It's always interesting to measure two vehicles in the same category to see which one is more interesting than the other. It's doubly relevant to do so when both models are relatively new to the market. This way, we compare fresh forces.
That's the case when we pit the 2023 Kia Sportage against the 2023 Mazda CX-50. Both are brand new and offer interesting solutions to consumers. Which one is the most complete?
Let's take a look at why the 2023 Kia Sportage represents the new standard in this class.
Electrification
Kia is embracing electrification, having offered electric models for several years now. Mazda has made its first attempt with the MX-30, but it doesn't have enough range.
As for hybridity, it's not present at Mazda, which means that the company's models are often behind their competitors. That includes the new Sportage, as it comes in two different hybrid configurations. The first one is more regular and offers a fuel consumption of only 6.2 L/100 km, while the other one allows an electric range of about 50 km.
Two more advantageous solutions that any variant of the CX-50 can offer.
The multimedia system
These days, a good part of the on-board experience is our interaction with the vehicle's multimedia system. The better and more user-friendly it is, the more enjoyable that experience is. However, there is a world of difference between the two manufacturers' approaches. With Mazda, we have a complete system, but the interface is unnecessarily complex and difficult to discern. With a Kia product, it's the opposite, while the design was thought to make operations easy for the occupants.
You only have to spend a little time behind the wheel of both models to understand how huge the difference is.
Interior volume
Speaking of huge differences, what about the cargo volume of the two models? We're not in the same place. With the CX-50, space is 889 liters behind the second row, 1594 liters when you take the time to fold it down. That's acceptable, but with the Sportage, it's 1121 liters of space behind the second row and 2098 liters behind the first row that is at your disposal.
Better multimedia system, more frugal powertrains and hybrids, cargo volume and more space for occupants, why settle for less with a Mazda CX-50? Truly, the 2023 Sportage is a model to discover.
