The Sportage is consistently Kia’s best-selling model. It is also undoubtedly one of the best family SUVs if you’re on a budget. What makes it a winning proposition is how much space and practicality it offers without compromising on value. The 2026 Kia Sportage only adds to this with better styling, equipment and a wide range of engine options. With ever-increasing competition, we drove a Sportage hybrid to find out if it’s still the safe and sensible choice for families.
When looking at a used Kia Sportage, it’s important to check that the car has been serviced on time. Many Sportage models cover mixed driving, so it’s worth listening for any suspension noise and making sure the steering feels consistent on a test drive. Also check if the clutch engages smoothly on manual. Inside, ensure the infotainment system responds properly and that features such as the reversing camera, parking sensors and climate control operate as expected.
Michael Green is an RSS Patrol at The AA, with extensive experience in roadside support, diagnostics, mentoring, and electric and hybrid vehicle repair.
Read bioCommonly seen issues include:
• Issues with sensors or injectors in the AdBlue system (high mileage diesels)
• Clutch wear with high miles on manual models used mainly in stop start traffic
• Sunroofs may operate slowly or fail due to age
• Infotainment units on early models feeling slow or freezing occasionally (usually an update can fix this)
• Diesel models can suffer DPF and EGR buildup if mainly used for short journeys.
• Annual oil and filter changes to keep both petrol and diesel engines running cleanly and reduce long term wear Gearbox oil change around 60,000–70,000 miles to maintain smooth shifting on manual and automatic models
• Regular air conditioning servicing to prevent weak cooling and avoid strain on the compressor
• Periodic checks of front suspension components (drop links, bushes, top mounts) as these can wear on higher mileage cars
• Diesel owners should take the car on longer runs to help the DPF regenerate and avoid soot build up
• Spark plug and air filter replacement at the recommended intervals to maintain good performance and fuel economy
Kia typically provides a 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty on the high voltage battery in hybrid and plug in hybrid Sportage models. The 12 volt and mild hybrid batteries usually have a shorter warranty, often around 3 years or 60,000 miles. Overall, the Sportage’s hybrid systems are well engineered, and major battery issues are uncommon when the car is maintained correctly.
The Sportage is known for being a practical and comfortable SUV with good equipment levels and sensible running costs. The Sportage generally ages very well. After 5–7 years, most issues are routine wear rather than anything serious. Well maintained examples often remain quiet, smooth and dependable even at higher mileages.
If you’re looking for a straightforward and easy-to-drive family SUV, priced competitively with good equipment levels, the Kia Sportage is hard to best. Even more so if space and practicality rank high on your requirements.
Adithya is the Content Editor at AA Cars and a Motoring Journalist, with over 1,000 published articles across numerous publications.
Read bioA new Sportage with the standard 1.6 T-GDi engine will start from £29,930 for the entry-level Pure trim, rising to £39,320 for a range-topping GT-Line S. Moving on to the hybrid, prices start from £34,385 for the Pure, rising to £43,580 for the GT-Line S with AWD. Above that sits the new plug-in hybrid, with prices starting from £38,595 for the Pure and rising all the way to £47,725 for the GT-Line S AWD. The Kia Sportage is one of the most popular cars on AA Cars, so we have a great variety of used examples, from older cars to 25-plate models with as little as 20 miles.
Petrol: 1.6 T-GDi petrol engine (147hp/250Nm) + 6-speed MT/7-speed DCT
Hybrid: 1.6 T-GDi petrol engine and electric motor (235hp/265Nm) + 6-speed AT
Plug-in hybrid: 1.6 T-GDi petrol engine and electric motor (283hp) + 6-speed AT
Kia has done an excellent job of integrating the 1.6 turbo petrol engine with the electric motor for the Sportage hybrid. It starts on electric power and can drive around at low speeds with light throttle inputs using electric power alone. Press the throttle harder and the engine fires up into life instantaneously, with the transition between the electric motor and the engine being smooth and progressive. Although the engine is refined under normal working conditions, it is audible and makes its presence felt, especially if you accelerate harder towards its red line.
Throttle response is instant thanks to the electric motor, and the Sportage hybrid is fast for its segment, with 0-62mph coming up in 7.9 seconds for the FWD and 8.1 seconds for the AWD. Within city limits, the electric power is adequate to close gaps and make progress, while the engine comes in handy at higher speeds. With the Sportage hybrid, you never really feel the need for more power. Our only gripe is the automatic gearbox, which can feel confusing at times, especially when you’re in a hurry. Although the shifts are unobtrusive, there are some occasions when we wished it worked more effortlessly.
There are two drive modes on offer. The Eco mode is perfect for most situations, with great throttle response, while Sport mode adds some enthusiasm, with the engine kicking in more often and revving higher.
You sit high in the Sportage, and this means it’s easy to navigate around tight roads. The light steering also helps and combined with the nippy powertrain, it’s an easy car to pilot around town. The ride has a firm undertone to it, with an occasional pitching motion that is present in some tall cars. Having said that, the ride quality is good without making you feel uncomfortable. It definitely rides like a tall SUV, but never too hard or extreme to be a deal-breaker, despite our test car running large 19-inch wheels.
On the handling front, the steering weighs up with speed, and the Sportage turns into corners without much hesitation. There is body roll, but it is contained enough. Overall, it is a safe-handling SUV with decent grip around corners, but if you try to use most of the 235hp around bends, the front-end pushes wide, with the traction control kicking in and cutting power to the wheels.
The AWD version should feel more composed and mature in such scenarios. The Sportage’s brakes are strong enough for everyday driving. However, we did notice that the pedal feedback was a bit lacking, and the Sportage trying too hard to come to a quick stop under hard braking conditions from high speeds.
With the latest refresh, the Sportage now features a new cabin with a modern design. The large 12.3-inch touchscreen and driver’s display take up most of the room, followed by a clever haptic panel that doubles up as the controls for the air-con and media functions at the touch of a button. The cabin feels airy, with a massive centre console area that hosts the rotary gear knob. Although it is intuitive to use, it does feel a bit cheaper, and so do some other trim pieces in the interior.
The steering wheel in our GT-Line featured a dual-tone material, which looks good but feels coarse in your hands and makes some noise when it rubs against your palms. Overall, the cabin design is right up there with its competition, but there are rivals that offer a more premium cabin experience.
At 591 litres, there’s more than enough boot space for your weekend away. Plus, you could always fold down the rear seats and expand the space to an impressive 1,790 litres. We certainly put that to the test, and the Sportage effortlessly loaded and carried a large 55-inch TV unit without breaking a sweat.
Cabin space, both up front and in the rear, is the Sportage’s strong selling point. There’s more than enough room for all occupants, with plenty of knee room and headroom. Even accommodating three passengers at the rear is not a squeeze. The rear seats also recline and offer good under-thigh support.
Elsewhere in the car, there’s a good mix of storage options. There are two large, cleverly designed cupholders next to the gear selector. There are also other storage areas around the cabin and, overall, space is never an issue with the Sportage. It just takes people and luggage with ease.
The entry-level Pure specification gets 17-inch alloy wheels, while inside there’s a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a 4.2-inch driver display. Front and rear parking sensors help to make parking this relatively large car even easier, too.
The range-topping GT-Line S gets an 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system and ventilated seats among other features. Our test car was the GT-Line and, although it was well equipped for the price compared with the competition, we did miss the wireless charger (available only with the GT-Line S). Electric seats, panoramic roof, ambient lighting and an electric tailgate are also reserved for the top-spec GT-Line S.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen is easy to navigate, with a clear user interface. Getting back to the home screen is also easy and, overall, it’s not a unit that’s loaded with too many functions. Graphics are also crisp, but the 4.2-inch driver’s display in our GT-Line felt a bit basic in comparison. Unfortunately, the 12.3-inch fully digital driver’s display is only offered with the GT-Line S.
There are three trims to choose from: Pure, GT-Line and the GT-Line S. In terms of colour options, there are six on offer: Fusion White (standard) and five premium options (£675): Phantom Black, Blue Flame, Magma Red, Wolf Grey and Experience Green.
Kia has a great reputation for reliability and there’s no reason why the Sportage should be any different. This is reflected in the brand’s seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, which can be transferred between owners. This means the warranty also applies to used Kia Sportage buyers.
When crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, the Sportage was awarded a full five-star rating, with testers highlighting good levels of both child and adult occupant protection. Standard safety equipment such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane-Keep Assist certainly helps to boost the Sportage in this area, while a full forward collision avoidance assistance system is included as standard on all models, regardless of trim level.
Standard petrol versions should manage around 39.5mpg combined, though we’d argue that most drivers will find hybrid options more appealing due to their improved efficiency. Kia claims around 50mpg from hybrid models and we were seeing close to 45mpg during our time with the car, with mixed city/motorway use.
It’s anywhere between £115 and £1,410 to tax the Sportage, depending on the model. For trims costing over £40,000, there’ll be an additional ‘luxury car’ payment, which will apply for the car’s first five years of registration.
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