Kia is reportedly following Toyota in simplifying its mid-sized SUV lineup.
Depending on the market, the current Kia Sportage is offered with petrol, mild-hybrid petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and even one that runs on LPG.
Korean outlet ET News reports the upcoming sixth-generation Sportage – codenamed NQ6 – will launch during the third quarter (July to September) of 2027 and will offer just hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
-
US-market 2026 Sportage PHEV
It’ll be the first time a Kia model will have transitioned to a hybrid-only lineup.
The new Sportage hybrid will reportedly offer significantly improved outputs and fuel efficiency thanks to a more powerful engine and larger battery, while the plug-in hybrid will reportedly offer up to 100km of electric range.
The current Sportage PHEV, at least in European-market guise, offers up to 70km of electric-only range on the WLTP cycle.
It’s unclear what other changes will come with the next-generation Sportage. The mid-sized SUV – the brand’s best-seller in markets like the US, Europe and Australia – not only offers a wide range of powertrains but also two different wheelbases.
The shorter of the two is exclusive to the European market, and is built at Kia’s Slovakia factory. The Sportage is built in multiple countries, including the US and Korea, with the latter being where Kia Australia sources Sportages from.
-
Korean-market 2026 Sportage
Kia only introduced the Sportage Hybrid to Australia in 2024, and we continue to miss out on the PHEV powertrain offered in markets like the US.
Both the current hybrid and PHEV models feature a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, with the former featuring a 1.49kWh battery and the latter a larger 13.8kWh pack.
A facelifted version of the current NQ5-series Sportage is due in Australia during the second quarter (April-June) of this year, and it’s set to offer an expanded lineup of hybrid options – though still no PHEV.
While the Sportage Hybrid is currently offered in Australia only with front-wheel drive and only in SX and GT-Line trims, the updated model is set to bring an all-wheel drive option.
That will give Kia a direct rival to all-wheel drive hybrid versions of the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail and even its Hyundai Tucson cousin.
According to recently released government approval documents, the updated Sportage will continue to offer 2.0-litre naturally aspirated and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engines, plus a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four.
Should the next-generation Sportage indeed move to a hybrid and PHEV-only lineup, this would therefore be a swansong for these engines.
MORE: Everything Kia Sportage
