Sportage Hybrid

Make
Kia
Segment
SUV

In a segment dominated by standouts like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, it's hard to take the market by storm with a new compact crossover. That didn't deter Kia when it launched the first-generation Sportage back in 1993, but the South Korean crossover never truly felt on-par with its Japanese rivals. Fast forward to 2022 and the fifth-generation 2023 Kia Sportage is ready to change that narrative. The Sportage is Kia's best-seller in the US, and it feels like the company put every effort into this new one to capture even more market share.

Enter the 2023 Sportage Hybrid, the first electrified Sportage ever. While the gas model only gets 187 horsepower and up to 28 mpg combined, Kia took the Toyota approach by making the hybrid more powerful and more efficient. A 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder pairs with an electric motor to deliver 227 hp and up to 43 mpg combined; the best of both worlds. With one-of-a-kind styling, a well thought out interior, competitive pricing, and an efficient drivetrain, the Sportage Hybrid takes Kia's compact crossover from forgettable to a potential class leader.

Drivetrain: Better Than The Numbers

Kia's hybrid drivetrain is unique from many of its competitors because it uses a six-speed automatic transmission rather than a direct drive (or eCVT). Keen drivers may prefer this setup, as it avoids the rubber-bandy power delivery and engine drone typically associated with hybrids. Acceleration feels adequate with 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque on tap.

This "sportier" feel comes at the detriment of smoothness though, and we don't think the Sportage Hybrid matches the RAV4 Hybrid in this regard. Ditto for Kia's hybrid calibration; modulating the throttle to keep the engine off is easier with Toyota, but we did get more familiar with how to maximize the Sportage's fuel economy after a full week of driving.

The Sportage Hybrid is rated at 42/44/43 mpg city/highway/combined on the front-wheel-drive LX trim. All other trims get all-wheel drive as standard, rated at 38 mpg in all three categories. In a full week, we managed to exceed these estimates and achieve a 41-mpg average with mixed driving.

Interior: Kia Cleverness

After proving it could build a luxury-quality interior at an affordable price with the Telluride, Kia is transferring its cabin design downmarket to smaller models like the Sportage. A large 12.3-inch touchscreen sits on the dash (an eight-inch touchscreen is standard on the LX) with clear graphics and intuitive UI. Sadly, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto still evades Kia's larger screens. The gauge cluster features a fusion of retro and futuristic design, and we think it will look dated quickly. Unlike the gauges, the two-tone Misty Gray and Triton Navy SynTex synthetic leather upholstery looks modern and forward-thinking without being tacky.

Even our mid-level EX tester was packed with creature comforts like heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, impressive lane-keep assist, dual-zone climate control, and a wireless charging pad. Kia's lane-keep assist is one of the best in the business, but we wish the EX included adaptive cruise control, which is only standard on the SX Prestige. There are so many clever touches in this cabin. Some examples include the pop-out cupholders, USB-C ports built into the front seats, and numerous bag hooks in the back seat.

Exterior: Putting The Sport In Sportage

The Sportage wouldn't have stood out in a crowd of crossovers before, but this new model goes in a vastly different styling direction. Kia designed a special iteration of its Tiger nose grille that integrates the unique-looking, X-shaped headlights. This design may not be to everyone's tastes, but at least it's not mundane.

Our tester stood out even further with its attractive Vesta Blue paint, which is bold without being offensive. Kia stretched the Sportage by 7.1 inches in this generation with a 3.4-inch wheelbase increase. Those changes lend to a more substantial appearance with multiple benefits in terms of space and ride comfort.

Practicality: Unmatched Space

Thanks to the Sportage's growth spurt for this generation, it now leads the compact crossover class in a number of important interior categories. For example, the rear seats offer 41.3 inches of legroom, which is more than any competitor. Front-seat space is equally generous with 41.4 inches of legroom. Behind those rear seats, the trunk measures 39.5 cubic feet of space, once again a class-leading number. Dropping the rear seats down opens the Sportage up to 73.7 cubes, a number that's near the top of the segment.

Pricing And Verdict: Get The Hybrid

The 2023 Sportage starts at $25,990 for the gas-powered LX trim, making it one of the more affordable entry points in its segment. Stepping up to the LX Hybrid brings the price to $27,290, a $1,300 increase. That price delta varies depending on the trim but given the hybrid's performance and efficiency increases, we think it's easily worth the spend. Our EX Hybrid starts at $30,990 plus a $1,500 Premium Package with a panoramic sunroof, hands-free lift gate, and LED interior lighting. If you want the fully-loaded SX Prestige Hybrid, it's available for $36,190.

For an even more electrified experience, Kia also offers a Sportage Plug-In Hybrid that bumps the output to 261 hp and adds a targeted 32 miles of electric driving range. The PHEV only comes in X-Line and X-Line Prestige trims ($38,490 and $42,990, respectively). We love how the X-Line looks on the exterior but since these models no longer include a federal tax credit, we don't know if they are worth the premium over the standard hybrid.