Over the next few weeks, we’re getting to know the 2026 Kia Sportage HEV. Here is the second chapter of our long-term test of the compact SUV with hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive.
See also: 2026 Kia Sportage HEV Long-Term Review, Part 1: A Best-Seller, in Three Formats
Winter weather be darned, we're continuing on with our long-term test of the 2026 Kia Sportage HEV. After an overview of its origins and available versions, we focus this time around on the SUV’s power, drivetrain and fuel consumption.
As mentioned in the first instalment, the compact SUV is available with three powertrains: naturally aspirated (or ICE for Internal Combustion Engine), hybrid (or HEV for Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and plug-in hybrid (or PHEV for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle).
Variable power
The Sportage ICE relies on a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine found in several other models produced by Hyundai Group brands Kia and Hyundai; it works with an 8-speed auto transmission. The result: 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. It can tow up to 1,588 kg (3,500 lb).
The hybrid Sportage, the model we test drove, also uses a 4-cylinder engine, but a 1.6L to which a turbocharger has been added, along with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters, and a hybrid system.
This system, designed in-house by the Kia-Hyundai group, includes a 64-kW electric motor and a 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery. In combination with the 1.6L engine, it provides a total of 232 hp and a combined torque of 271 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm. Yet, despite this extra power compared to the ICE model, the HEV's towing capacity drops to 907 kg (2,000 lb). Why?
On the one hand, the extra torque from the electric motor is primarily used for starting and accelerating, not for towing. It’s the power of a sprinter, not a marathon runner. On the other hand, since the HEV model is heavier and generates more heat, the calibration of its components prioritizes maintaining smooth road handling, while the slower non-hybrid model compensates with more pronounced utility qualities.
At the top of the hierarchy sits the plug-in hybrid version, which uses all the mechanical elements of the HEV (1.6L turbo 4-cylinder + 6-speed auto) but replaces the small HEV battery with a larger one (13.8 kWh) to provide users with an all-electric range of approximately 55 km.
The combined power of the PHEV model climbs to 268 hp, but its 271 lb-ft of torque matches that of the HEV. In other words, both provide the same push, but the plug-in hybrid can maintain it longer and at higher speeds. Finally, as with the HEV, the towing capacity of the rechargeable variant has been limited to 907 kg (2,000 lb) for similar reasons.
Variable traction
All versions of the three Sportage models guarantee standard all-wheel drive, except for the basic variant of the ICE model. The LX FWD sticks to front-wheel drive and, in doing so, saves you about $2,100. Note that this is a reactive all-wheel drive system: it only intervenes when the car's software determines that road conditions require its help. On dry pavement and in good weather, the Sportage is pulled from the front.
That said, you can force AWD activation by engaging Terrain mode, which is itself subdivided into three programs: Snow, Mud and Sand.
Similarly, you can decide to drive in Eco, Sport or My Drive mode, which allows you to personalize the responses of the transmission and steering.
Variable appetite
The decision to choose one Sportage or another will be based largely on the desired fuel consumption.
On paper, Kia announces that the combined consumption for the trio per 100 km is 8.8L for the ICE (8.3L with the FWD model), 6.7L for the HEV and 6.6L for the PHEV.
During my weeks with the 2026 HEV SX, I saw the trip computer indicate an average consumption as low as 6.2L/100 km, that came when driving for a long stretch on the highway and in Eco mode.
In January, when the HEV was still frozen and I asked it to accelerate, the instantaneous consumption rating could be frightening. But eventually it got less so, dropping slowly towards 8.0L/100 km, and finally settling below the 7.0L mark. Which was a relief, because for those buyers shelling out the extra bucks compared to the non-hybrid variants, the idea is fewer visits to the pump.
Where, we should add, the Sportage is perfectly content with regular unleaded gas.
As for the electric component, it generally took two hours to recharge the PHEV battery at a Level 2 (240V) station and at least 10 hours from a regular (110V) power outlet.
That can impress you or discourage you, but fact is, Sportage HEV owners don’t to worry about plugging anything in at all, since the battery recharges automatically when braking and decelerating. The vehicle can run in 100-percent electric mode, but over very short distances and at low speeds (below 40 km/h). During my test, I primarily felt that mode in action at startup: after the brief welcome chime and the illumination of the beautiful screen (more on that later), the silence would linger, before the four-cylinder finally rumbled to life. Time to hit the road!
