Kia is reportedly following Toyota in simplifying its mid-sized SUV lineup.
Relying in the marketplace, the present Kia Sportage is obtainable with petrol, mild-hybrid petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and even one which runs on LPG.
Korean outlet ET Information studies the upcoming sixth-generation Sportage – codenamed NQ6 – will launch through the third quarter (July to September) of 2027 and can supply simply hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains.
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It’ll be the primary time a Kia mannequin could have transitioned to a hybrid-only lineup.
The brand new Sportage hybrid will reportedly supply considerably improved outputs and gas effectivity because of a extra highly effective engine and bigger battery, whereas the plug-in hybrid will reportedly supply as much as 100km of electrical vary.
The present Sportage PHEV, a minimum of in European-market guise, gives as much as 70km of electric-only vary on the WLTP cycle.
It’s unclear what different modifications will include the next-generation Sportage. The mid-sized SUV – the model’s best-seller in markets just like the US, Europe and Australia – not solely gives a variety of powertrains but additionally two completely different wheelbases.
The shorter of the 2 is unique to the European market, and is constructed at Kia’s Slovakia manufacturing facility. The Sportage is inbuilt a number of nations, together with the US and Korea, with the latter being the place Kia Australia sources Sportages from.
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Korean-market 2026 Sportage
Kia solely launched the Sportage Hybrid to Australia in 2024, and we proceed to overlook out on the PHEV powertrain provided in markets just like the US.
Each the present hybrid and PHEV fashions characteristic a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, with the previous that includes a 1.49kWh battery and the latter a bigger 13.8kWh pack.
A facelifted model of the present NQ5-series Sportage is due in Australia through the second quarter (April-June) of this yr, and it’s set to supply an expanded lineup of hybrid choices – although nonetheless no PHEV.
Whereas the Sportage Hybrid is presently provided in Australia solely with front-wheel drive and solely in SX and GT-Line trims, the up to date mannequin is ready to convey an all-wheel drive choice.
That may give Kia a direct rival to all-wheel drive hybrid variations of the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Path and even its Hyundai Tucson cousin.
In keeping with not too long ago launched authorities approval paperwork, the up to date Sportage will proceed to supply 2.0-litre naturally aspirated and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engines, plus a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel 4.
Ought to the next-generation Sportage certainly transfer to a hybrid and PHEV-only lineup, this may subsequently be a swansong for these engines.
