• The refreshed compact crossover introduces a more user-friendly infotainment interface
  • Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models get a modest boost of horsepower
  • The 2026 Sportage goes on sale in the spring of 2025

Three years after its launch, Kia is giving its Sportage compact crossover a mid-cycle refresh while continuing to offer both hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.

Debuting at the 2024 Los Angeles auto show, the 2026 Kia Sportage wears new front end styling, with stacked LED headlights and amber daytime running lights similar to the larger Kia Sorento mid-size crossover and the Carnival minivan. It’s yet another dramatic look to replace the one the Sportage has worn since its last redesign for the 2023 model year.

Hybrid models add two new grades—S and X-Line—that are among those equipped with a new curved 12.3-inch touchscreen that incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Only wired versions were previously available with the larger optional screen.

The updated infotainment system is among several new tech features for 2026. Others include a 10.0-inch head-up display, digital key functionality that allows the driver to use a smartphone in place of the key fob, and updated versions of Kia’s forward-collision warning system and Highway Driving Assist 2 highway driver aid.

Both the Sportage hybrid and plug-in hybrid continue to use a 1.6-liter turbo-4 and 6-speed automatic transmission, with an electric motor sandwiched in between. Plug-in hybrids have a more powerful electric motor and a larger battery pack. Outputs rise by 4 hp for the hybrid, to 231 hp, and 7 hp for the plug-in hybrid, for 268 hp.

Front-wheel drive is standard with the hybrid powertrain, while all-wheel drive is optional, and standard on the plug-in hybrid. X-Line models add a Terrain mode for the all-wheel drive system for 2026, with settings for Snow, Mud, and Sand.

It’s unclear if the small increases in power will affect fuel economy. The Sportage hybrid is currently EPA-rated at 43 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 38 mpg combined with all-wheel drive. The plug-in hybrid is rated at 34 miles of electric range, and 35 mpg combined after that.

Kia expects 2026 Sportage models to reach U.S. dealerships in the second quarter of 2025, with prices to be announced closer to that time. When it arrives, the updated Sportage will continue to compete against the Hyundai Tucson, and Toyota RAV4—all of which offer hybrid and plug-in hybrid options—as well as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-50, which are available as a hybrid but not as a plug-in hybrid.

Related Articles