Compare the2026 Lexus NXVS 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Lexus NX has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Lexus NX is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Sportage Hybrid, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	NX	Sportage Hybrid
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-23 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	1.7 sec
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	2.4 sec	1.2 sec

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Lexus NX achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Kia Sportage Hybrid has not been tested.

The Lexus NX’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Kia Sportage Hybrid does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

The NX has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the NX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the NX and the Sportage Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lexus NX is safer than the Kia Sportage Hybrid:

	NX	Sportage Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	43	70
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	96 lbs.	162 lbs.
Hip Force	238 lbs.	247 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	47 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lexus NX is safer than the Sportage Hybrid:

	NX	Sportage Hybrid
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.98 in	1.34 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	9 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	245 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.38 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD

The Lexus NX achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Sportage Hybrid has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

The NX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Sportage Hybrid’s (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Lexus NX Plug-In Hybrid’s reliability 11 points higher than the Sportage Hybrid and the Lexus NX is rated 30 points higher than the Sportage Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the NX second among compact premium suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Sportage Hybrid isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 11th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The NX 350h AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 8 more horsepower (240 vs. 232) than the Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The NX 350 AWD’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 43 more horsepower (275 vs. 232) and 46 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 271) than the Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The NX 450h+ Premium AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 72 more horsepower (304 vs. 232) than the Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the NX 350h AWD is faster than the Kia Sportage Hybrid:

	NX	Sportage Hybrid
Zero to 30 MPH	2.8 sec	2.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	7.7 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the Sportage Hybrid:

			MPGe
NX
	AWD	450h+ Premium AWD Electric Motors	93 city/75 hwy
Sportage Hybrid
			MPG
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	41 city/44 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/36 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the NX 350h running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Sportage Hybrid AWD (41 city/37 hwy vs. 35 city/36 hwy).

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The Sportage Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Both the NX and Sportage Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The NX (except NX 350h/450h+) has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Lexus NX 350 AWD, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sportage Hybrid.

The NX offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The NX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sportage Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The NX stops much shorter than the Sportage Hybrid:

	NX	Sportage Hybrid
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	156 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The NX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sportage Hybrid LX’s standard 65 series tires. The NX’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Sportage Hybrid X-Line/SX-Prestige’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the NX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sportage Hybrid LX. The NX’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Sportage Hybrid X-Line/SX-Prestige.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The NX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Sportage Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better maneuverability, the NX’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Sportage Hybrid’s (38 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

Cargo Capacity

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the NX’s optional rear seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the NX. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The NX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sportage Hybrid uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 60% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

Ergonomics

The NX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Sportage Hybrid does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The NX’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sportage Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Sportage Hybrid EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The NX’s standard Smart Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Key standard on the Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The NX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The NX Luxury/450+ F Sport has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the NX Luxury/450+ F Sport has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The NX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige.

The NX’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sportage Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Lexus NX has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Sportage Hybrid X-Line/SX-Prestige.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Lexus NX retains 61.59% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 50.2% resale value of the 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid after five years, which can save the Lexus’ owner.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus NX as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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