2023 Kia Sportage Review: Exceptional Hybrid steals the show

Pros: Powerful and efficient hybrids; class-leading space; well-executed tech; distinctive design choices

Cons: Slow base engine; X-Line and X-Pro are not available as the hybrid; X-Pro's firm ride

The term “all-new” gets thrown around liberally in the car biz, but when it comes to the 2023 Kia Sportage, it absolutely fits the bill. Kia’s oldest nameplate goes from one of the smallest compact SUVs to one of the biggest, expanding in every dimension to be far more family friendly. It now offers two hybrid options: one is an exceptional, turbocharged conventional hybrid that does double duty as a fuel economy and performance upgrade, while the other is a plug-in hybrid that provides 32 miles of electric-only range and therefore even better fuel economy. Meanwhile, the interior is better-looking, better-made and packed with Kia’s latest, excellent tech.

While it continues to deliver distinctive style and better-than-average value, the Sportage’s newfound practicality makes it a compelling answer to choices like the equally impressive new 2023 Honda CR-V, plus the Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and the Sportage's mechanically related cousin, the Hyundai Tucson. There’s even a quasi-off-road model in the new X-Line and X-Pro trim levels, though they do fall short in terms of ruggedness compared to the Forester Wilderness and RAV4 TRD Off-Road, and are only offered with the sluggish base engine that is the Sportage's weakest attribute.

Add it all up and you have a new entry in the ultra-competitive compact SUV segment that is an absolute must-see. We would steer you toward the Sportage Hybrid, however, as its price premium is negligible, its benefits great and the base engine is disappointingly slow. The plug-in hybrid is also very appealing, but is also costlier and will likely be harder to come by. 

Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy

What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features

Video Review

What's new for 2023?

The Kia Sportage is all-new for 2023, and not only that, but it’s a significant departure in terms of size and engine choice.

What are the Sportage interior and in-car technology like?

The new Sportage interior represents another advantage over most in the segment. In short, it’s cool. There’s a sense of style here you’re not going to find in a RAV4 or Forester. Beyond the design, there are red, navy and sage green interiors available depending on trim level and drivetrain, with even the EX Hybrid eligible for a particularly cool Misty Gray and Triton Navy combo (pictured above). We really like that Kia includes such aesthetic options along with Kia’s usual generous feature content on lower trim levels rather than keeping them exclusive to high-dollar ones.

Another example of this is the cabin’s main attraction: the giant curved panel housing twin 12.3-inch displays that are shared with the EV6. Found on every trim but the LX, it’s not only an eye-catcher for its curved design and pretty graphics, but like other Kias, the infotainment touchscreen is easy to use. The instrument panel provides crisp, vibrant graphics and a choice of designs that thankfully don't overwhelm you with questionably useful information. Also coming over from the EV6 is the unique row of touch-capacitive “buttons” that serve double duty as climate controls and infotainment menu shortcuts (note that the defrost and recirculation "buttons" always remain in place). It is a departure from Kia’s usual ultra-functional cabin controls and are indeed polarizing: after thousands of miles spent in the similarly equipped EV6 and Kia Niro, some of our editors remain annoyed by them while others aren't bothered by them at all. The main difference in opinion comes down to how often you adjust the climate controls. All at least agree that they provide a clean look and we're definitely seeing A LOT worse these days. 

How big is the Sportage?

The Sportage is just about the biggest compact SUV. It’s 7.1 inches longer overall than its predecessor with an extra 3.4 inches of wheelbase. Cargo capacity, which was previously sacrificed to provide surprisingly generous rear legroom, is now a segment-best 39.6 cubic-feet. We had absolutely no problem fitting in all six bags in our luggage test with plenty of room to spare, and actually forgot to test it with the extra space added by the lower floor height function included with the base engine and Hybrid. We can therefore conclude that the Sportage is indeed the best cargo carrier in the segment. It outdoes the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, and while it can likely hold as much stuff as the mechanically related Hyundai Tucson, the Sportage Hybrid has a spare tire. The Tucson Hybrid does not and neither does the CR-V Hybrid. The Sportage Plug-In Hybrid does without both the spare and the lower floor height/extra cargo space, but still aced our luggage test with room to spare.

Backseat legroom also expands be a class leader with 41.3 inches. It really is as vast as that spec and the below photo indicates. We had no problem comfortably sitting in front of a rear-facing child seat, and also appreciated the ample amount of rear seat recline. 

What are the Sportage fuel economy and performance specs?

The base engine is effectively average for the segment: a 2.5-liter inline-four that produces 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. It’s attached to an eight-speed automatic (many competitors have a less desirable CVT), and a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined with FWD and 23/28/25 with AWD. That latter number is awfully underwhelming, as most competitors do considerably better (the CR-V AWD gets 29 mpg combined).

The Sportage Hybrid is therefore highly recommended. This unique combination of 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four, electric motor and six-speed automatic pairs with either front- or all-wheel drive. Together it produces 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, a robust amount that is far more than other hybrids and in keeping with the turbocharged, gas-only engine upgrades of rival SUVs. It returns 42 mpg city, 44 mpg highway and 43 mpg combined with FWD and 38/38/38 with AWD. That’ll in theory save you hundreds of dollars every year on gas, but in several hundred miles of mixed driving, we only managed 32 mpg combined with an AWD EX. 

The Sportage Plug-In Hybrid builds upon the conventional hybrid with a much larger battery. It produces 261 hp and 258 lb-ft. When plugged in and filled with electrons, it should return around 32 miles of range. Official EPA numbers were not available at the time of this writing, but that's the number provided by Kia and the number we saw after recharging the battery. As with all plug-in hybrids, its fuel economy is entirely dependent on how much you use that all-electric range. We drove about 100 miles in one day of mixed driving after starting with a full battery and saw 63.8 mpg. However, if those miles were spread across a full week of commuting or dropping the kids off at school with nightly recharges, the number would've been well above 100 mpg. Using a Level 2 home charger, it'll take about 2 hours to recharge the battery, which is quick for a PHEV.

What's the Sportage like to drive?

While most of its competitors offer a choice of either a hybrid powertrain or a higher-performance engine upgrade, the Sportage offers up something that does both: the Hybrid, pictured above left. Considering it only costs about $1,000 more than the base engine, it makes your decision even easier. Besides blowing the hybrid competition away in terms of power, the Sportage Hybrid’s conventional transmission and turbocharged engine provide a far more normal and quiet driving experience. And compared to the gutless base 2.5-liter, which is unfortunately the only way to get the X-Pro trim level (and the X-Line is unavailable as the regular hybrid), the turbo-plus-electric-motor combo makes it feel notably gutsier around town and when passing and, despite the small-displacement engine, is quieter when you punch the throttle.

The Sportage Plug-In Hybrid, meanwhile, is generally very similar to the regular Hybrid. Even when powered by electricity alone, the car shifts gears, which is weird if you've driven EVs or other plug-in hybrids, but totally normal if you haven't. As with other PHEVs, though, you can select to some extent how the wheels are powered. The EV drive mode will drive as the name suggests, but acceleration feels considerably pokier than a full EV like Kia's Niro or EV6. Giving the throttle a good whack will in fact engage the engine to make sure you can really get going if and when you need too. The HEV drive mode will more readily fire the engine, but still prioritizes the electric range when available. Honestly, it sounds more complicated than it is.

Moving beyond the engines, driving the Sportage is typical for a Kia: competent, vice-free and largely forgettable. It handles well enough and the ride is comfortable enough. Want something sharper? Try a Mazda CX-50 or Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SE. Want something more rugged? Well, the Sportage has an answer for that. First, there’s the X-Line, which is really just an appearance package. It's available with the base engine or the plug-in hybrid. The X-Pro (pictured above right) builds upon that with B.F. Goodrich all-terrain tires, 17-inch matte black wheels and recalibrated drive mode settings for reduced traction conditions. Oh, and a black roof. It has the same 8.3 inches of ground clearance as every other all-wheel-drive Sportage, however. That’s not insignificant, but it’s less than the RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and every Subaru Forester, including the sky-high Wilderness. If you really want to get dirty, get one of those first. If not, know that you’ll be saddled with the less desirable base engine and those all-terrain tires that produce a firmer and jigglier ride, more road noise and a degradation of road holding. The X-Pro would definitely not be our first choice. 

What other Kia Sportage reviews can I read?

2023 Kia Sportage First Drive Review | Bigger, greener, off-roadier

Dig deeper into the changes for the Sportage compared to its predecessor, plus what you can expect from the X-Pro both on road and off-road. 

 

Kia Sportage Luggage Test

The specs say the Sportage has best-in-class cargo capacity behind its back seat. We put the numbers to the test.

 

What is the 2023 Sportage price?

Pricing starts at $27,245, including destination, for a base LX FWD. The Sportage Hybrid LX FWD starts at $28,545, which is less than the CR-V and RAV4 hybrid entry points.

While that LX comes well-equipped, you’ll really want to start off your search with the EX, which adds a power driver seat, heated front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, a real-leather wheel, dual-zone climate control, proximity key and push-button start, blind-spot warning, wireless charging and perhaps most notably, the 12.3-inch touchscreen encased in that super-cool curved display casing. All that seems more than worth the EX’s $2,000 premium.

From there, the SX just looks sportier while adding a few token niceties like that curved display casing. The X-Line gets different bumpers, gloss black trim, exclusive wheels, raised roof rails and a tread-like pattern in its synthetic leather upholstery. It's the only trim level that can be paired with the Sportage plug-in hybrid. Basically, it looks more rugged, but functionally isn’t. The X Pro is, though only to an extent. Pictured below left, it gets B.F. Goodrich all-terrain tires, 17-inch matte black wheels and recalibrated drive mode settings for reduced traction condition.

All prices below include the $1,295 destination charge. 

LX: $27,285
EX: $29,285
SX: $32,785
SX Prestige: $34,785
X-Line (AWD only): $32,085
X-Pro (AWD only): $36,285
X-Pro Prestige (AWD only): $38,085

Hybrid LX FWD: $28,585
Hybrid LX AWD: $30,385
EX AWD: $32,285 (pictured below right)
SX-Prestige: $37,485

PHEV X-Line: $39,785
PHEV X-Line Prestige: $44,285

What are the Sportage safety ratings and driver assistance features?

Every 2023 Sportage includes as standard forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, rear parking sensors and a driver inattention warning system. All trim levels but the LX gain blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, and the Safe Exit Warning that uses the first two systems to warn occupants to not open their door in the event of cars or cyclists coming from the rear. Kia’s excellent Highway Driving Assist adaptive cruise control system with lane-centering steering assist is included on the SX and X-Pro trim levels.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2023 Sportage a Top Safety Pick for its best-possible performance in all crash tests and for its crash-prevention technologies. Its "Average" and "Poor" headlight ratings resulted in the Sportage missing out on the best-possible Top Safety Pick+ rating. 

2023 Kia Sportage video review