Compare the2026 Mazda CX-30VS 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Mazda CX-30 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The CX-30 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Smart Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, the Mazda CX-30 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Sportage Hybrid, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	CX-30	Sportage Hybrid
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-23 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.3 sec	1.7 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-35 MPH	-21 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.7 sec	1.2 sec

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-30. But it costs extra on the Sportage Hybrid.

The CX-30 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-30 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Braking Support - Rear Crossing on the Preferred/Carbon/Aire/Premium automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Sportage Hybrid S/EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the CX-30 and the Sportage Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Kia Sportage Hybrid:

	CX-30	Sportage Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	299
Neck Stress	216 lbs.	263 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	179	307
Neck Stress	172 lbs.	177 lbs.
Neck Compression	85 lbs.	115 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Kia Sportage Hybrid:

	CX-30	Sportage Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	70
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Hip Force	239 lbs.	247 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	47 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
HIC	161	270

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Sportage Hybrid:

	CX-30	Sportage Hybrid
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	89	121
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	1.1 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.1 in
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.38 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	379 lbs.	669 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CX-30 is 1.4% to 2.2% less likely to roll over than the Sportage Hybrid.

The Mazda CX-30 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Sportage Hybrid has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

The CX-30’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sportage Hybrid runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CX-30’s reliability 17 points higher than the Sportage Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda third in reliability, above the industry average. With 35 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 11th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 3 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (250 vs. 232) and 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 271) than the Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mazda CX-30 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia Sportage Hybrid:

	CX-30	Sportage Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	7.4 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	15.7 sec	19.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.7 sec	7.5 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.2 sec	3.7 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.1 sec	4.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	90 MPH
Top Speed	126 MPH	124 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-30 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-30 stops shorter than the Sportage Hybrid:

	CX-30	Sportage Hybrid
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	133 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	147 feet	156 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 2.5 S Premium handles at .84 G’s, while the Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CX-30’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the Sportage Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

Chassis

The Mazda CX-30 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 450 pounds less than the Kia Sportage Hybrid.

The CX-30 is 11.4 inches shorter than the Sportage Hybrid, making the CX-30 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Ergonomics

The CX-30’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sportage Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Sportage Hybrid EX/X-Line/SX-Prestige’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-30’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-30’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sportage Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-30 Premium/Turbo Aire has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The CX-30’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sportage Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Mazda CX-30 retains 60.49% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 50.2% resale value of the 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid after five years, which can save the Mazda’s owner up to $4384.737184 in depreciation.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-30 and the Kia Sportage Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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