Kia previewed these updates to the Sportage in Korea, but this is the version we’ll get in the U.S.
When the latest Kia Sportage hit the scene for the 2023 model year, it certainly brought bold — if controversial — styling to the segment. It obviously hasn’t been on the market very long, but that hasn’t stopped the automaker from changing up the Sportage’s look again to bring it closer into line with its other new or revamped SUVs, including the larger Sorento as well as the three-row EV9, among others. At the 2024 LA Auto Show, Kia formally announced updates it previewed in South Korea a few months back, so this is what we can expect to see actually hit dealerships nationwide in the next few months.
The most profound changes to the 2026 Kia Sportage’s look, obviously, is the entire front clip. Not only does it get new vertical headlights and LED daytime running lights, but both now integrate more cleanly into the upright. Black trim along the top of the grille also helps the whole front end look like one cohesive unit, rather than having the headlights split by the running lights and a piece of body-colored trim separating the grille, as it did on the previous model. The taillights are the same overall shape but get a slightly different design from before, along with the rear bumper getting a similarly minor update.
Between the front and rear ends, the 2026 Sportage looks pretty much the same (again, it was pretty fresh to begin with), apart from new 17-, 18- and 19-inch wheel designs, depending on the model.
Any interior tweaks?
Inside the cabin, the 2026 Kia Sportage gets a new two-spoke steering wheel, as well as a standard 12.3-inch curved infotainment display (alongside the also-standard digital gauge cluster). An optional 10-inch head-up display is also available, and adds in features to the driver’s line-of-sight like driver assistance and navigation functions. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard fare, and you can get Digital Key to unlock and start the car using a smart device as an option.
The 2026 models also add new S Hybrid and X-Line Hybrid trims to the lineup. The S Hybrid gets 18-inch wheels, front and rear USB-C charging ports, wireless phone mirroring (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), heated front seats and a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and black trim elements. As for the X-Line Hybrid, you get standard wireless charging, 19-inch black wheels, LED fog lights and a panoramic sunroof.
Like Kia’s other recent revamps, the 2026 Sportage gets more in the way of driver assistance technology. The highway driving assist system can help with lane changes, in addition to keeping a certain distance and speed from the car in front. The automatic emergency braking gets expanded capability to better detect pedestrians and cyclists, and there’s a new hands-on detection system to warn the driver if, you guessed it, they don’t have their hands on the wheel at all times.
Under the hood, powertrains from the previous-year Sportage lineup carry over.
A 2.5-liter, 187-horsepower gas engine is the base unit, putting out 187 horsepower to the front wheels or all four through an 8-speed automatic transmission, with a maximum 3,500-pound towing capacity.
The Sportage Hybrid, with a revised 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and 47.7-kW electric motor is also still available, and this time around it puts out 231 horsepower — 4 more than before. It’s also available with front- or all-wheel drive, though towing capacity drops to 2,000 pounds.
Finally, the Sportage Plug-in Hybrid also sticks around and gets a slight power bump. Now, it puts out 268 horsepower, while it still comes with standard all-wheel drive capability and tows up to 2,000 pounds.
The X-Line and X-Pro trims, using the standard gas engine, are sticking around for the 2026 Sportage as well. This time, though, a new Terrain Mode joins the list of available drive modes for snow, mud and sand surfaces. The rest of the trim walk for the gas models remains unchanged.
2026 Kia Sportage pricing and availability
Kia says the updated Sportage will hit dealers in the second quarter of 2025. Pricing isn’t available yet, but don’t expect it to move much from the current points. It may go up by a few hundred dollars from the current base model’s $28,565 for the gas model. The Sportage Hybrid currently starts at $29,965, while the PHEV comes in at $41,065 (so those may get a bit pricier as well).
