Update: ‘Price & Release Date’ section revised with U.S. premiere details.
Introduced in 2021, the fifth-generation Kia Sportage is available in multiple hybrid variants globally to serve the varying needs of customers in different markets. Three years into its life, it has received its mid-cycle update to appear fresh and keep up with the competition.
The new Kia Sportage Hybrid models is expected arrive in the U.S. for the 2026 model year. Here’s what we know about it from its debut in South Korea, its first market worldwide:
Design
The Kia Sportage Hybrid facelift features comprehensive exterior changes, mostly focused at the front. It has the brand’s new family look with the Star Map lighting signature inside boxy and vertically laid headlamps. The daytime running light of the headlamps could be amber-colored in the U.S.
The new rectangular radiator grille and lower central air intake complement the sharper styling. The fog lamps lie in the outer ends of the lower central air intake instead of side air inlets. Given all these tweaks, the front bumper is obviously new.
The side profile of the facelifted Sportage Hybrid looks the same for the most part, save for the alloy wheels, which carry a new design. Available in 17-, 18-, and 19-inch sizes, they feature new geometric designs, in line with the look of the latest Kia EVs. At the back, the tail lamps also integrate the new, Star Map lighting signature, and the bumper also carries a refreshed look.
Interior
Kia has cleaned up the interior of the Sportage Hybrid with its mid-life facelift. Gone are the vertically laid AC vents beside the dual panoramic curved display, which has a new, rectangular shape. A mood lighting strip along the crash pad gives the interior a slightly more sophisticated look.
The steering wheel is a new, two-spoke unit aimed at giving customers a more luxurious feeling in the hybrid SUV. It features regular buttons and scrollers, but the climate-cum-audio capacitive touchpad on the center fascia is still debatable when it comes to convenience and intuitiveness. We don’t see Kia offering a fix for the latter until the next-gen model arrives around 2027.
The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment screen both run a new, ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) software. While their UI looks more modern, their integration on the panoramic curved panel still looks forced because of the huge bezels. Moreover, the card-like edgy elements of the new UI emphasizes strongly the fact that the visual connection between the two displays is anything but seamless.
The center console includes a new fingerprint scanner for a biometric authentication system. Kia offers even Built-In Cam 2 dashcam that records driving video along with audio. It supports external storage via a microSD card. The refreshed Sportage Hybrid, unlike the outgoing model, comes with Digital Key 2 with Ultra Wideband, which enables drivers to use their compatible Apple and Samsung smartphones or an NFC-enabled smart card as virtual vehicle keys to lock, unlock and drive the SUV.
Specifications
Hybrid
The new Kia Sportage Hybrid carries over the outgoing model’s 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that produces 180 PS (177 hp) and 27.0 kgf.m (195 lb.-ft.) of torque. However, it has a punchier motor that generates 47.7 kW (64 hp), marking an improvement of 3.5 kW (5 hp), which should result in quicker acceleration. This motor’s torque is the same, though – 264 Nm (195 lb.-ft.). Together, the engine and motor produce 235 PS (232 hp) and 37.4 kgf.m (271 lb.-ft.) of torque.
A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard, and a mechanical all-wheel drive system is available as an option. Unlike in the outgoing model, the paddle shifters are for changing the intensity of the regenerative braking system, not the gears. Customers will appreciate the convenient method of setting the regenerative braking system according to the road conditions and driving situations.
Kia installed two-way dampers on the struts of the front suspension of the Sportage Hybrid with the mid-cycle update to reduce road noise. Moreover, it added sound-absorbing materials to the B-pillar and crash pad undercover and also increased the density of the sound-absorbing materials in the door trim to enhance cabin quietness.
Plug-in Hybrid
As for the refreshed Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, similar changes (+7 hp) to the 1.6L PHEV system could result in marginally better off-the-line performance. What shouldn’t change is the Sportage PHEV’s all-electric range of 28 miles, as the 13.8 kWh battery pack is expected to be retained. With the 7.2 kW on-board charger, it should continue taking around two hours to fully recharge. Kia is likely to release the plug-in hybrid model’s specs in the coming months.
Price & Release Date
Kia has all but confirmed that the refreshed Sportage will make its American premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2024, which opens for the press on November 21, 2024. Kia America has put out a teaser showing the updated model’s profile (pictured below with mild color correction), confirming five new unveils at the Californian show.
The facelifted Kia Sportage and its electrified variants should start arriving at U.S. dealers for the 2026 model year in the first half of next year. The Kia Sportage Hybrid facelift should start at just under USD 30,000, while the Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid facelift should begin a touch under USD 40,000 (prices excluding destination, processing and handling fee). Both will likely come from the AutoLand Gwangju (South Korea) plant.
The hybrid model is likely to continue offering the same four variants, while the Plug-in Hybrid will be available in its familiar two X-Line variants. The latter will compete with the Hyundai Tucson PHEV, Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
Thanks to its multiple powertrain choices, affordable pricing, and spacious and tech-laden interior, the Sportage is Kia’s most popular model in the U.S. Between January and October 2024, the company delivered 132,439 units of its best-selling SUV, 13,802 units or 12% more than in the same period in 2023 (January-October 2023: 118,637 units). Globally, Kia launched the Sportage in 1993 and has sold 7.6 million units of the compact SUV to date.
2025 Sportage for the U.S. is a carryover model
On July 8, 2024, Kia America released the details and pricing of the 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid. It continues without design changes, but the EX trim now offers a Premium Package that includes a panoramic sunroof and smart power liftgate.
TopElectricSUV says
The Kia Sportage Hybrid has lots of space, offers great ride quality, and has a smooth powertrain that feels sufficiently powerful. However, handling and fuel economy were areas that needed to be relooked, and there was some room for improvement on the in-cabin technology side, too. We think the Sportage Hybrid facelift offers gains in most of these areas, and flaunts a fresh look for added appeal.
Kia Sportage Hybrid facelift FAQs
What is the release date of the Sportage Hybrid facelift?
We expect the new Sportage HEV & PHEV to arrive at U.S. dealers in H1 2025.
What will be the price of the new Kia Sportage Hybrid?
The new Sportage Hybrid is expected to start at just under $30,000 (excl. DPH fee).
Which models will be the 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid’s rivals?
Featured Image Source: Kia
I got my Master’s in Business Management & Administration and have been an International Automotive News Editor since 2014. I’ve traveled to global motor shows and automotive events, driven various types of vehicles, and focused on hybrid and electric cars in the last 4 years.
