Pros
- Massive interior space
- No CVT
- Loads of driver assists
Cons
- Bottom-of-the-segment mpg
- Spendy top trim
- A hint of driving excitement with little payoff
We live in a world where Kia now asks almost $42,000 for an electric-assisted Sportage, one of its smallest SUVs. For perspective—and to shake our collective fists at the sky—this is a model that only 10 years ago started below $23,000.
But that was without this version’s hybrid powertrain and before a mountain of safety and driver assist features invaded this space (and inflation added $8K). Perhaps more important, that big price tag is assigned to the SX Prestige Sportage Hybrid trim, which is the top offering in the Sportage Hybrid lineup. The entry-level Sportage Hybrid, the LX, starts below $32,000, which, through the lens of 10-year-old Kia SUVs, makes this SUV look like a reasonable value.
And that was before we drove it.
The Sportage Hybrid is the middleman in the Sportage line, sitting price-wise between the non-hybrid model and the more expensive and more powerful plug-in hybrid version. But at $41,985, this top-shelf version is one of the most expensive among compact hybrid SUVs.
Efficiency Without Compromise
Perhaps the greatest strength of this SUV is that the efficiency benefits of its electrified powertrain occur without some of the downsides we’ve come to expect with hybrids. Namely, there is no CVT. Rather, torque is directed to all four wheels—all-wheel drive is standard on all but the base Sportage Hybrid—via a conventional six-speed automatic.
As a result, when you stand on it, it goes. There’s a distinct lack of wind-up in the powertrain, and the annoying high-rpm yowl accompanying many CVTs doesn’t exist. Instead, the Sportage snaps through gears rapidly and with extra control afforded by steering-wheel-mounted paddles.
Motivation comes from a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and two electric motors good for a combined 232 horsepower. The gas engine operates happily on 87-octane fuel, too.
Acceleration is on par for the segment with a 0–60 time of 7.3 seconds, quick enough to get to you on the freeway safely. That time falls right between rivals like the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid (7.6) and the all-new 2026 Toyota RAV4 Limited hybrid (7.0), which is also a hybrid.
The Sportage holds promise from behind the wheel. Its just-right spring rates and ample roll control make it dynamically interesting if not actually involving. Around our figure-eight course it produced a 27.8-second time at a 0.63 g average, 0.2 second behind the class-topping CX-50 and the 2026 Toyota RAV4.
Braking was also about average for the segment. Toyo all-season rubber delivered a stopping distance from 60 mph of 124 feet, which is longer than a Mazda CX-50 but matches the RAV4. Brake feel is nothing special, but composure is good during a full ABS stop, which inspires confidence.
Thankfully, ride quality does not suffer from the peppy handling. Although the Sportage doesn’t glide unimpeded over road imperfections, its ride is cushy enough to be comfortable every day. Three drive modes—Eco, Sport, and a customizable My Drive setting—make quick preset changes to throttle, transmission, and steering assist calibrations, helping the Sportage suit your mood. There are also three terrain modes (Snow, Mud, and Sand) that in theory calibrate the Sportage for those conditions.
