The styling of the two siblings is a matter of personal taste, as it always is. Some will find the Sportage more attractive because of its straighter lines and fewer portions of thick plastic cladding. The Tucson borrows heavily from the Santa Fe which has often been regarded as being less
than attractive. Nevertheless, body panels on both examples were properly aligned and paint finish presented no particular problem areas.
On the tested V6 AWD models, I noticed some thick hard plastic skid plates. They may not be ideal for off-roading but they are certainly better than not having any at all. I was impressed to find that Hyundai and Kia actually considered these shields considering the limited number of owners that will actually take their trucks off the beaten path. A useful touch found in the Sportage and the Tucson is a heated windshield wiper resting area.
Interior styling
The interior is characteristic of a Korean designed vehicle. The plastics are fair in quality although they feel stingier than they look. The fashion in which the cabin is put together is very good for a typical vehicle of this price range. The dash ergonomics are well-designed and simple to operate. The HVAC are comprised of three rotary knobs that feel cheap in the Tucson compared to those found in the Sportage which offer a little
more resistance and have small rubber inserts for a nice padded feel. I like the passenger side dash mounted grab-handle in the Kia; it gives off the impression that you might need it when going off-road driving. The dashboards themselves are nice however the Kia's is more elegant. They wrap their way around the cabin and are accented by either brushed aluminium or faux-wood trim in the tested models. The black color of the Kia's interior also did much to improve the outlook of the passenger quarters compared to the bland grey available in the Tucson. As a note, avoid the beige interior color altogether as it heavily cheapens the look of the interior.
The gauge clusters are similar in layout: Large center-mounted speedometer bordered by the tachometer to the left and the gas and temperature indicators to the right. The Kia's are divided into separate pods that are easier on the eyes and less flashy. It appears that more effort was put into the pattern and layout. The Tucson's are very plain and simpler in design. Nevertheless, both setups do the job and are easy to consult.
The cloth seats of the Tucson are very soft and offer ver
y little support. Those in the Sportage seem firmer and more comfortable. A long drive in the Kia did not create the lower back ache that the Tucson did over a 30 minute period. The leather seats are firm and supportive. In the Sportage, the leather is suppler. They could use extra lumbar support but are nonetheless a better place to spend 5 hours in relative comfort. I did however have a hard time finding an at ease driving position. The steering wheel in both Tucsons is slightly off axis, which did not help. After a short period of adaptation though, I was able to get comfortable. The heated seats have only one position and become very hot and after a few minutes, must be shut off.
Audio system is fair in both vehicles. The radio in the Sportage is bigger and better looking with larger controls. The Hyundai is still plagued with a smallish single-din sized after-market looking radio that really is no fun to use.
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On the tested V6 AWD models, I noticed some thick hard plastic skid plates. They may not be ideal for off-roading but they are certainly better than not having any at all. I was impressed to find that Hyundai and Kia actually considered these shields considering the limited number of owners that will actually take their trucks off the beaten path. A useful touch found in the Sportage and the Tucson is a heated windshield wiper resting area.
Interior styling
The interior is characteristic of a Korean designed vehicle. The plastics are fair in quality although they feel stingier than they look. The fashion in which the cabin is put together is very good for a typical vehicle of this price range. The dash ergonomics are well-designed and simple to operate. The HVAC are comprised of three rotary knobs that feel cheap in the Tucson compared to those found in the Sportage which offer a little
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The gauge clusters are similar in layout: Large center-mounted speedometer bordered by the tachometer to the left and the gas and temperature indicators to the right. The Kia's are divided into separate pods that are easier on the eyes and less flashy. It appears that more effort was put into the pattern and layout. The Tucson's are very plain and simpler in design. Nevertheless, both setups do the job and are easy to consult.
The cloth seats of the Tucson are very soft and offer ver
y little support. Those in the Sportage seem firmer and more comfortable. A long drive in the Kia did not create the lower back ache that the Tucson did over a 30 minute period. The leather seats are firm and supportive. In the Sportage, the leather is suppler. They could use extra lumbar support but are nonetheless a better place to spend 5 hours in relative comfort. I did however have a hard time finding an at ease driving position. The steering wheel in both Tucsons is slightly off axis, which did not help. After a short period of adaptation though, I was able to get comfortable. The heated seats have only one position and become very hot and after a few minutes, must be shut off.Audio system is fair in both vehicles. The radio in the Sportage is bigger and better looking with larger controls. The Hyundai is still plagued with a smallish single-din sized after-market looking radio that really is no fun to use.