2025 Kia Sportage GT-Line Hybrid assessment

The Kia Sportage vary lastly has a hybrid choice to go up in opposition to the Toyota RAV4.

Observe: That is an up to date model of a assessment that was first revealed in April 2024. There have been no main modifications to pricing or specification since then.

A mid-life replace is because of launch within the second quarter of 2025, although pricing and specs are nonetheless to be introduced and we’ve not pushed the brand new mannequin as but.

We’ve got up to date key particulars with probably the most up-to-date info obtainable. Learn the unique model of this assessment right here.

WATCH: Paul’s video assessment of the 2024 Kia Sportage SX Hybrid

The truth is, there are two petrol-electric hybrid (HEV) fashions to select from – the SX, and this one, the GT-Line, which is the sportier wanting and extra richly specified mannequin of the 2.

It has an intriguing turbo-petrol-hybrid setup, however solely comes with front-wheel drive – and the worth premium is questionable consequently. So must you take into account it? Learn on to search out out.

How does the Kia Sportage examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Kia Sportage in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

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Sportage

How a lot does the Kia Sportage price?

At a look, the Sportage GT-Line Hybrid appears a bit expensive. 

You already know, $55,420 earlier than on-roads is greater than you’d pay for a high-grade RAV4 Cruiser 2WD Hybrid ($51,410), and greater than an all-wheel-drive Forester Hybrid S ($50,140). 

However it’s barely extra palatable than the Honda CR-V e:HEV RS ($59,900 drive-away), and that SUV can also be solely obtainable in FWD. Nonetheless, you’ll be paying an identical worth, on the street, for this Kia.

So, you’re paying a whack greater than the all-wheel-drive GT-Line fashions, however you’re getting much less. Effectively, you get front-wheel drive, and also you get a decrease gas consumption determine and a lot better emissions figures, too.

Kia Australia has indicated we will count on cheaper hybrid fashions to hitch the lineup with the Sportage’s forthcoming mid-life replace, with AWD to additionally be a part of the vary.

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

What’s the Kia Sportage like on the within?

That is probably the most premium model obtainable for the Kia Sportage, and it does have a high-end feel and appear to the cabin.

I notably just like the twin-screen show arrange – two 12.3-inch models in a curved housing – which appears to be like terrific, and fortunately can also be actually easy to make use of. The touchscreen media system sits alongside a vibrant and vibrant info-rich show for the motive force.

The latter additionally doubles as a show for a Blind-Spot View Monitor on this spec, so whenever you point out it is possible for you to to see what’s probably in your blind spot. There’s additionally different info on that driver’s display screen, together with issues like your digital speedometer, gas use, and lots extra.

The infotainment display screen has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although it’s strictly by cable connection which is somewhat bit disappointing – I would like wi-fi each time. There may be additionally a wi-fi cellphone charger, USB-A and USB-C ports, and a 12-volt. 

The usability of the touchscreen is superb, and you’ll simply get used to the menu structure and construction of the controls on display screen. Fortunately there may be one other row of controls down beneath as a part of a switchable panel.

That management panel covers your local weather settings, together with fan velocity adjustment and dials for temperature adjustment, however when you flick a swap in direction of the left of the panel you flip it right into a media management station as nicely, with a bunch of menus for sat nav, radio and setup menus all obtainable there. Additionally whenever you hit that swap, the local weather management knobs flip into quantity and tuning knobs.

Storage is sweet all through the cabin. With a pair of retractable cup holders you possibly can flip the world close to the shifter right into a flat storage zone when you choose. Forward of the gear selector there’s a wi-fi cellphone charger with a canopy, and in every of the doorways there are bottle holders, plus there’s a lined centre console bin between the entrance seats.

I’m not an enormous fan of all of the piano black ending within the centre console space, however not less than there are buttons to your seat heating and cooling, and for the GT-Line Hybrid you additionally get a heated steering wheel. There’s additionally a rotary dial for drive modes, with Eco, Sport and Good modes obtainable – every of which change the show on the motive force’s cluster.

I like the actual fact you’ve received a button on the steering wheel to show off the lane-keeping system and this product fortunately doesn’t have the annoying velocity restrict beep know-how that many different new Hyundai-Kia automobiles do – to me that’s an enormous plus.

Seat consolation is first rate and you’ve got adjustable lumbar help. Some individuals would possibly discover the seats just a bit bit flat nonetheless.

At 182cm/6’0” tall, and with the motive force’s seat set for my place, there may be ample room for me within the second row to comfortably slouch, and simply sufficient room for 3 individuals throughout the again. If in case you have youngsters, there are ISOFIX factors within the window seats, and three top-tethers.

Everybody within the again is nicely catered for, with directional air-vents, map pockets on the seat backs, in addition to a tough kick plate on the again of every of the entrance seats. On these seat backs you’ll additionally discover USB-C charging ports and procuring/faculty bag hooks.

There are bottle holders within the doorways and a flip-down armrest with cupholders, plus one other small storage part beneath the air-vents, the place you would possibly retailer a cellphone that’s on cost.

There’s a slight transmission tunnel intrusion within the again, nevertheless it’s not a large concern for house. There’s additionally a bit on high of the seat backs the place you would possibly hold a jacket, or perhaps even wedge an iPad in.

Boot house is sweet. There’s 586 litres of cargo capability with the again seats up, and the cargo space consists of an LED mild, fast launch levers to drop the seats (1872L seats down), a 12V port, in addition to attachment factors for a cargo web which may be saved beneath the boot flooring, alongside the cargo cowl.

There’s additionally a space-saver spare wheel, and whereas there are procuring bag hooks, they’re proper in the back of the boot and never that nicely positioned.

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

What’s beneath the bonnet?

Select the hybrid model of the Kia Sportage and also you get a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 132kW of energy and 265Nm of torque, teamed with a 44kW/264Nm electrical motor, and a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery.

Complete system outputs are 169kW and 350Nm, which is a lot for this kind of utility.

Nonetheless, that a lot grunt is sufficient to overwhelm the entrance tyres at occasions. That’s proper, the hybrid Sportage solely comes with front-wheel drive in Australia, and that could possibly be a deal-breaker for some. 

Not like different hybrid fashions from the Hyundai-Kia group which run a dual-clutch auto, there’s a typical six-speed computerized transmission fitted to the Sportage.

In relation to the official mixed cycle gas effectivity determine, Sportage HEV fashions declare 4.9 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle which for these taking part in alongside at house is 0.1 litres per 100km greater than a RAV4 2WD Hybrid.

In actuality, over days of the form of driving that you simply’ll in all probability do in a Sportage Hybrid – city working, commuting, freeway stints, daycare drop-offs and even a few IKEA runs – I noticed a return of 6.0 litres per 100km. Coincidentally that’s what I noticed final time I drove a RAV4 Hybrid!

Now, for these aware of emissions, the HEV mannequin stacks up nicely. The Hybrid’s official mixed cycle quantity is 110g/km of CO₂, whereas the diesel is 163g/km, and the turbo-petrol is 164g/km CO₂. For eco-conscious clients or fleet patrons, that might get the petrol-electric model throughout the road.

Don’t go considering that it might probably’t tow, both. It has a 750kg unbraked trailer ranking, and 1650kg braked trailer ranking – however needless to say the utmost tow bar down weight is 100kg.

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

How does the Kia Sportage drive?

It’s a little bit of a novel method to hybrid tech, this powertrain. 

Not fairly as novel because the Nissan e-Energy setup, and maybe not as standard because the Toyota hybrid system, however as an alternative you do get a hybrid powertrain that’s each refined, highly effective, and environment friendly and equal measure.

The turbo engine factor to this petrol-electric system signifies that you do have somewhat bit of additional urgency whenever you want it, and that’s most noticeable in Sport mode when you ever select to drive in that setting. 

The engine’s low-rev push and the electrical motor work collectively along with the traditional six-speed computerized transmission to make for a fairly gratifying driving expertise by way of the powertrain.

It’s quieter than a RAV4, and it feels a bit stronger than one too. Additionally it is completely different in that the electrical motor is built-in into the transmission, so you possibly can really feel the automotive change gears in EV mode, which is cool.

It has a pleasant transition between EV and traditional driving modes and in my testing it used the EV mode fairly commonly, together with on the freeway in stints, and loads of city driving. There’s a pedestrian warning system with an exterior speaker to warn others of your presence, as in any other case it’s fairly silent.

Nonetheless, the massive draw back with this hybrid powertrain is it’s strictly front-wheel-drive, and that signifies that you’ll at occasions wrestle to get the entire torque to the bottom easily and successfully.

A lot of occasions throughout my drive within the GT-Line Hybrid I discovered the entrance tyres scrambling for traction, even beneath what I believed was fairly average acceleration. For those who’re a leadfoot, you would possibly discover that it’ll screech a good bit.

The opposite parts of the drive expertise are typical of what we’ve come to count on of the Sportage, and that’s to say it’s good in most methods.

The trip is comfy, though it might probably nonetheless really feel somewhat clunky over damaged surfaces. Fortunately you don’t have 19-inch wheels with even lower-profile tyres to exacerbate that mannerism.

The steering is correct and ample for this utility. There’s a good quantity of heft at greater speeds, and lightness at low speeds which helps with parking strikes (as does the surround-view digicam system).

I sometimes flip off the lane-keeping help characteristic on the freeway or round city as I discover it may be just a bit bit too pushy for my liking.

The braking response and the pedal really feel is sweet too. Being an electrified automotive, it does have a regenerative braking system and sometimes that may result in less-than-ideal brake pedal really feel. However fortunately within the Sportage it’s sincere and it pulls up fairly nicely.

It’s additionally fairly quiet – there’s not an entire lot of engine noise intrusion at greater speeds, and even street noise is saved to a minimal on rougher surfaces.

If solely it had all wheel drive, this could possibly be a RAV4 killer.

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

What do you get?

The Sportage HEV is on the market in SX and GT-Line trim ranges, and specs largely mirror the prevailing petrol and diesel equivalents.

Sportage SX HEV highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Auto LED reflector-type headlights
• Auto high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Energy-folding exterior mirrors
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
  • Wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
  • Satellite tv for pc navigation
• ‘Primary’ digital instrument cluster with 4.2-inch display screen
• 6-speaker audio
• Fabric upholstery
• Leather-based-appointed steering wheel
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Digital parking brake with auto maintain
• Area-saver spare wheel
• Dial-type shift-by-wire selector

Sportage GT-Line HEV provides:

• LED projector-type headlights
• Full LED tail-lights
• Leather-based upholstery
• Keyless entry, begin
• Electrochromic rear-view mirror
• Palms-free energy tailgate
• Wi-fi cellphone charger
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 8-way energy driver’s seat, 2-way energy lumbar
• 8-way energy passenger seat
• Heated, ventilated entrance seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Panoramic sunroof
• Rear privateness glass
• Alloy sports activities pedals

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

Is the Kia Sportage protected?

As with the petrol and diesel fashions within the vary, HEV variations of the Sportage include the utmost five-star ANCAP security ranking based mostly on 2022 testing.

Commonplace security gear consists of:

• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Car, pedestrian and bike owner detection
  • Junction help
• Blind-spot help
• Rear cross-traffic help
• Driver consideration alert
• Clever velocity restrict help
• Lane preserve help
• Lane Following Help (lane centring)
• Secure exit warning
• Entrance, rear parking sensors
• Reversing digicam
• Tyre strain monitoring
• Entrance, front-side and curtain airbags
• Entrance centre airbag

Sportage GT-Line provides:

• Blind Spot View Monitor
• Encompass-view digicam
• Parking Collision Avoidance Help – Reverse

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

How a lot does the Kia Sportage price to run?

Kia covers its lineup with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre new automotive guarantee. For electrified merchandise just like the Sportage HEV, high-voltage elements just like the on-board charger, electrical motor and battery system are lined for seven years or 150,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.

It seems the Sportage HEV is the priciest engine variant to service, and Kia continues to cost above common quantities for capped-price servicing.

For reference, Hyundai affords a five-year pre-paid service plan for the Tucson Hybrid for $1990 – practically $1000 lower than what Kia fees over the identical interval for the Sportage HEV.

To see how the Sportage traces up in opposition to its rivals, take a look at our comparability device

CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Sportage

It’s so near being the hybrid SUV we’ve been hoping for, however a scarcity of all-wheel drive, frankly foolish servicing prices and quick intervals make it much less compelling than it may have in any other case been.

Even so, this can be a nice household SUV for many who can take care of front-wheel drive and don’t thoughts paying somewhat extra for his or her upkeep. If that’s you, I’d positively advocate you go and test it out.

Hopefully, the incoming up to date addresses our key complaints.

Fascinated with shopping for a Kia Sportage? Get in contact with one in all CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here

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