The Kia Sportage Hybrid is finally arriving in Australian dealerships now, giving the popular mid-sized SUV range a fourth powertrain option.
Kia says it expects to sell around 300 Sportage Hybrids per month, accounting for 20 per cent of total Sportage sales volume.
The hybrid is arriving in SX and GT-Line trim levels only, with no S or SX+ options. It’s also available exclusively with front-wheel drive.
That makes it the only Sportage GT-Line without all-wheel drive, though it’s still $2500 pricier than the AWD diesel GT-Line.
Compared with the most affordable SX automatic, the hybrid powertrain commands a $8400 premium.
With combined cycle fuel economy of 4.9L/100km, the Sportage Hybrid is more efficient than every other member of the Sportage lineup. The diesel, for example, uses 6.3L/100km on the same cycle.
It joins a growing segment of hybrid SUVs, which includes the top-selling Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, as well as the Nissan X-Trail e-Power, Honda CR-V e:HEV and GWM Haval H6.
The Sportage’s corporate cousin, the Hyundai Tucson, is also getting a hybrid option in Australia this year.
Pricing
- 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX: $45,950
- 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid GT-Line: $55,420
All prices exclude on-road costs.
Drivetrains
The 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid mates a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 132kW of power and 265Nm of torque with a 44kW/264Nm electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery.
Total system outputs are 169kW and 350Nm.
All Sportage Hybrid models feature a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
Efficiency
The 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid uses 4.9L/100km on the combined cycle.
Dimensions
While dimensions for the hybrid aren’t available, the petrol and diesel 2024 Kia Sportage measure 4660mm long, 1865mm wide, between 1665mm and 1680mm tall and ride a 2755mm wheelbase.
They have 543L of boot space (measured to the VDA standard), expanding to 1829L with the second row folded.
Servicing and Warranty
The Kia Sportage Hybrid is backed by the brand’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Kia offers capped-price servicing across its range. We’ll update this article when pricing is available for the Sportage Hybrid.
Safety
The petrol and diesel Kia Sportage have a five-star ANCAP rating based on testing conducted in 2022. The Hybrid is unrated at this point.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Junction assist
- Blind-spot assist
- Driver attention alert
- Intelligent speed limit assist
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane Following Assist (lane centring)
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Safe exit warning
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Front, front-side and curtain airbags
- Front centre airbag
The GT-Line also features:
- Blind Spot View Monitor
- Surround-view camera
- Parking Collision Avoidance Assist – Reverse
Standard Equipment
There are two variants of Sportage Hybrid available.
The Sportage Hybrid SX is specified almost identically to its petrol counterpart, apart from the use of a space-saver spare wheel and a dial-type shifter. That means it comes standard with the following equipment:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic reflector-style LED headlights
- Automatic high-beam
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Power-folding exterior mirrors
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Satellite navigation
- ‘Basic’ digital instrument cluster with 4.2-inch screen
- Six-speaker sound system
- Cloth upholstery
- Leather-appointed steering wheel
- Dual-zone climate control
- Electronic parking brake with auto hold
The Sportage Hybrid GT-Line is specified slightly differently to its petrol/diesel counterparts as well, sticking with 18-inch alloy wheels instead of 19s and featuring a heated steering wheel. It also uses a space-saver spare.
Standard equipment on the GT-Line includes:
- Projector-style LED headlights
- Full LED tail lights
- Leather upholstery
- Keyless entry and start
- Electrochromic rear-view mirror
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Wireless phone charger
- 64-colour ambient lighting
- Eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- Eight-way power driver’s seat with two-way power lumbar
- Eight-way power passenger seat
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Panoramic sunroof
- Rear privacy glass
- Alloy sports pedals
MORE: Everything Kia Sportage