2026 Kia Sportage made its grand debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring several updates in design and technology. It is designed to appeal to a wide range of customers, with three different powertrain options – Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Turbo Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), and Turbo Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – as well as a wide range of trims. The 2026 Sportage is set to arrive in showrooms in Q2 2025, with pricing to be announced closer to its release date.

Interior

Inside, the 2026 Sportage features significant enhancements focused on connectivity and comfort. A 12.3-inch touchscreen is standard on most trims, featuring Kia’s Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) system with over-the-air updates and wireless compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

An optional 10-inch head-up display (HUD) provides important driving information, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) alerts and navigation directions. Other cabin highlights include an available 360-degree surround-view monitor, Harman Kardon’s premium audio system, and wireless charging capabilities.

The Sportage retains its interior space, with 1049 mm of rear legroom and up to 1121 liters of cargo space, supported by a dual-level cargo floor for added flexibility.

Engine

The 2026 Sportage offers three powertrain options: a 2.5-litre inline-4 engine that produces an estimated 184 bhp, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, which comes with front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional AWD. Then there is a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol direct injection (GDI) engine that combines with a 47.7 kW electric motor to produce an estimated 228 bhp – an increase of 4 bhp over the previous model.

It is available in FWD and AWD configurations. The most powerful variant has a 1.6-litre GDI engine and a 72 kW motor, which produces 264 bhp – 7 bhp more than its predecessor. AWD is standard for this model.

Kia introduces new trims for the 2026, including S and X-Line for the HEV variant. The S Hybrid trim adds 18-inch dark alloy wheels, heated front seats, and a suite of driver-assistance technologies. The X-Line Hybrid builds on this with additional premium touches including a panoramic sunroof and a smart power liftgate. Two new optional packages — LX Convenience and X-Line Technology — offer features such as power driver seats, blind view monitors, and upgraded audio systems.

Safety

The 2026 Sportage includes a range of standard and optional ADAS features, such as standard Auto Emergency Braking with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Vehicle Detection, Direct Oncoming Detection, and Highway Driving Assist 2, as well as optional Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Hands-On Detection (HOD), and Parking Distance Warning (PDW).