a viscous coupling that redistributes torque between the axles and can be locked if necessary for equal power distribution. The Sportage had neither a viscous coupling nor rear-axle drives. Yes, the Sportage turned out to be front-wheel drive, that is, not a crossover, but an ordinary station wagon, albeit with a large ground clearance.

Today, a Russian buyer looking at a Kia crossover, unlike Hyundai, has a choice: take a car with all-wheel drive or limit themselves to front-wheel drive. Hyundai also produces the Tucson in both versions, but supplies only AWD to the Russian market. Is this correct? There is no clear answer. But why, say, should I overpay two and a half thousand dollars for all-wheel drive that I will most likely never use? After all, most of us complain not about the lack of all-wheel drive, but about insufficient ground clearance. We painfully select springs with more coils, install spacers—we do everything to raise the car above the ground. And we raise everything—from a "kopeyka" to a "Mercedes." At the same time, we don't think that we seriously worsen the stability of the cars and reduce the service life of many important units.

The Sportage does not need to be raised. It is initially ready for not only road markings but also much of what forces drivers of passenger cars to change trajectory or brake urgently to fly under it with a whistle. The Sportage was designed as a crossover from the very beginning—with all the ensuing consequences, including sufficient ground clearance. While both cars were in the city, we did not feel much difference. Both the Sportage and the Tucson held very confidently. The only difference is dynamics. But the fact is that under the hood of the Sportage was a 2.0-liter engine, while the Tucson had a 2.7-liter, and naturally, the Kia noticeably lost to the Hyundai in acceleration. The maximum speed is about the same—around 180 km/h.

On a bumpy dirt road, the behavior of the cars also did not differ much. Both bounced through potholes like balls. The chance of catching the bottom on a bump or sticking the front bumper when entering a rut was small thanks to good ground clearance and short overhangs. The Sportage began to give up only when its wheels started to spin on slippery surfaces. Perhaps if it were shod with more suitable tires, its capabilities would not have been exhausted so quickly. But as it was, the Tucson easily outperformed it, by the way, on tires of the same model. All-wheel drive allowed the Hyundai to go further. But not enough to justify the overpayment of those $2,500. After all, it is not an SUV. Undoubtedly, the advantages of all-wheel drive also include stability on slippery roads. But for most cars, electronics are responsible for this, and that is quite enough to avoid a critical situation. The Sportage is one of such cars. If you go to the forest only occasionally, you most likely won't need all-wheel drive. It's a different matter if you live in the suburbs—then AWD will not be superfluous. In everything else, as you can see, the cars are almost identical, so the choice is a matter of taste and preference for one brand or another. Especially since the cost of cars with all-wheel drive and the same engines is comparable.


Hyundai Tucson
+ Powerful engine, availability of all-wheel drive, good dynamics, good handling.
– High price, controversial design.

Kia Sportage
+ Spacious interior, torquey engine, decent dynamics, large ground clearance.
– Weak sound insulation, specific design.

Technical specifications Kia Sportage // Hyundai Tucson

Body – unibody
Number of seats – 5
Curb weight, kg – 1696 // 1593
Gross weight, kg – 2140 // 2123
Dimensions, mm:
- length – 4350 // 4325
- width – 1800 // 1795
- height – 1695 // 1680
Wheelbase, mm – 2630 // 2630
Trunk volume, l – 667–1887 // 325–1856
Maximum speed, km/h – 176 // 180
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s – 11.3 // 10.0
Fuel consumption, l/100 km:
- city cycle – 10.6 // 13.2
- highway – 6.8 // 8.2
- combined – 8.2 // n/a
Fuel tank volume, l – 58 // 65
Engine:
- type – 4-cylinder, inline // V6
- displacement, cm3 – 1975 // n/a
- power, hp at rpm – 144/6000 // 175/6000
- torque, Nm at rpm – 185/4500 // 241/4000
Transmission – manual, 5-speed // automatic, 4-speed
Tire size – 215/65R16 // 215/65R16
Suspension (front and rear) – independent
Brakes:
- front – ventilated discs
- rear – discs
Steering – rack and pinion, with power steering
Price, $ – 24,190 // 30,250