2025 Kia Sportage: What's new after the hybrid mid-size SUV's facelift?

The Kia Sportage is the brand’s best-selling model both worldwide and in Australia, with almost 9000 sold locally so far this year. While that’s still less than half than that of its Toyota RAV4 arch rival, it’s still enough to place it fourth in the biggest-selling car segment in Australia.

Why the Sportage sells so well is easy to see: it’s very practical that makes it perfect for families, it’s good value for money and it provides a wide range of powerplants to suit a variety of buyers. Does the more expensive facelifted model hit the same highs?

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Price and equipment:

Like the pre-updated Sportage, the new model is available in S, SX, SX+ and GT-Line models, with pricing starting at $37,990 plus on-road costs. That’s $4995 more than before, but part of that is shelving the formerly available manual transmission – boo! – with like-for-like models climbing up to $2995 thanks to new standard equipment across the range.

We tested the top-spec GT-Line Hybrid AWD ($60,370 plus on-road costs) for this review.

2025 Kia Sportage pricing (plus on-road costs):

Sportage GT-Line Hybrid standard equipment:

• 18-inch alloy wheels with a space-saver spare wheel
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED headlights
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Rear privacy glass
• Panoramic sunroof
• LED interior lighting, including 64-colour ambient mood lighting
• Keyless entry with push button start
• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen with Kia Connect and over-the-air updates
• Satellite navigation with live traffic
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 4x USB-C ports
• Harman Kardon eight-speaker sound system
• Heated synthetic leather steering wheel
• Dial transmission selector
• Leather upholstery
• Electric front seat adjustment with heating, cooling and driver’s memory functionality
• Dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents
• Head-up display

Sportage GT-Line Hybrid safety features:

• 7x airbags (including a front centre unit)
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assistance
• Lane keeping assist with lane follow assist
• Adaptive lane guidance
• Adaptive cruise control including highway driving assistant
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert (both with braking)
• Blind-spot monitoring camera feed
• Safe exit assist
• Low-speed rear automatic braking
• Rear occupant alert
• Traffic sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring with lead vehicle departure alert
• 360-degree camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Auto high beam

The pre-facelifted Kia Sportage was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating with scores of 87 per cent for adult protection, 87 per cent for child protection, 66 per cent for road user protection and 74 per cent for safety assist. The facelifted model added more safety features so would likely maintain the five-star rating against newer testing standards.

Interior comfort, practicality and bootspace

The interior of the Kia Sportage is one of the most stylish and practical in the mid-size SUV segment and the updated model is more of the same, though it feels elevated in quality and more expensive thanks to the new curved dual-12.3 inch screens. The overall quality is good, with plenty of soft touch materials and expensive-looking ambient lighting – we also like the new wood-like trim on the central console – though there are still some cheaper materials that work against the better ones. Overall, a Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power feels more expensive inside.

Used in other Kia models such as the Sorento and EV5, the facelifted Sportage’s new infotainment screens with its latest ‘ccNc’ infotainment system is very easy to use, quick and well appointed with features such as wireless smartphone mirroring, digital radio, satellite navigation with live traffic, over-the-air updates and access to the Kia Connect smartphone app. We’d call it one of the best tech systems in the market thanks to ease of use and its rich feature list.

The screen is a bit dark, however, and the driver’s display isn’t configurable at all. But the Harman Kardon sound system is punchy and the wireless charger – which features an ‘island’ to accommodate for the huge cameras on modern smartphones -– is quite effective in charging.

The Sportage’s cabin is also quite practical with a large open storage section on the centre console, a big box underneath the central armrest and big door bins. Front seat comfort is excellent thanks to ample electric adjustment for the driver’s seat, though it would be nice to see the seat go lower to reduce the feeling of sitting on the seat and not in it. Rear vision could be better thanks to small windows, though the large side mirrors help, as do the blind-spot cameras.

The rear seat of the Sportage is one of the most spacious in the mid-size SUV segment, with ample room for two taller adults and the space to fit a third for quick trips as well. There are a lot of amenities on offer as well, with air vents, map pockets, bottle holders in the doors and central armrest and two USB-C ports, though no heated seats, third climate zone or window shades.

The boot of the Sportage Hybrid is one of the largest in the segment thanks to its healthy 586-litre capacity – 43 litres more than petrol models thanks to the hybrid’s space-saver spare wheel versus the petrol/diesel’s full-size unit – which opens up to a huge 1872 litres with the rear seats folded. The Sportage GT-Line Hybrid’s boot includes under-floor storage, a dual-level floor, remote releases for folding the rear seats and a quick electric tailgate.

Performance and fuel economy

While the Sportage is also available with naturally aspirated 2.0-litre and turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines, we’re testing the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder hybrid that’s now also available in all-wheel drive form (the pre-updated model was front-drive only). It makes a total system output of 173kW of power and 367Nm of torque, and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Kia claims combined fuel consumption of 5.3L/100km for the all-wheel drive hybrid (4.9L/100km for the front-drive model) and CO2 emissions of 121g/km (110g/km) – we got 6.1L/100km from the all-wheel drive model without trying. The hybrid can use 91RON regular unleaded fuel and it features a 52-litre fuel tank.

On the road

As we’ve seen with Kia products since 2008, the Sportage’s ride and handling balance is excellent thanks to its local ride and handling tuning program. On the 18-inch wheels of the GT-Line Hybrid, the Sportage’s ride is fantastic and we’d say best in class. It’s not too soft like a Geely EX5 or too firm like a Mazda CX-60, it’s perfectly taut and while you feel bumps, the car doesn’t take three or four goes to react to them.

It’s also relatively fun to drive, with quick steering and an agile chassis, despite its porky 1762kg tare weight. While a Mazda CX-5 is even more fun to drive, the Sportage is more comfortable and most people will appreciate the Sportage’s driving dynamics.

The Sportage’s hybrid drivetrain is refined, efficient and gutsy, and while the diesel offers more torque and would likely be more efficient on a highway, the hybrid is a better option for purely urban driving. Its six-speed automatic transmission is seamless, helped further by the electric motor’s torque that’s available from 0rpm. While the engine can be a bit vocal at higher revs or under full throttle, in normal driving it’s quiet and likes to switch off as much as possible to conserve fuel.

As before, Kia’s range of active safety features is generally quite well tuned and actually helps the driver, unlike some brands on the market. The lane keeping assistance is a bit too keen to correct your driving, however, and the speed warning is quite annoying – thankfully, a quick hold of the volume button mutes it, though only until the car is switched off again.

Service and warranty

The Sportage is covered by a seven-year/unlimited km warranty with a seven-year/150,000km warranty for the battery. It’s also equipped with 12 months of roadside assistance that’s extended up to eight years in total with each dealer service.

How much the Sportage costs to service depends on which drivetrain is chosen. The hybrid costs $2666 to service over five years/50,000km ($533 per service), and it must be serviced every 10,000km, which is shorter than the industry average of 15,000km.

Verdict: Should I buy a Kia Sportage GT-Line Hybrid?

If you’re after a hybrid mid-size SUV, your choices are growing by the day in this segment. Kia isn’t new to the game, though its Sportage Hybrid now offers all-wheel drive, like its main competitors. It’s also now better equipped, better looking and more tech-rich than before, and remains one of the best options in the mid-size SUV segment.

However, while the hybrid gives the best overall fuel consumption in the Sportage range without even trying, its cost versus other drivetrains is just too high. The Sportage GT-Line Hybrid AWD is over $6000 more expensive than the Sportage GT-Line 1.6-litre turbo-petrol AWD, and almost $4000 more than the also-efficient GT-Line diesel. The Kia Sportage remains one of the best mid-size SUVs available – but do your sums to make sure that the hybrid makes financial sense.

Sportage GT-Line Hybrid AWD rivals:

Hyundai Tucson Premium Hybrid

Toyota RAV4 Cruiser AWD

Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power

Specifications