Chevrolet Equinox vs Kia Sportage: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $26,900 against $26,873 for the Kia Sportage (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the Kia Sportage leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.5★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS at $21,588 vs the LX at $23,299; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Equinox LS ($21,588) faces the Kia Sportage LX ($23,299); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (28.4% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the LX (35.8% of Kia Sportage listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,978) faces the SX-PRESTIGE OR SX-P ($27,964). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Chevrolet Equinox | Kia Sportage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| LT (2FL) | $19,995 | 2.8% | LXMost popularCheapest | $23,299 | 35.8% |
| LSCheapest | $21,588 | 5.4% | EX | $25,721 | 24.8% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $22,661 | 28.4% | SX | $26,835 | 4.3% |
| PREMIER (1LZ) | $25,224 | 2.9% | X-LINE | $26,998 | 21.8% |
| 1LT | $26,839 | 27.2% | SX-PRESTIGE OR SX-PPriciest | $27,964 | 8.1% |
| 2LT | $29,897 | 8.8% | SX-P | $28,021 | 1.3% |
| RS | $31,120 | 10.7% | SX-PRESTIGE (SX-P) | $32,998 | 2.1% |
| ACTIVEPriciest | $32,978 | 3.1% | X-LINE PRESTIGE | $33,242 | 1.6% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Equinox prices · Kia Sportage prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Equinox typical | Kia Sportage typical | Difference | Chevrolet Equinox MPG | Kia Sportage MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,605 | $25,969 | Chevrolet Equinox +$4,636 | 26–27 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2025 | $26,900 | $27,123 | Kia Sportage +$223 | 26–27 MPG | 25–28 MPG |
| 2024 | $23,300 | $26,873 | Kia Sportage +$3,573 | 26–28 MPG | 25–28 MPG |
| 2023 | $21,552 | $24,883 | Kia Sportage +$3,331 | 26–28 MPG | 25–28 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,047 | $18,225 | Chevrolet Equinox +$822 | 27–28 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $16,995 | $16,900 | Chevrolet Equinox +$95 | 27–28 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $15,995 | $15,450 | Chevrolet Equinox +$545 | 24–28 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $14,672 | $13,199 | Chevrolet Equinox +$1,473 | 24–32 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2018 | $12,900 | $12,495 | Chevrolet Equinox +$405 | 24–32 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,996 | $11,395 | Kia Sportage +$1,399 | 18–25 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,397 | $9,995 | Kia Sportage +$598 | 18–26 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,398 | $9,471 | Kia Sportage +$1,073 | 19–26 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,757 | $7,995 | Kia Sportage +$238 | 19–26 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,995 | $7,499 | Kia Sportage +$504 | 19–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,725 | $7,695 | Kia Sportage +$970 | 19–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2011 | $6,199 | $6,900 | Kia Sportage +$701 | 19–26 MPG | 22–25 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,832 | $4,530 | Chevrolet Equinox +$1,302 | 19–20 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,062 | $5,294 | Kia Sportage +$232 | 19 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,997 | $4,995 | Chevrolet Equinox +$2 | 19–20 MPG | 19–22 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Equinox or Kia Sportage?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Kia Sportage is cheaper: it typically lists for $26,873 versus $26,900 for the Chevrolet Equinox (national medians, August 2026).
Which is safer — Chevrolet Equinox or Kia Sportage?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Kia Sportage averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.5 for the Chevrolet Equinox. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Equinox or Kia Sportage?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.2 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 2.8 for the Kia Sportage — an edge for the Chevrolet Equinox. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Equinox LS typically lists for $21,588 vs $23,299 for a Kia Sportage LX; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($22,661, 28.4% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the LX ($23,299, 35.8% of Kia Sportage listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,978) faces the SX-PRESTIGE OR SX-P ($27,964). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/equinox/vs/kia/sportage.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Equinox — live listings & specs Kia Sportage — live listings & specs Chevrolet Equinox prices by year Kia Sportage prices by year Chevrolet Equinox MPG by year Kia Sportage MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.