Hyundai I30 vs Kia Sportage

What's the difference?

The updated Hyundai i30 N Line doesn’t look like or perform like a base model.

You really do get bang for your buck here with its features. It’s a good-looking hatch that’s fun to drive in the city or open road and while the multimedia system is basic and occupants will be squished in the rear row, everything else is a big plus.

The Sportage still feels like a super solid offering in its segment, plus the addition of more hybrid options is only going to help.

It does feel a little under-specced in the lower grades, though, considering the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach taken by its Chinese rivals.

I feel like I should almost whisper this bit, given it's a dirty word at the moment, but that diesel engine, it's a real peach, and if I wasn't afraid of being run out of Sydney's inner west with pitchforks, that's probably the one I'd be choosing.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

The design memo seems to be to make the i30 N Line look sportier and more purposeful.

They've nailed the design. The i30 is a good-looking hatch that looks like it has European styling.

The reshaped grille features new air intake vents, and stylish V-shaped daytime running lights. The rest of the body looks sharply dressed with new side skirts, reshaped bumper, black side mirrors, dual exhausts and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin has been refreshed with a black headliner, upgraded leather and suede upholstery with contrasting red stitching and an N Line steering wheel and leather gear shifter.

The dashboard features new materials and additional soft touchpoints that make the interior feel like it's not a base model at all.

All new Sportage models feature a redesigned front and rear end, but they actually have a slightly different look. There's one look for the cheaper models and then one for the top-spec cars, the SX+ and GT-Line.

The changes aren't overwhelming, though. There are fog lights in the more expensive models, but also just more use of black edging, as opposed to the silver edging that frames the bottom of the grille and rear end in the cheaper cars.

Either way, I still really like the way the Sportage has come together. The front end looks bold and powerful, mostly because of the vertically stacked headlights and and the DRLs that really frame the front end, but they've also done a good job of making a fairly big and spacious SUV feel small and not too imposing.

Now, inside the top-spec cars it’s very modern Kia, with a big twin-screen setup, and the dual-function bar beneath them that handles things like climate control, but also mapping and media and those kinds of functions. The cheaper models also get the same look, but swap the second 12.3-inch screen for a smaller driver display.

It means you don't have to dig through the screen for everything, which is always a nice touch. And I also like some of the materials used in the GT-Line, too, like the synthetic wood grain that’s actually nice to touch.

But there are a couple of key downsides. Not quite so much in the top-spec cars, but in the cheaper versions. I hate those constant reminders that you didn't spring for a more expensive model, and there are plenty of those in the lower-spec cars.

In the more expensive models, there are buttons alongside the gearshift, but in the cheaper cars, those buttons are still there, just blacked out and inactive. And even the cutout for the head-up display still exists in the cheaper cars, but of course, there's no head-up display.

All of that combined with some hard and scratchy plastics front and back makes you really want to dig deep for a more expensive Sportage.

Like most hatches, the front row of the i30 benefits the most when it comes to leg- and headroom. Taller passengers will be most comfortable up front as the rear row doesn't offer all that much legroom. It's squishy behind my driving position and I'm only 168cm tall!

Access however is decent for both rows because of the wide door apertures, but it's a low car to get in and out of because of the 140mm ground clearance. Expect a couple of grunts after a gym session.

The seats in both rows are fairly well-padded and offer the most comfort on shorter journeys. Even with the new powered lumbar support on the drivers seat, fatigue can set in quickly on a longer trip.

Individual storage is excellent throughout the car with a large glovebox that can hold a thick manual, middle console, phone tray, four cupholders, a drink bottle holder in each door, two net map pockets and even a sunglasses holder!

Other than the Kia Cerato, the i30 has one of the largest boots compared to its rivals, at 395L, and it’s enough for road trips and a decent grocery haul. The taller boot lip means you can stack items too but you don’t get a spare wheel in this model, just a tyre mobility kit. The base model also doesn’t get a powered tailgate, but the lid is not heavy at all to operate.

The new digital instrument cluster looks great but the multimedia system is basic and there’s no satellite navigation, so you're reliant on the phone mirroring apps but these maintain a strong connection. The radio is a hit or miss but that’s typical for the grade level.

Charging options are great for a base model with a single USB-A port, three USB-C ports and 12-volt sockets, and a wireless charging pad to choose from.

The Sportage measures 4685mm long, 1865mm wide and between 1665mm and 1680mm tall, depending on the trim.

Slip into the backseat of the Sportage and you’ll find legroom is ample, at least for my 175cm frame, and headroom is ok, without being great - though our test car had the sunroof fitted which could be eating into the space.

Elsewhere in the back though, even the top spec GT-Line just doesn't feel that plush. And by that, I mean some of the materials are a bit hard and scratchy, you don’t get your own temperature controls for the air vents, and it generally just lacks a premium air.

Now, to the all-important point in this segment, and that is boot space. The official VDA numbers are 543-1829 litres for the petrol and diesel cars, and 586-1872L for the hybrid, but the real-world reality is a boot that is deep and wide and really has enough space to carry plenty of groceries.

But there is an important caveat. Under the flat floor there is a temporary spare wheel in the hybrids, where in some of the ICE cars, you get a full-size spare wheel.

There are a lot of different numbers involved in the Sportage story. In fact, there are no less than 13 trim and powertrain combinations, and so 13 different prices you can pay. Easier, I think, if I just pop the graphic up on screen and you can jump to the one you want.

While there are four engines and five powertrain configurations to choose from, not all of them are available across all four trim levels. The SX+, for example, offers no electrified options, while the SX will give you hybrids, but no turbo-petrol choice.

The range opens with the S, which gets 17-inch alloys, LED DRLs, power-folding mirrors and roof rails, while inside there are cloth seats, power windows, a smart key with push-button start, and single-zone air-con with rear-seat vents. Tech at this level is handled by a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but no wireless charging, which pairs with a six-speaker stereo. The driver then gets a 4.2-inch screen to deliver driving info.

The SX then adds 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate, standard navigation and rain-sensing wipers.

The SX+ is feeling like a sweet spot, adding 19-inch alloys, LED fog lights, artificial leather seats that are heated up front, wireless device charging, a heated steering wheel and a better Harman Kardon Premium stereo.

Finally, the flagship GT-Line gets the lot, with 19-inch black alloys, or 18-inch wheels in the hybrid, welcome lights, projection headlights, a twin-screen cabin which adds a second 12.3-inch screen for the driver, a powered driver’s seat and a head-up display.

All models also get Kia Connect, which gives you remote access to the vehicle for things like pre-setting the climate, as well as Over the Air updates.

I’ve got to say, though, the flagship Sportage offers largely what the cheapest version of most Chinese SUVs offer, showing just how much price pressure the newcomers are putting on the old guard.

The updated i30 N Line has a new mild-hybrid powertrain that features a 1.5-litre 7 four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and combines to produce 117kW and 253Nm of torque. This new combo means it has higher outputs than its nearest rivals and you get three drive modes, including Sport which makes those outputs feel even more prevalent.

Like its rivals, the i30 N Line is a front-wheel-drive, but it has a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which can sometimes feel like it's confused in stop/start traffic.

The big news about this mid-life update for the Sportage is the expansion of Kia’s hybrid powertrain, which is now available with AWD, and the inclusion of an eight-speed automatic for the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol variants.

Elsewhere, the 2.0-litre petrol option produces 115kW and 192Nm, pairs with a six-speed automatic, and drives the front wheels. The other pure petrol option is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol unit that produces 132kW and 265Nm, paired with an eight-speed auto and powering all four wheels.

Then comes the diesel, which is a 2.0-litre unit making 137kW and 416Nm. It pairs with an eight-speed automatic and powers all four wheels.

Finally, there’s a hybrid option, now with two- or all-wheel drive. It pairs a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and a six-speed automatic with an electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery to produce a total 173kW and 367Nm.

The new engine coasts in neutral when you’re not accelerating to improve efficiency and it works for that purpose as my real-world usage of 6.3L/100km isn't too far off the official combined fuel cycle figure of 5.6L.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 50L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 893km, which is downright respectable.

All pure ICE Sportage grades are fitted with 54-litre fuel tanks, while the hybrids get 52-litre tanks. But the hybrids more than make up for it when it comes to fuel efficiency, with the FWD sipping a claimed 4.9 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle, while the AWD drinks 5.3 litres.

The diesel is the next most-efficient, using a claimed 6.3L/100km combined, while the turbo-petrol needs 7.5 litres, and the 2.0-litre petrol requires 8.1 litres.

Our calculations suggest that, taking the fuel claims at face value, a 2.0-litre petrol Sportage should carry you 666kms on a full tank, while a turbo-petrol will take you 720kms. The diesel should deliver 857kms, while the FWD hybrid (1061kms) and AWD hybrid (981kms) will take you the furthest.

The new powertrain is impressively punchy and you almost feel like you’re driving a hot hatch when you hit the open road because it’s effortless to keep up and overtake when necessary. 

The steering is firmer than what you’d expect and that makes the car feel heavier than what it is. Cornering is great – barely any roll – but the suspension is not finely tuned, especially for regional roads. But the overall feel is sporty, so it’s forgivable. 

At lower speeds, the cabin is delightfully quiet and although the exhausts are thrumming with noise, you don’t really hear it! It’s only once you get on the open road that the road noise creeps up but you can hold a convo without raising your voice, so that’s still good.

The i30 is pretty low to the ground and that makes it easy to scrape the bottom of it, especially when you have a full car load, so take ramps and bumps at a slight angle.

Hatches are always the best for parking because you can park ‘em anywhere! The i30 N Line has front and rear parking sensors and a decent reversing camera, so it’s extra easy.

I want to start this with just a small caveat. It hasn't been the most comprehensive drive of this car so far. And remember, there are a lot of variants.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid, two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive – we haven't driven all of them, and so I feel uncomfortable giving you my rock-solid verdict across the whole range. I can, however, give you my first impressions.

The first of those is that whoever in the vast Hyundai group came up with adding a long-hold function to the stereo mute button deserves a medal. By far the most annoying of the modern safety systems is the overspeed warning, which inevitably reads some signs incorrectly, others not at all, and has no idea when school zones actually start.

Thankfully, Kia, like Hyundai, now has the shortcut to mute it. You just long-hold down mute button and voila, the bing-bongs vanish.

Now elsewhere, as is pretty typical of modern Kias, the ride in this car feels properly well sorted. We've taken it through the city, onto the freeway, along a little twisting road section, and on some typically coarse and broken country B-roads, and the Sportage handled them all really well.

And even when you're getting a little frisky with the driving, there's little in the way of body roll, with the Sportage feeling planted and solid.

I wasn't totally blown away with the refinement in the cabin. On the wrong road surface, you definitely get a bit of road noise in the cabin – mind you, that is pretty hard to avoid on the coarse chip stuff – but you can also hear the engines revving away and working hard when you put your foot down.

That said, the way the gearboxes channel that power is smooth and easy, and when you put your foot down in each of the powertrains we tested, there's certainly enough urge to get you up and moving.

And that is especially true in the diesel, which I do think is a bit of a peach of a powertrain – super torquey and super easy to get the Sportage up and moving. It might find itself on the endangered species list, that engine, so get it while you can.

Now, one small downside. While the ride hasn't changed, at least for any of the ICE-powered cars, the steering has changed for all of them, and at speed, it's really lovely. It's quite direct, confidence-inspiring, and nicely weighted.

But at low speeds it can feel a little bit darty, like it takes a really big bite when you put a little input in, and it takes a little bit of getting used to.

All Sportage models start with seven airbags, and even the cheapest S gets a pretty full suite of safety stuff, including a new SOS button should you have an accident, auto emergency braking (AEB) with junction sensing, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep and lane follow assist, a rear-view camera and the often-infuriating speed limit monitoring.

From the SX+ and up you also get Kia’s Highway Driving Assist, which pairs active cruise with a lane entering function, and the GT-Line also gets remote park assist, which allows you to remotely drive into or out of tight spots, along with a blind-spot view monitor and a rear-view monitor.

The Sportage wears a five-star ANCAP rating, which it earned back in 2022.

Hyundai offers the i30 with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is a normal term for the class and you can pre-purchase three-, four- or five-years worth for servicing and the five-year option cost $1795, which is competitive. 

Servicing intervals are okay at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.

All Kia models also get the brand’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years of capped-price servicing and, should you service with Kia, eight years of roadside assistance.

Turbo-petrol and hybrid models require servicing every 12 months or 10,000kms, where the rest are 15,000km intervals. The Kia website has the full costings for each powertrain choice, but for reference, seven years of hybrid ownership will cost you a not-insubstantial $4510.