The 2022 Kia Sportage promises to be the latest incantation of a very popular compact SUV. Yet the 2022 Subaru Forester has been the number one SUV in so many ways. Could this be the year that the 2022 Sportage topples the 2022 Subaru Forester as the best small SUV?

Which is bigger, the 2022 Kia Sportage or the 2022 Subaru Forester?

The 2022 Kia Sportage has a lot of seating space. The 2022 Sportage has enough seating for five passengers. It has only 30.7 cubic feet behind the rear row, though you can get 60.1 cubic feet if you fold down the third row. U.S. News notes that while the 2022 Sportage may not have an abundance of storage space, the available space is easy to access and is very usable.

The 2022 Subaru Forester has slightly more space. Behind the second row, you have access to 31.1 cubic feet of storage space. If you fold down those seats, you’ll have a total of 76.1 cubic feet, which is clearly more than the 2022 Kia Sportage.

Is Kia more reliable than Subaru?

Reliability ratings for the 2022 Kia Sportage aren’t available yet, though the 2022 Subaru Forester’s are. If you compare the 2021 Kia Sportage and 2022 Subaru Forester reliability ratings though, you’ll find that the Sportage’s reliability ratings are a little bit higher than the Subaru Forester.

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Kia Sportage a 5/5 for its predicted reliability. Every subcategory within the Sportage’s reliability rating is also a 5/5, except for body integrity, which is a 4/5.

The 2022 Subaru Forester’s reliability rating is a 4/5. Even though this is a great reliability rating, it isn’t quite as good as the 2021 Kia Sportage. This is a downgrade from the 2020 Subaru Forester, which had a 5/5 reliability rating.

The Subaru Forester is more expensive than the Kia Sportage?

The base model 2022 Kia Sportage, the LX, costs $24,090. This comes with a 181-horsepower four-cylinder engine. You can always upgrade to one of the higher trims, though. The 2022 Sportage Nightfall Edition costs $28,090, while the Sportage EX comes in at $28,390. The Kia Sportage SX Turbo will start at $33,750. Each of these Sportage models comes with front-wheel drive, though you can add all-wheel drive to any of them for $1500.

The 2022 Subaru Forester is a little bit more expensive than the 2022 Kia Sportage. The base model starts at $26,320. Moving up the Forester ladder, you could opt for the Premium trim for $26,230. The Sport will cost you $30,890, and the Limited will cost $33,000. Then there’s the Wilderness, for $33,945. The highest trim level of the 2022 Subaru Forester is the Touring. It runs at $36,420.

Is the 2022 Sportage a better SUV than the 2022 Subaru Forester? Although the 2022 Subaru Forester appears to be a great compact SUV, it doesn’t quite live up to the 2022 Sportage. The 2022 Kia Sportage is cheaper and more reliable. It doesn’t have as much space as the Forester, but if you don’t need a ton of cargo space, this may not be a deterrent to you.