2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid Debuts Promising 39 MPG And 500-Mile Range

Kia unveiled an all-new fifth-generation 2023 Sportage SUV earlier this year with refreshed styling, new safety systems and updated performance tech. Today, the brand showed off the 2023 Sportage Hybrid, which will complete the compact SUV’s new lineup when it arrives in early 2022. Like its gas-powered counterpart, the Sportage Hybrid features better interior space than its predecessor and a load of newly available safety tech.

2023 Sportage Hybrid Fuel Economy and Range

The Sportage Hybrid delivers a combined 226 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a 44kW electric motor. Power reaches the front or all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission with a rotary shifter. Depending on the situation, Kia’s available Active AWD system uses a center-locking differential to distribute power between the front and rear wheels. Paddle shifters are standard, and four drive modes—Eco, Sport, Smart and Snow—are provided.

Kia targets 39 mpg and claims a range of over 500 miles for the Sportage Hybrid; the max tow rating is 2000 pounds. For comparison’s sake, the standard gasoline 2023 Kia Sportage packs a naturally-aspirated 187-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder with an eight-speed transmission and is projected to return approximately 24-25 mpg in combined fuel economy. The standard Sportage is rated to tow 1650 pounds or 2000 pounds when equipped with trailer brakes.

The new 2023 Sportage Hybrid is built on the same “N3” platform as the new Sorrento and benefits from increased torsional rigidity for sharper handling and a more controlled ride. In addition, interior noise levels are reduced thanks in part to the increased application of sound-absorbing and insulating materials.

Sportage Style

Though Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille made its way onto the new Sportage, it’s flanked by new LED running lights. The new front-end design is busier than its predecessor’s nose, but it works well with SUV’s larger size and more muscular proportions. New 17- and 18-inch wheel designs are available, depending on the trim, and the Hybrid model gets special badging throughout.

Kia says it drew inspiration for the Sportage’s interior from high-end outdoor products and modern architecture. That means an asymmetrical center console and exciting shapes for mundane components such as the air vents and door handles in the real world. In addition, top trims get animal-free faux leather upholstery with detailed stitchwork, and all trims get integrated hooks for coats, shopping bags and stowing unused device charging cables.

Taking a page out of luxury brands’ playbooks, Kia offers a curved panoramic display that combines two 12.3-inch displays into one massive 25-inch screen. It’s a design used by Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac and others to great effect, and in the compact Sportage, it dominates the dashboard. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard for all trims, along with new touchpad controls for climate and audio settings.

Safety and Tech

Previous Sportage models set the bar high in crash safety tests, earning a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2023 Sportage promises to carry on that legacy with an extensive list of standard safety gear that includes forward-collision warnings, lane keep assist, LED headlights, driver attention warnings and more. In addition, several features are available to Sportage buyers for the first time, including safe exit warnings, blind spot warning, collision avoidance-assist and forward collision avoidance with cyclist detection and intersection assist, among other new safety technologies.

The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid will be available in LX, EX, and SX-Prestige trims; all-wheel drive is an option on the LX and standard on the latter two. Look for the 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid to arrive in showrooms in 2022. Pricing will be revealed closer to the on-sale date.