2023 Kia Sportage vs 2024 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Kia Sportage emerged with a completely redesigned look that was both exciting and exotic, drawing comparisons to French automakers like Renault and Citroen. Its standout features included bright boomerang-shaped daytime running lights and textured metal trim on the D Pillar, which added a touch of class to this compact crossover. The Sportage was available in seven trim levels, including the new X-Line, X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige trims. Inside, Kia opted for durable synthetic leather upholstery, with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob available on higher trims. The driver’s seat offered excellent visibility, and the dashboard featured an impressive two-foot display, although the cabin had some hard-wearing plastic and piano-black surfaces that attracted fingerprints.

In contrast, the 2024 Mazda CX-50 presented a more rugged design compared to its sibling, the CX-5. It was lower, wider, and longer, with square wheel arches and fake air vents emphasizing its broad-shouldered proportions. The CX-50 was available in eight trim levels, with the 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition standing out for its active-lifestyle image, featuring all-terrain tires, a black hood graphic, and more pronounced rocker-panel trim. The interior boasted a pleasing design with a BMW-like infotainment screen and impressive material quality. However, Mazda’s aspirations to move upscale were still a work in progress, as the base models had manually-adjustable front seats, and the interior didn’t quite match the luxury feel Mazda aimed for.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, available with both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing slightly more power and fuel efficiency than the previous model. However, the absence of a turbocharged engine option, which was available in the previous generation, left the Sportage feeling less powerful compared to some competitors. The X-Line and X-Pro trims added rugged visual cues and off-roading features, with the X-Pro offering BF Goodrich all-terrain tires and specific drive modes. The Sportage’s 8.3 inches of ground clearance on AWD models made it capable off-road, but the naturally aspirated engine struggled to keep up with turbocharged rivals.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, with turbocharging available on higher trims. The base engine delivered 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, while the turbo engine offered up to 256 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane gasoline. All models came with a six-speed automatic transmission and AWD, along with Normal, Sport, and Off-road driving modes. The turbo models also included a Towing mode, increasing towing capacity to 3,500 pounds. While the CX-50 shared powertrains with the CX-5, it offered a different driving experience, focusing more on comfort than sporty dynamics. The Meridian Edition’s all-terrain tires added noise and limited grip, making it less ideal for on-road driving.

The 2023 Kia Sportage, as a compact crossover, offered significantly more interior space than its predecessor, with a 7.1-inch longer body and a 3.4-inch longer wheelbase. This translated to impressive rear-seat legroom of 41.3 inches and a trunk capacity of 39.6 cubic feet, expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The front seats provided decent storage space, but the technology controls, particularly the touch-sensitive HVAC buttons, were frustrating to use while driving.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 had similar passenger space to the CX-5, with slightly less headroom but more legroom in both rows. It offered 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 56.3 cubic feet with them folded, trailing behind most competitors in cargo capacity. The available power liftgate improved cargo-area access, but the interior lacked durable materials for the Meridian Edition’s rugged image. The center console featured a substantial shifter and Mazda’s rotary infotainment controller, providing a sensible layout and adequate storage space.

The 2023 Kia Sportage impressed with its technology offerings, featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen interface on EX-and up trims, paired with a panoramic 12.3-inch driver information display on higher trims. However, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were wired on the top interface, while the base LX trim offered wireless connectivity with an 8-inch screen. The icons on the screen were difficult to distinguish, but the Sportage included wireless charging, rear USB-C ports, navigation, Sirius XM, and a Harman Kardon stereo on higher trims.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 came with a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, operated via a rotary controller and buttons on the center console. Wireless Apple CarPlay was standard, but Android Auto required a cable. Higher trims offered wireless phone charging, SiriusXM, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The touchscreen-free interface took some getting used to, but the rotary controller provided physical feedback, making it easier to use without distraction. The infotainment system felt dated, with basic functions and plain graphics, appealing to buyers who preferred simplicity.

The 2023 Kia Sportage offered a comprehensive suite of collision-avoidance tech and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as standard, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and rear backup sensors. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The SX Prestige and X-Pro Prestige trims included the blind-view monitor and Highway driving assist, although crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were not available at the time.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, receiving top scores in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. However, it scored lower in the nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian test, and the standard headlights were rated “Average.” NHTSA ratings for the 2024 model year were incomplete, but the CX-50 had a five-star frontal crash-test rating. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control, with optional features like rear automatic braking and a 360-degree camera system.