Kia Sportage Hybrid Review: The ultimate family-friendly SUV for Australia?
Family-friendly like a Hyundai Tucson, rugged and frugal like a Toyota RAV4, the long awaited Kia Sportage Hybrid manages to deliver on the brand’s bold claim that they’re splitting the difference between isolated SUV categories.
Built safe and sturdy, Kia has loaded the Sportage with features that keep all passengers a reason to smile. It is spacious enough to accommodate five in comfort, and powerful enough to make drives more exciting than similar hybrid rivals.
Pros
- Ample tech features
- Smooth hybrid system
- Cabin quality is great
Cons
- Higher running costs than hybrid rivals
- Hyundai Tucson and others are a bit more comfortable
- Pricey over diesel variants, big price jump between hybrid trims
What’s new?
- Heated windshield upgrade
- New standard LED headlights
- Second-row seat-mounted airbags
- Improved AWD
The Kia Sportage has already made a strong impression as it won the Carsales’ Best Mid-SIze SUV award this year. It has been tested thoroughly on the Australian terrain, be it urban, country, or outback roads, with tweaks to make it perfect for our driving conditions. But this test is for the hybrid version, which takes the winning formula and adds some electrification into the mix.
| Variant | Starting price | Fuel Efficiency | Powertrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX | $45,950 | 4.9 L/100km | 1.6T Petrol + Hybrid |
| GT Line | $55,420 | 4.9 L/100km | 1.6T Petrol + Hybrid |
If your budget doesn’t allow you to get a brand new Kia Sportage Hybrid, here’s a list of the cheapest hybrid cars in Australia.
Exteriors
The Kia Sportage hybrid 2024 boasts the updated ‘tiger nose’ grille that has replaced the simpler-looking grille all Kia cars used to share. It makes the medium SUV look sharper than before. Another notable change in the design is the boomerang-styled LED DRLs. This gives a certain panache to your Sportage. Add a bright colour for some extra cash, and the Sportage looks proper chic.
Styling Elements
The goal of styling elements appears to be to fuse the family-friendliness with a sporty sturdy story to be told. It has a generous application of chrome elements while the rear-end has a sportback SUV shape. The razor-sharp LED tail lights connected by the slim dark trim enhance the Sportage’s broad form, sure to leave an impression on those behind. Unfortunately, this pricier hybrid SUV variant gets no discerning design elements to differentiate it from the same trim levels of the regular Sportage, except for the HEV badge on the tailgate.
Colour Options
The Sportage Hybrid is offered to the masses in 8 distinctive colours which come with their own theme and styling elements. However, no extra colour has been added for Sportage Hybrid. The 8 colours are as follows;
Clear White | Snow White Pearl | Steel Grey | Gravity Grey | Fusion Black | Dawning Red | Vesta Blue & Jungle Wood Green.
We noticed that the Jungle Wood Green shade is a bit paler in real life than it looks in the brochure, but it looks stunning in Vesta Blue which would be our pick of the palette.
Wheel Design
The Sportage hybrid is offered with two 18-inch alloy wheel designs, one for each variant. Both wheel designs are exceptional twin-spoke styles which promote better air flow too. The new Kia insignia rests comfortably in the middle.
Interiors
Step inside the Kia Sportage and you’ll be excited by the premium feel of the cabin in the mid-level and top-level variants that get the benefit of the hybrid powertrain. There’s plenty of tech too on offer as well, giving you a truly modern experience.
Interior layout and space
The Kia Sportage Hybrid is an upmarket mid-size SUV, and even though the dashboard is plastic, it uses good quality materials rather than usual scratchy and hollow materials. While the majority of the dashboard and central console is identical to that found in the regular Sportage with the dual integrated displays and touch-input controls below the 12.3-inch central screen, the hybrid has a unique trait for the driver. In this hybrid form, the Kia SUV uses a rotary shift-by-wire selector in place of the typical shifter.
The Sportage is spacious and quite comfortable for all occupants. Its rear seats leave enough legroom and headroom for taller occupants. Behind the front seat headrests, you also get a coat/ clothes hanger which personally, has been useful to me on more than one occasion.
We will be discussing storage space in the boot later, but first, let’s cover all the other storage options around the cabin. Kia offers a fairly spacious glovebox, combined with the storage cubbies in the front console, door pockets and under the front centre armrest, for plenty of space all-round.
Comfort & Ergonomics
Speaking of comfort and ergonomics, the upholstery for SX+ and GT-Line variants makes for a premium cabin experience and the seats themselves are well-designed – Black Quilted Artificial Leather for SX+ and Black Leather Appointed with Artificial Suede Upper for GT-Line. Unlike the wheel designs, you can upgrade to the GT-Line variant upholstery even if you have chosen SX+ to be your reliable companion on the streets.
The lumbar support for the driver seems to be a bit off at times. Given that the Sportage Hybrid GTX+ has power adjustable front seats with a memory preset for the driver, you’d expect the seats to adjust according to you. We felt that it had to be done the other way around.
Boot
The main attraction of the Sportage as a family SUV is the boot space. Ideally, we should just stick a photo up there and let you see in the void yourself. With 591 litres of boot space, this seems endless. You can store your long weekend getaway. The average bag you’d carry for your weekend trip? Yes, the Sportage will carry 5 of them quite comfortably.
But it’s not the best of the segment as the Hyundai Tucson’s boot offers 640 litres in petrol and diesel powered variants, The need for putting up batteries and other necessary equipment eats away the space of Tucson mild hybrid and PHEV, which cap out at 540 litres.
Technology and Infotainment
Kia is known for its immense feature-packed cars, brimming with the best technology you can expect for the price. Be it the Sportage SX+ or GT-Line, both come with a long list of features that add to the appeal of this car.
Technology features
- Remote smart parking assist
- Hands-free powered tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Dual-zone climate control
- Memory seats that are heated and ventilated
- Ambient mood lighting in 64 colours
- Drive & Terrain modes
Connectivity
- Dual 12.3-inch curved displays
- 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system
- Wired Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
- Satellite Navigation
- Radio
- 2x 12V charging ports, 2 USB ports in the front, 2 USB-C ports in the front seatbacks
Note: Smartphone mirroring is not supported as of now but it will likely be introduced as an over-the-air update.
Performance & Engine
The Sportage Hybrid brings a bit of both good and bad to the table in the performance aspect.
Engine Specifications
| Variant | Power | Torque | Engine Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX | 169 kW | 350 Nm | 1598 cc |
| GT-Line | 169 kW | 350 Nm | 1598 cc |
Trim specification and price for HEV Auto FWD MY24
Transmission & Drive system
Kia has paired the electric motor with its peppy turbo-petrol engine, integrating it into the 6-speed automatic transmission. The motor itself has an output of 44 kW and 264 Nm, which supplements the combustion engine for a smooth power delivery. Surprisingly, the Sportage Hybrid does not utilise the electric motor as efficiently as some hybrid SUV rivals do. It does not have a manual control to switch to pure EV mode, and would sometimes allow you to accelerate to 60kmph without the engine kicking in, and other times, would sometimes switch right away when you press the throttle. On the plus side, the transition between the engine and the motor is almost seamless, with only the slight buzz of the turbo-petrol motor to contend with at higher revs.
Braking System
A hybrid Sportage sailing smoothly at 60 km/h comes to a total halt within 5 seconds with minimal skidding. It has disc brakes front and rear and the pedal feel is reassuring.
Fuel Economy & Efficiency
The Kia Sportage Hybrid’s claimed economy of 4.9L/100km is certainly attractive, but for the most part we found this family SUV to be noticeably thirstier with a figure around 6L/100km. However, that’s still better than its non-electrified variants with the diesel-automatic being the most frugal at a claimed 6.3L/100km.
The higher fuel consumption could be down to the hybrid’s tuning for a more engaging drive, while some rivals like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid do promise better fuel efficiency in the real world.
Handling & Driving Dynamics
While the makers at Kia would want you to believe that this is a family-friendly car which can take on the terrains of Australia, it’s primarily an SUV for the urban environment. The car manoeuvres smoothly in the city and it does get terrain modes, but this is definitely not an off-roader. A minor complaint that we have noticed so far is that the suspension isn’t quite impressive. Speed bumps were no trouble, however, you definitely feel the potholes in the cabin and can toss you around too. We believe that the Volkswagen Tiguan has a way better suspension than the Sportage.
The Sportage Hybrid does have decent handling dynamics with a good grip on the road and rarely breaks traction under normal driving. Even though its an SUV, it does not have a lot of body roll. Apart from that, Sportage steering is nice and light while in the city or on the highways.
The Sportage takes off quite comfortably on the highways however there is a bit of a noise when you do, this is almost inevitable in a hybrid powertrain. While the 6-speed transmission performs well all around, it could benefit from another gear for a relaxed cruise.
Safety Features
Kia is famed for its advanced technology. This courtesy is also extended to safety technology which Sportage Hybrid boasts a plethora of. Following are the safety features followed by the Advanced safety features.
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane centring assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Traffic sign recognition
Advanced safety features
- Blind spot view monitor
- Intelligent speed limit assist
- Safe exit warning
- Blind spot collision avoidance assist
- Lane following assist
- Autonomous emergency braking system for Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist
Crash Test Ratings
- Adult Occupant Protection - 87%
- Child Occupant Protection - 87%
- Vulnerable Road User Protection - 66%
- Safety Assist - 74%
Note: Backover AEB is not available in Kia Sportage base variants.
Ownership Experience
The users who drive the Sportage around sleep easy knowing they’ve made an excellent choice. Some of the owners boast the fact that they’ve invested in an overall good SUV. While the SUV market is already flooded with choices and there are more coming, the price point at which you can avail of this car makes it quite practical and sensible.
Some buyers do want Kia to offer the hybrid powertrain at lower variants as well which would make it more accessible.
Major Drawbacks
- Primarily a city car
- Some users think it also looks like a wagon with better ground clearance
- Not as efficient as hybrid rivals
- Lack of hybrid options in the lower-level variants
Major Strengths
- Powerful drive
- Tech features are truly helpful
- Stylish design inside and out
- Easy access to the cabin from the rear
Maintenance & Warranty Information
Kia Sportage comes with the assurance of Australia’s First 7-Year Unlimited Kilometre Warranty, unlike offerings from other car brands which cease to operate after you hit a certain mileage. Kia understands the necessity of going the extra mile because a longer warranty is a better warranty.
Kia, to improve customer satisfaction, has capped the service price for 7 years. As long as the service is maintained and the logbook reflects the same, the warranty is effective as well. In addition, you can drive into any Kia-authorised dealer and get your car serviced without the fear of any hidden charges.
Kia also offers a free of cost 12-month roadside assistance. Now, Kia has taken an extra step and has made room for increasing that year-long roadside assistance for up to 8 years. We would suggest you take this extension, as the service time and resolution window is as good as it can be.
Verdict
So there we have it. A mid-size hybrid SUV taking on the Australian roads, arriving a bit late but came prepared with a market-specific tune. The Kia Sportage Hybrid is potentially a ‘no brainer’ for those looking to purchase a family SUV under $60,000, and has a lot of comforts and technology.
However we won’t blame you for keeping your options open and thus, here’s a list of best hybrid cars in Australia.
The engine and hybrid powertrain is also extremely effective and very little can be complained about the Sportage. However, there are certain restrictions on SX+ users who are willing to pay more to get more, which Kia is yet to tackle.
Reference
Family-friendly like a Hyundai Tucson, rugged and frugal like a Toyota RAV4, the long awaited Kia Sportage Hybrid manages to deliver on the brand’s bold claim that they’re splitting the difference between isolated SUV categories.
Built safe and sturdy, Kia has loaded the Sportage with features that keep all passengers a reason to smile. It is spacious enough to accommodate five in comfort, and powerful enough to make drives more exciting than similar hybrid rivals.
Pros
- Ample tech features
- Smooth hybrid system
- Cabin quality is great
Cons
- Higher running costs than hybrid rivals
- Hyundai Tucson and others are a bit more comfortable
- Pricey over diesel variants, big price jump between hybrid trims
What’s new?
- Heated windshield upgrade
- New standard LED headlights
- Second-row seat-mounted airbags
- Improved AWD
The Kia Sportage has already made a strong impression as it won the Carsales’ Best Mid-SIze SUV award this year. It has been tested thoroughly on the Australian terrain, be it urban, country, or outback roads, with tweaks to make it perfect for our driving conditions. But this test is for the hybrid version, which takes the winning formula and adds some electrification into the mix.
| Variant | Starting price | Fuel Efficiency | Powertrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX | $45,950 | 4.9 L/100km | 1.6T Petrol + Hybrid |
| GT Line | $55,420 | 4.9 L/100km | 1.6T Petrol + Hybrid |
If your budget doesn’t allow you to get a brand new Kia Sportage Hybrid, here’s a list of the cheapest hybrid cars in Australia.
Exteriors
The Kia Sportage hybrid 2024 boasts the updated ‘tiger nose’ grille that has replaced the simpler-looking grille all Kia cars used to share. It makes the medium SUV look sharper than before. Another notable change in the design is the boomerang-styled LED DRLs. This gives a certain panache to your Sportage. Add a bright colour for some extra cash, and the Sportage looks proper chic.
Styling Elements
The goal of styling elements appears to be to fuse the family-friendliness with a sporty sturdy story to be told. It has a generous application of chrome elements while the rear-end has a sportback SUV shape. The razor-sharp LED tail lights connected by the slim dark trim enhance the Sportage’s broad form, sure to leave an impression on those behind. Unfortunately, this pricier hybrid SUV variant gets no discerning design elements to differentiate it from the same trim levels of the regular Sportage, except for the HEV badge on the tailgate.
Colour Options
The Sportage Hybrid is offered to the masses in 8 distinctive colours which come with their own theme and styling elements. However, no extra colour has been added for Sportage Hybrid. The 8 colours are as follows;
Clear White | Snow White Pearl | Steel Grey | Gravity Grey | Fusion Black | Dawning Red | Vesta Blue & Jungle Wood Green.
We noticed that the Jungle Wood Green shade is a bit paler in real life than it looks in the brochure, but it looks stunning in Vesta Blue which would be our pick of the palette.
Wheel Design
The Sportage hybrid is offered with two 18-inch alloy wheel designs, one for each variant. Both wheel designs are exceptional twin-spoke styles which promote better air flow too. The new Kia insignia rests comfortably in the middle.
Interiors
Step inside the Kia Sportage and you’ll be excited by the premium feel of the cabin in the mid-level and top-level variants that get the benefit of the hybrid powertrain. There’s plenty of tech too on offer as well, giving you a truly modern experience.
Interior layout and space
The Kia Sportage Hybrid is an upmarket mid-size SUV, and even though the dashboard is plastic, it uses good quality materials rather than usual scratchy and hollow materials. While the majority of the dashboard and central console is identical to that found in the regular Sportage with the dual integrated displays and touch-input controls below the 12.3-inch central screen, the hybrid has a unique trait for the driver. In this hybrid form, the Kia SUV uses a rotary shift-by-wire selector in place of the typical shifter.
The Sportage is spacious and quite comfortable for all occupants. Its rear seats leave enough legroom and headroom for taller occupants. Behind the front seat headrests, you also get a coat/ clothes hanger which personally, has been useful to me on more than one occasion.
We will be discussing storage space in the boot later, but first, let’s cover all the other storage options around the cabin. Kia offers a fairly spacious glovebox, combined with the storage cubbies in the front console, door pockets and under the front centre armrest, for plenty of space all-round.
Comfort & Ergonomics
Speaking of comfort and ergonomics, the upholstery for SX+ and GT-Line variants makes for a premium cabin experience and the seats themselves are well-designed – Black Quilted Artificial Leather for SX+ and Black Leather Appointed with Artificial Suede Upper for GT-Line. Unlike the wheel designs, you can upgrade to the GT-Line variant upholstery even if you have chosen SX+ to be your reliable companion on the streets.
The lumbar support for the driver seems to be a bit off at times. Given that the Sportage Hybrid GTX+ has power adjustable front seats with a memory preset for the driver, you’d expect the seats to adjust according to you. We felt that it had to be done the other way around.
Boot
The main attraction of the Sportage as a family SUV is the boot space. Ideally, we should just stick a photo up there and let you see in the void yourself. With 591 litres of boot space, this seems endless. You can store your long weekend getaway. The average bag you’d carry for your weekend trip? Yes, the Sportage will carry 5 of them quite comfortably.
But it’s not the best of the segment as the Hyundai Tucson’s boot offers 640 litres in petrol and diesel powered variants, The need for putting up batteries and other necessary equipment eats away the space of Tucson mild hybrid and PHEV, which cap out at 540 litres.
Technology and Infotainment
Kia is known for its immense feature-packed cars, brimming with the best technology you can expect for the price. Be it the Sportage SX+ or GT-Line, both come with a long list of features that add to the appeal of this car.
Technology features
- Remote smart parking assist
- Hands-free powered tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Dual-zone climate control
- Memory seats that are heated and ventilated
- Ambient mood lighting in 64 colours
- Drive & Terrain modes
Connectivity
- Dual 12.3-inch curved displays
- 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system
- Wired Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
- Satellite Navigation
- Radio
- 2x 12V charging ports, 2 USB ports in the front, 2 USB-C ports in the front seatbacks
Note: Smartphone mirroring is not supported as of now but it will likely be introduced as an over-the-air update.
Performance & Engine
The Sportage Hybrid brings a bit of both good and bad to the table in the performance aspect.
Engine Specifications
| Variant | Power | Torque | Engine Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX | 169 kW | 350 Nm | 1598 cc |
| GT-Line | 169 kW | 350 Nm | 1598 cc |
Trim specification and price for HEV Auto FWD MY24
Transmission & Drive system
Kia has paired the electric motor with its peppy turbo-petrol engine, integrating it into the 6-speed automatic transmission. The motor itself has an output of 44 kW and 264 Nm, which supplements the combustion engine for a smooth power delivery. Surprisingly, the Sportage Hybrid does not utilise the electric motor as efficiently as some hybrid SUV rivals do. It does not have a manual control to switch to pure EV mode, and would sometimes allow you to accelerate to 60kmph without the engine kicking in, and other times, would sometimes switch right away when you press the throttle. On the plus side, the transition between the engine and the motor is almost seamless, with only the slight buzz of the turbo-petrol motor to contend with at higher revs.
Braking System
A hybrid Sportage sailing smoothly at 60 km/h comes to a total halt within 5 seconds with minimal skidding. It has disc brakes front and rear and the pedal feel is reassuring.
Fuel Economy & Efficiency
The Kia Sportage Hybrid’s claimed economy of 4.9L/100km is certainly attractive, but for the most part we found this family SUV to be noticeably thirstier with a figure around 6L/100km. However, that’s still better than its non-electrified variants with the diesel-automatic being the most frugal at a claimed 6.3L/100km.
The higher fuel consumption could be down to the hybrid’s tuning for a more engaging drive, while some rivals like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid do promise better fuel efficiency in the real world.
Handling & Driving Dynamics
While the makers at Kia would want you to believe that this is a family-friendly car which can take on the terrains of Australia, it’s primarily an SUV for the urban environment. The car manoeuvres smoothly in the city and it does get terrain modes, but this is definitely not an off-roader. A minor complaint that we have noticed so far is that the suspension isn’t quite impressive. Speed bumps were no trouble, however, you definitely feel the potholes in the cabin and can toss you around too. We believe that the Volkswagen Tiguan has a way better suspension than the Sportage.
The Sportage Hybrid does have decent handling dynamics with a good grip on the road and rarely breaks traction under normal driving. Even though its an SUV, it does not have a lot of body roll. Apart from that, Sportage steering is nice and light while in the city or on the highways.
The Sportage takes off quite comfortably on the highways however there is a bit of a noise when you do, this is almost inevitable in a hybrid powertrain. While the 6-speed transmission performs well all around, it could benefit from another gear for a relaxed cruise.
Safety Features
Kia is famed for its advanced technology. This courtesy is also extended to safety technology which Sportage Hybrid boasts a plethora of. Following are the safety features followed by the Advanced safety features.
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane centring assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Traffic sign recognition
Advanced safety features
- Blind spot view monitor
- Intelligent speed limit assist
- Safe exit warning
- Blind spot collision avoidance assist
- Lane following assist
- Autonomous emergency braking system for Car, Pedestrian and Cyclist
Crash Test Ratings
- Adult Occupant Protection - 87%
- Child Occupant Protection - 87%
- Vulnerable Road User Protection - 66%
- Safety Assist - 74%
Note: Backover AEB is not available in Kia Sportage base variants.
Ownership Experience
The users who drive the Sportage around sleep easy knowing they’ve made an excellent choice. Some of the owners boast the fact that they’ve invested in an overall good SUV. While the SUV market is already flooded with choices and there are more coming, the price point at which you can avail of this car makes it quite practical and sensible.
Some buyers do want Kia to offer the hybrid powertrain at lower variants as well which would make it more accessible.
Major Drawbacks
- Primarily a city car
- Some users think it also looks like a wagon with better ground clearance
- Not as efficient as hybrid rivals
- Lack of hybrid options in the lower-level variants
Major Strengths
- Powerful drive
- Tech features are truly helpful
- Stylish design inside and out
- Easy access to the cabin from the rear
Maintenance & Warranty Information
Kia Sportage comes with the assurance of Australia’s First 7-Year Unlimited Kilometre Warranty, unlike offerings from other car brands which cease to operate after you hit a certain mileage. Kia understands the necessity of going the extra mile because a longer warranty is a better warranty.
Kia, to improve customer satisfaction, has capped the service price for 7 years. As long as the service is maintained and the logbook reflects the same, the warranty is effective as well. In addition, you can drive into any Kia-authorised dealer and get your car serviced without the fear of any hidden charges.
Kia also offers a free of cost 12-month roadside assistance. Now, Kia has taken an extra step and has made room for increasing that year-long roadside assistance for up to 8 years. We would suggest you take this extension, as the service time and resolution window is as good as it can be.
Verdict
So there we have it. A mid-size hybrid SUV taking on the Australian roads, arriving a bit late but came prepared with a market-specific tune. The Kia Sportage Hybrid is potentially a ‘no brainer’ for those looking to purchase a family SUV under $60,000, and has a lot of comforts and technology.
However we won’t blame you for keeping your options open and thus, here’s a list of best hybrid cars in Australia.
The engine and hybrid powertrain is also extremely effective and very little can be complained about the Sportage. However, there are certain restrictions on SX+ users who are willing to pay more to get more, which Kia is yet to tackle.
