Nissan X-TRAIL v Kia Sportage 2023 Comparison

This comparison came to us on a silver platter.

Take a reigning mid-size SUV champion and put it up against an all-new and thoroughly reimagined segment stalwart that’s been in the game almost from the beginning, and there’s a strong chance that fireworks will ensue.

On the one hand we have the 2023 Kia Sportage which, right from the moment of the fifth-generation model’s launch in late 2021, reset the class benchmark.

Measured by any criteria, the Sportage is a mighty impressive mid-size SUV and reaffirmed its status earlier this year in a comparison test with the previous standard-setter, the Mazda CX-5.

On the other hand, we have the fourth-generation Nissan X-TRAIL that’s far more than simply an evolution of the model that preceded it.

Though it looks more than vaguely familiar, the new X-TRAIL is a true game-changer for the popular SUV that’s become well-known, above all else, for its practicality and family-friendliness.

The new X-TRAIL doesn’t just revisit proven formulas – it shakes them out and remodels them with the promise of resetting the pecking order in what is Australia’s strongest-selling market segment next to utes.

Where the Kia Sportage has won hearts and minds with its steady rise from humble beginnings to today’s lofty heights, the new X-TRAIL shows that Nissan is primed to reclaim a place among the top selling mid-size SUVs – something it hasn’t done in a while.

Car comparisons are at their best without an anticipated forgone conclusion. This is one of them.

To get a handle on how the newcomer compares with a proven favourite, we went straight to the top of each range (not including hybrid) and are testing the 2023 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L and the Kia Sportage GT-Line.

The Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L is priced at $52,990 plus on-road costs with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, placing it very close to the Kia Sportage GT-Line set at $52,720 plus ORCs with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

The diesel is our pick of the Sportage engine range, which also includes naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines, with a long-awaited petrol-electric hybrid due later this year.

The Sportage Hybrid will line up against the X-TRAIL e-POWER that’s a much more expensive proposition in Ti-L guise (from $57,190 plus ORCs), which is why we’ve opted in this comparison for a close-matched title fight with a premium 4WD petrol-versus-diesel pitch.

As flagship model grades, both the 2023 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L and Kia Sportage GT-Line are brimming with creature comforts.

Both are lavishly fitted out with part-leather seat trim, powered and heated front seats, climate-control air-conditioning, a panoramic glass sunroof and premium audio system – eight-speaker Harman Kardon in the Kia and 10-speaker Bose in the Nissan.

But there are some key discrepancies.

For example, the X-TRAIL Ti-L gains heated outboard rear seats but misses out on the Sportage GT-Line’s cooled front seats.

And while both come with four power windows, one-touch operation only applies to the driver’s door on the Kia, where the Nissan offers it on all four.

Overall, the Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L gains the upper hand with its high-quality Nappa leather seat trim, heated steering wheel, slide-up blinds on the rear side windows, temperature-controlled rear air vents and a more universal application of soft-touch trim throughout the cabin.

The Kia Sportage GT-Line’s interior surfaces are more hard-touch than luxe and the seats, particularly in the front, feel a little less supportive than the Nissan’s.

The Kia’s sweeping instrument panel is certainly more alluring than the X-TRAIL’s much more conventional display, but in terms of functionality there is really little to choose between the two.

In terms of ownership, the Kia has the advantage of a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty which compares with the Nissan’s industry-standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre deal.

The Kia does fall behind in roadside assist, with its standard package applying for just 12 months while the Nissan is covered for five years. Like many brands, Kia does, however, provide the opportunity to stretch the roadside assist to eight years if the vehicle is serviced by accredited Kia dealers.

Servicing is scheduled at 12-month intervals for both, although Nissan is stricter in terms of how many kilometres you’re permitted to do in a year; it allows no more than 10,000km while Kia allows a generous 15,000km limit.

Capped-price servicing applies to the Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L AWD for its first six years (or 60,000km), starting at $363 and rising progressively to $696, while the Kia Sportage GT-Line diesel spans from $346 for the first service to $413 seven years or 105,000km later.

The 2023 Kia Sportage and Nissan X-TRAIL both score maximum five-star ANCAP safety ratings. These results are based on assessments conducted in 2022 for the Kia and 2021 for the Nissan, under a comparable testing regime.

What’s more, the safety technology suite on both vehicles is similar too.

Standard features include low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB) in forward and reverse with pedestrian and cyclist avoidance, lane departure warning, lane keep assist (including road edge detection in the Kia), blind spot warning with active assist, rear cross traffic alert for the Kia and a combination of both front and rear in the Nissan.

Both cars have front and rear parking sensors and an array of cameras providing bird’s eye view parking. But the Kia goes a step further with the ability to self-park, as well as being able to move itself by remote control in or out of tight parking spots.

The Kia Sportage and Nissan X-TRAIL come with the usual array of airbags, including a front-centre airbag to protect against head-strike between driver and passenger in the event of a collision.

The X-TRAIL Ti-L comes with a head-up display and, although the Sportage GT-Line doesn’t, it compensates with side camera displays sited among the instrument panel dials that, when the indicators are operating, bring up views to either left or right of what may be coming up from behind.

Both models get hill descent control to facilitate basic off-roading – the X-TRAIL is helped here by a 205mm ground clearance that is significantly better than the Sportage’s 181mm – as well as the practicality of hill start assist and the reassurance of trailer sway control.

Communication technology includes Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, but the Kia needs to be plugged in while the Nissan at least provides a wireless connection – for Apple CarPlay only.

USB provisions are pretty even. Both come with Type-A and Type-C ports in the front, with two USB-C outlets in the sides of the Kia’s front seats and single A and C ports for the Nissan’s rear passengers.

Wireless phone charging is common to both, as are 12-volt power outlets in the front cabin and boot.

As we mentioned earlier, powertrain choice is perhaps the single biggest inconsistency between the 2023 Kia Sportage and the new Nissan X-TRAIL.

In GT-Line form, the Kia Sportage is available with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (132kW/265Nm) or the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (137kW/416Nm) on test here. There’s also a 2.0-litre petrol (115kW/192Nm) for lower model grades.

The new Nissan X-TRAIL is offered with the 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol (135kW/244Nm) driven here, or in high-tech 157kW 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol-electric e-POWER guise.

With price parity a key consideration for this comparison, and a mere $270 separating the two, it’s a top-shelf diesel-versus-petrol contest.

In both cases, the engineering is genre-familiar.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel in the Sportage produces its maximum 137kW of power at a relaxed 4000rpm, but packs a hefty 416Nm punch of torque between 2000rpm and 2750rpm.

This compares to the 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol in the X-TRAIL that makes 135kW at 6000rpm and 244Nm at 3600rpm. The latter is not at all bad for a naturally aspirated petrol engine of this size, but still not enough to negate the turbo-diesel Sportage’s big torque advantage.

The X-TRAIL’s new CMF-C platform plays a part in overall weight reduction and the results are evident in its 121kg kerb weight advantage over the Sportage. This helps provide the Nissan with a slight leg up in terms of power-to-weight ratio, but in the end the torquey Kia wins out.

As you might expect, the driving characteristics are very different. The Nissan is a revver while the turbo-diesel Kia goes about its business more casually, but with significant force.

The Sportage diesel is consequently less vocal under acceleration while the Nissan suffers the sometimes-anxious revving dictated by its continuously variable transmission (CVT).

With its conventional eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, this isn’t a problem for the Sportage.

Both SUVs employ a multi-mode on-demand all-wheel drive system, which is a step up from the front-drive configurations available in lesser variants but are limited in how far they can probe into the bush.

Braked towing capabilities are close to identical, the Nissan gaining a minuscule edge with a rated capacity of two tonnes comparing to the Kia’s 1.9 tonnes.

Herein lies the crux of the matter. The combination of the diesel driveline in the 2023 Kia Sportage GT-Line, plus the ability of its locally tuned suspension to cope with the nuances of Australian roads, undeniably play a big role in the way it drives.

The Sportage feels more balanced and sportier than the softer-riding 2023 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L in most conditions, and subsequently connects better with the driver.

This is not to imply anything negative about the Nissan’s overall characteristics, but the Kia’s informative, slightly quicker steering and its controlled gait on the road err more on the side of European. There’s a sense of composure that is subtly reassuring.

Although the X-TRAIL’s powerplant, helped along by the CVT transmission, delivers quick throttle responses, it’s never as relaxed and unobtrusive as the eight-speed diesel-powered Sportage.

Shifting in the Nissan is by a conventional lever where the Kia employs a somehow more satisfying rotating button on the centre console. Although most drivers will tend not to use it, paddle shifting is featured in both the X-TRAIL and Sportage.

Unsurprisingly, the diesel Sportage is more frugal than the petrol X-TRAIL.

Against the claims of 6.3L/100km for the Kia and 7.8L/100km for the Nissan, and showing comparable consistency with quoted figures, during our testing we recorded 7.2L/100km and 9.0L/100km respectively.

The more luxurious cabin presentation in the 2023 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L compared to the Kia Sportage GT-Line is immediately obvious upon stepping inside.

As previously mentioned, the front seats tend to feel shapelier and more supportive in the X-TRAIL than the Sportage, its rear doors open wider to assist access and the stadium rear-seat configuration offers a better feeling of oneness among passengers.

The Nissan’s rear climate-control vents are also adjustable for temperature, whereas the Kia’s aren’t.

At the boot, there’s precious little to dimensionally separate the two SUVs, but we’re pleased to see that the new X-TRAIL upholds its reputation as a versatile carryall.

For starters, Nissan has designed thoughtful features such as the ability to arrange the bi-level boot into various configurations via repositionable upper-floor panels.

The 60/40-split folding rear seats can also be slid forward separately to expand or contract the usable boot space, though pushed forward to the maximum there’s precious little legroom behind the seat in front.

The rear backrest also enables ‘ski-port’ loading via the fold-down centre arm rest. The X-TRAIL’s four luggage tie-downs look more solid and reassuring than the Sportage’s, too.

The Kia has a similarly useful amount of storage solutions throughout the cabin, but it is less versatile overall with its conventional single-level boot floor and fixed rear seat that doesn’t allow fore-aft adjustment.

It does have a fold-down centre arm rest and, like the Nissan, adjustable-recline rear seatbacks.

The Kia’s non-configurable boot floor is the price you pay for its full-size alloy spare wheel. Compared to the X-TRAIL’s space-saver, it’s a price many will be happy to accept.

This comparison between the 2023 Kia Sportage GT-Line and the new Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L is a lesson in how closely car-makers stalk each other when developing new models.

The two competing mid-size SUVs are so close in so many aspects that it is truly difficult to convincingly separate them.

But in this case, and after much soul-searching, we gave the win to the Kia Sportage.

It gained the lead right from the start with its unarguably better value for money and, despite losing to the X-TRAIL’s more luxurious and better-equipped living room, it held on with its more economical and ultimately more pleasant-to-live-with driveline, its on-road dynamics, its seven-year warranty and its modernistic persona.

The Kia Sportage’s capped-price servicing arrangements are slightly more generous than the Nissan X-TRAIL’s too, but the 12-month roadside assist plan might deter customers who might at times wish to have their vehicle looked after outside the Kia dealer network.

The Kia Sportage GT-Line diesel might not have won every battle in this tightly-contested comparison, but it did end up winning the war.

2023 Kia Sportage GT-Line 2.0 CRDi AWD at a glance:
Price: $52,720 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 137kW/416Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 163g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

2023 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti-L 4WD at a glance:
Price: $52,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 135kW/244Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 7.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 183g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)