Kia Sportage vs Toyota Highlander
Two compact SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Kia Sportage to minimise 5-year ownership cost.
Buy the Toyota Highlander if long-term reliability matters most.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Kia Sportage | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | $462winner | $489 |
| 5-year total cost | $2,310winner | $2,445 |
| Reliability score | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 11%winner | 13% |
| Cargo space | 73.7 cu ft | — |
| Starting price (new) | $30,900winner | $45,870 |
| Best years to buy | — | — |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Kia Sportage | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 176.6 | 0winner |
| Years to avoid | 2010, 2012, 2013 | None identified |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 75.7% | 83.6%winner |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 56.8% | 63.7%winner |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 45% | 51.5%winner |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Kia Sportage | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 55.6% | —winner |
| Electrical | 6.1% | —winner |
| ADAS | 5.8% | —winner |
| Brakes | 8.5% | —winner |
| Steering | 1.5% | —winner |
| Fuel system | 1.1% | —winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 0.5% | —winner |
| Glass/Windows | 2.7% | —winner |
| Airbags | 2.5% | —winner |
| Lighting | 1.0% | —winner |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| Kia Sportage | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $1,997winner | $2,401 |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Sportage averages $462/year in maintenance — $59 below the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 19% is well below the class average of 30% — owners visit for unscheduled repairs far less often than most rivals. Major repair probability of 11% is at the class average. Low cost and low visit frequency make it a strong ownership value.
How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →