Kia is reportedly following Toyota in simplifying its mid-sized SUV lineup.
Depending available on the market, 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 News reports the upcoming sixth-generation Sportage – codenamed NQ6 – will launch in the course of the third quarter (July to September) of 2027 and can offer just hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains.
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It’ll be the primary time a Kia model may have transitioned to a hybrid-only lineup.
The brand new Sportage hybrid will reportedly offer significantly improved outputs and fuel efficiency due to a more powerful engine and bigger battery, while the plug-in hybrid will reportedly offer as much as 100km of electrical range.
The present Sportage PHEV, no less than in European-market guise, offers as much as 70km of electric-only range on the WLTP cycle.
It’s unclear what other changes will include the next-generation Sportage. The mid-sized SUV – the brand’s best-seller in markets just like the US, Europe and Australia – not only offers a big selection of powertrains but additionally two different wheelbases.
The shorter of the 2 is exclusive to the European market, and is built at Kia’s Slovakia factory. The Sportage is in-built multiple countries, including the US and Korea, with the latter being where Kia Australia sources Sportages from.
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Korean-market 2026 Sportage
Kia only introduced the Sportage Hybrid to Australia in 2024, and we proceed to miss out on the PHEV powertrain offered in markets just like the US.
Each the present hybrid and PHEV models feature a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, with the previous featuring a 1.49kWh battery and the latter a bigger 13.8kWh pack.
A facelifted version of the present NQ5-series Sportage is due in Australia in the course of the second quarter (April-June) of this yr, and it’s set to supply 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 ready to bring an all-wheel drive option.
That can give Kia a direct rival to all-wheel drive hybrid versions of the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail and even its Hyundai Tucson cousin.
Based on recently released government approval documents, the updated 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.
Should the next-generation Sportage indeed move to a hybrid and PHEV-only lineup, this may due to this fact be a swansong for these engines.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
