KIA SPORTAGE HYBRID SX-PRESTIGE AWD – HELLO GOODBUY

KIA SPORTAGE HYBRID SX-PRESTIGE AWD

HELLO GOODBUY

I know…this is (again!) gonna’ date me: I remember clearly my first encounter with the then all-new Kia Sportage, entered in TAWA’s (Texas Auto Writers Association) Truck Rodeo shortly after its mid-‘90s debut. A clean, unadorned subcompact SUV, its body-on-frame construction conveyed a ruggedness not necessarily apparent in its carefully drawn sheetmetal. At an accessible price point the Sportage made great sense, and sold reasonably well. 

Some 30 years later Kia’s 2026 Sportage boasts unibody construction and an available hybrid powertrain. Not incidentally, at an accessible price point it makes excellent sense. And as Kia dealers across the country will tell you, it sells extremely well. 

The Kia lineup is as broad as any. What the company calls crossovers are available from the mid-$20s (Niro) to the mid-$50s (Telluride), with both conventional drivetrains, hybrid drivetrains and EV battery packs. And beyond the breadth of crossovers, Kia still sells sedans and small hatches, from the mid-$20s for its K4 sedan and hatch to the high $30s for the K5 4-door. Virtually all of these available models are either fresh or recently refreshed. In the latter category is our test Sportage, equipped with a hybrid powertrain, all-wheel drive and upscale SX-Prestige trim. 

In a competitive landscape that includes Honda’s CR-V, Toyota’s RAV4, Hyundai’s Tucson and Mazda’s CX-50, Car and Driver’s editorial team ranks Kia’s Sportage third, behind Honda’s CR-V Hybrid and the Kia’s corporate cousin, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. And it places the Sportage ahead – notably – of Toyota’s RAV4 and Mazda’s CX-50. I wouldn’t argue with any of that, although I believe its ranking behind the Hyundai is largely subjective, in that the two crossovers sit on almost identical platforms, share hybrid drivetrains and have identical warranties. For me it would boil down to personal preferences; my wife leans into the Kia sheetmetal, while I slightly prefer the Hyundai’s design. But then, she’s got the money…and I have the Miata.

The Sportage’s two-box design enjoys about as much understated flash as you’ll find at its $30K – $40K price point. While I’d take issue with the Lego-like front fascia, the balance of its curves and accents behind that grille seem spot-on. And while the upswept sheetmetal running into the D-Pillar looks restrictive, behind the wheel visibility is good. You won’t confuse any of this with mom’s old Volvo, but then, neither does the Sportage Hybrid drive like the old Swede. Conversely, the Kia’s Heritage Blue (which my wife Tina is drawn to) could have been borrowed from a Volvo palette of the mid-‘70s…so much heritage!

Inside, you’re initially struck by the interior color, which Kia calls gray and I’d dub cream; maybe we’ll go with Half-and-Half. Regardless, the perforated SynTex is what – in the mid-‘70s – we’d call fetching, but I wouldn’t want to subject it to booster seats and their toddler occupants. Beyond the upscale appearance is upscale comfort, with enough bolster to keep you located and enough cushioned support for you to like that location. An added bonus with the SX-Prestige trim is the power adjustment on the passenger’s seat. If opting for the lower-spec EX you’ll have power for the driver, manual for the passenger. That’s until, of course, AI does it for you…

Behind the nicely sized steering wheel the driver is faced with an expansive panel housing both driver info and infotainment. On the driver’s side I found that info a tad faint, wishing Kia’s product team hadused a typeface/font more easily seen and (perhaps) a tad more traditional. And while pleased that the infotainment panel separated HVAC controls from the balance of the screen, my wife – better versed at this ‘logic’ than I am – was still befuddled by aspects of the infotainment’s control layout. I’m sure that if you own it you’ll get to know it, but in the initial meeting it can be confounding – and that’s from her!

Under the Sportage hood, Kia gives you three choices. If avoiding the hybrid you get 187 normally-aspirated horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. When combined with roughly two tons of curb weight performance is adequate, but leans more toward out-of-breath than breathtaking. Opt for the hybrid and you have a 1.6 liter turbocharged four producing 177 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque in combination with two AC motors, giving you a combined output of 232 horsepower, 271 lb-ft of torque and a 0-60 sprint of just over seven seconds. This is much better!

Kia also makes available a Sportage plug-in hybrid, giving you roughly 30 miles of all-electric driving. This is perfect for those of you with a short commute or running errands. There is, however, a price premium, weight premium and more software than I’m (personally) inclined to live with. But as a reasonable balance between a reduced carbon footprint and the long road trip, a PHEV might be worth a look. 

Connected to all four wheels via an automatic transmission, the uptick with the hybrid drivetrain is smooth acceleration when merging or passing, a comfortable cruise at any legal or semi-legal freeway speeds, and a realistic 35 miles per gallon on the highway or in the city. (Although the Car and Driver team obtained only 31 on the magazine’s 75-mile loop.) Regardless, for the comfort, weight and footprint of the Sportage, anything over 30 is plus territory until, of course, you’re at the gas station. And then its debit territory…

Headed down the road you’ll find the ride comfortable and the handling composed. This isn’t a track day weapon, but with 3500 pounds of towing capability you can tow a couple of bikes or sports car to the track and have yourself a fine old time. And given Kia’s generous warranty, that money you’d normally spend trading cars? Well, you can spend it on blown engines or bent sheetmetal…at the track!

My wife Tina sees a lot of new cars in a year, and was appropriately impressed by the Kia Sportage Hybrid when dressed in its Heritage Blue. But then, she’s married to an old guy. And with that, she knows – and loves? – heritage.