Kia Sportage GT-Line vs Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed vs Subaru Forester 2.5i-S vs Hyundai Tucson Highlander N Line 2022 comparison review

Out of the four SUVs here the Forester 2.5i-S will cost you the least at $44,190, then the Outlander Exceed comes in at $47,990, followed by the Sportage GT-Line at $49,370 and then the Tucson Highlander N Line with its list price of $51,000.

All sit at the top of their respective ranges. Well, there is a grade above the Exceed in the Outlander line-up called the Exceed Tourer, but the only extra it offers is a dual-tone colour exterior and interior.

This price variation between the SUVs on test is a great example of how a car's higher cost doesn’t always mean you get more.

The Forester 2.5i-S is the cheapest while the Tucson Highlander N Line is the most expensive. (image credit: Dean McCartney)

See, all these SUVs come with sat nav, a proximity key and push-button start, privacy glass, a power tailgate, sunroof, roof rails, LED headlights and running lights, plus Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

The Outlander has three-zone climate control, while the rest have dual-zone. The Outlander has the largest wheels – they’re 20-inch alloys, while the Forester has the smallest at 18 inches and the Sportage and Tucson both have 19-inch rims.

All have leather upholstery and heated front seats, but only the Sportage and Tucson have ventilated front seats, too.

The Forester and the Tucson both have an eight-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, the Sportage and Outlander have Bose sound systems – eight speakers in the Kia and 10 in the Mitsubishi.

Really, the big differences in features comes down to the cabin tech such as the size of the media displays.

The Forester has the smallest screens – there’s an 8.0-inch media display and a 6.3-inch display for car information.

The Sportage has the most impressive display with two 12.3-inch screens which are joined and curve around the driver housing the media and instrument cluster.

The Tucson has two separate 10.25-inch screens, one for media and the other for the driving instruments.

The Outlander has three screens – a 9.0-inch media display, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

Sure, the Forester has a small screen and a traditional analogue instrument cluster but that’s because it’s the oldest car here.

This fifth-generation Forester arrived in 2018, and while there have been updates to it since then, the Sportage and Outlander came out in 2021, and the Tucson was released in 2020.

Despite the tech being a bit behind, the Forester represents the best value for money.  

The Sportage, Forester and Tucson have five seats, the Outlander has a third row with two extra seats for a total of seven.

Before you rush out and get the Outlander, though, please know the two seats in its third row don’t offer much room and I’m not just saying that because I’m tall at 191cm.

Even the smallest and most ninja-like of our testers on this comparison took one look at the legroom available and said, “no way.”

The second row slides forward to offer more room for the third row, but finding adequate legroom for me in both at the same time is impossible.

So, consider the Outlander’s third row seats for occasional use only. If you need seven seats all the time, check out something like the Hyundai Palisade or Kia Carnival.

The Outlander, despite its larger exterior dimensions, doesn't impress with its interior space. Yes, the third row is tight, but the second row also feels less roomy thanks to a high seating position which combined with the sunroof means headroom is less than adequate.

Legroom while fine for most isn’t good enough for me to sit comfortably behind my driving position.

Storage space in the Outlander is disappointing, too, and it also claims the award for smallest boot with the cargo capacity behind the second row (third row folded flat) being 478 litres.

The Sportage’s cabin is more spacious than the Outlander’s with good legroom for me behind my driving position and adequate headroom, too.

The smaller windows with high sills make the cabin feel dark and children may have difficulty seeing out.

The Sportage’s 543-litre boot is the largest of the lot on test and cabin storage is good, especially the large centre console storage area.

The Tucson’s cabin isn’t as spacious as the Sportage’s but it's better than the Outlander’s, with adequate legroom for me behind my driving position and passable headroom, too.

Storage is also good, while boot space is ample at 539 litres.

The Tucson's boot space is ample at 539 litres. (image credit: Dean McCartney)

The winner for space and practicality is the Forester. While it doesn't have the largest boot at 498 litres, it offers a cavernous interior.

The tall roof means headroom is the best of the lot, and legroom is better than the rest, too, with me sitting behind my driving position.

Large, wide-opening doors mean access in and out is better than any of the other SUVs here, while enormous windows are not just good for visibility but let in gallons of natural light that's missing from the cabins of the Sportage and Tucson.

The Forester’s cabin feels like an open-air stadium compared to those of the Sportage, Tucson and Outlander.

All SUVs tested have door pockets, but the Forester’s are huge and so are the front ones in the Sportage. Each of the SUVs have rear privacy glass, but only the Outlander has pull-up sunshades for the second-row windows.

You can see the USB port and 12V outlet count in the table below, but I should point out only the Forester doesn't have wireless charging for phones. Still, it wins here overall for space and practicality.

The Forester 2.5i-S has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and makes the most power of these SUVs with 136kW, while torque is a healthy 239Nm.

The transmission is a CVT which is smooth but can feel like its hampering performance (though it doesn't) due to a disconnect between engine speed and road speed.

The Outlander also has a 2.5-four cylinder making 135kW and 245Nm, with a CVT delivering that same 'droney' sensation.

The Sportage and Tucson have a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission making 132kW/265Nm.

Yep, they have the same engine because Hyundai and Kia have the same parent company and share parts and tech, although they develop it independently.

The Sportage and the Tucson have the sportiest engine with the most torque and the best acceleration.

 All our test cars had all-wheel drive.

When you’re buying an SUV like these there’s a lot to consider when you take one for a test drive, which is often a quick spin around the block then back to the dealership.

But ask yourself, how does the car feel on the road and how easy is it to use?

Those are the two big things I’m considering when test driving SUVs like these and there’s a lot to consider from the ride comfort, handling, steering and engine, to the seating position, visibility, and controls.

The Forester ticks more of those boxes than any of the other SUVs on this test.

The Forester has comfortable and supportive seats, a great driving position, ergonomic controls, and outstanding visibility through the giant windows.

The Forester’s CVT transmission may cause the engine to drone on, but that's preferable to, and smoother than the lurching behaviour caused by dual-clutch autos in the Tucson and Sportage.

The Subaru’s engine has plenty of grunt, it’s the most powerful of the lot, but it’s the solid, stable, and secure feeling this SUV has on the road that impresses. The Forester also has the most comfortable ride here... by a lot.

Sure, the Sportage and Tucson are sportier with better acceleration, but visibility is nowhere near as good as the Forester.

And as mentioned, the dual-clutch autos in both these SUVs make city driving and slow traffic commutes frustrating with their lurching gear changes. If I had to pick, I’d say the Sportage’s transmission feels less ‘manic’ than the Tucson’s.

The Tucson’s steering, however, feels better than the Sportage’s which has a super light and disconnected quality. The Tucson’s body control is better than the Sportage’s as well, which jiggles and wobbles more over speed bumps and roundabouts.

The ride in the Tucson also feels more comfortable than the firm character of the Sportage, but both are more comfortable and composed than the Outlander.

Not only is the Outlander’s ride not as comfortable as the others, thanks partly to the large 20-inch alloys and low-profile tyres, but this SUV struggles to maintain good body control, resulting in a rolliness around corners and a jiggleness over bumps.

The Outlander feels cumbersome and large to drive compared to the other SUVs in this test, too, while visibility is affected by the wing mirrors, short A-pillars and high dashboard.

The Outlander's engine feels strong, but noisy, while the CVT is smooth but generates engine drone. 

The Forester has the highest braked towing capacity at 1800kg, the Outlander has the least at 1600kg, while the Tucson and Sportage can haul a smidge more at 1650kg.

The Forester has the best ground clearance, too, at 220mm. The Outlander has 210mm, the Tucson and Sportage both have 181mm.

An 'X-Mode' setting in the Forester allows the driver to choose between 'Mud' and 'Dirt' terrain modes and provides more traction.

The Forester wins here, no doubt.

The Subaru Forester is the oldest model here, coming onto the market in 2018, before scoring its maximum five-star ANCAP crash safety rating in 2019.

The Hyundai Tucson scored its five-star rating in 2021.

As for the Outlander and Sportage, they were so new when we did this comparative test they were yet to be scored by ANCAP.

Still, as you can see in the table below, both have a vast amount of advanced safety tech and we’d expect no less than five stars from them.

One finding that new parents will be particularly interested in is which of these SUVs has the most room for a rearward-facing baby seat when the seat in front is occupied.

Be sure to watch the video where I use our CarsGuide rearward facing baby seat and fit it to the second row behind the front passenger seat.

To create a ‘worst case scenario’ I set that front seat for me, and I’m 191cm tall, which is about 6'3".

Only the Forester and the Tucson allowed me to sit comfortably in the front passenger seat with the rearward facing baby behind me.

The design of the Sportage's dashboard means my knees were up against it and the Outlander also didn’t allow me to sit with enough room in the front seat.