Kia Sportage goes hybrid-first as S Hybrid joins the Australian range

Hybrid power reaches the entry grade

Kia has added an S Hybrid to the Australian Sportage range, making the entry grade available with petrol-electric power for the first time. CarExpert reported in February 2026 that Kia had released a new entry-level Sportage S HEV priced at $44,450 before on-road costs, reducing the admission price of the petrol-electric line-up by $2000 compared with the existing SX HEV at $46,450 plus on-roads. The new grade slots in beneath the existing SX Hybrid, giving budget-focused Sportage buyers a self-charging hybrid option without stepping up to the mid-grade. ²

Chasing Cars, reporting on the model-year consolidation, likewise listed the S HEV FWD at $44,450 before on-road costs as the replacement for the former $38,490 2.0-litre petrol entry point. CarExpert noted at the time of the S HEV's release that it still commands a $5960 premium over the equivalent non-hybrid front-drive Sportage S, which used the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. ¹²

Pricing and drive-away offers

Alongside the list price, CarExpert reported that until 29 February 2026 Kia Australia was offering 2025-built Sportage HEV S variants at $44,490 drive-away, making it cheaper than the entry-level front-drive 2026 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, then available at $44,990 drive-away. CarExpert noted the Tucson's list price excluding on-road costs was actually lower, at $42,850, so the two brands' comparison bases differ. ²

A new entry-level Sportage S Hybrid all-wheel drive variant was also priced ahead of its showroom arrival, at $47,450 plus on-road costs or, until the end of February 2026, $49,990 drive-away, according to CarExpert. The same publication listed national drive-away deals for the pre-existing hybrids: SX HEV FWD at $48,490, SX HEV AWD at $51,990, GT-Line HEV FWD at $59,490 and GT-Line HEV AWD at $62,990, with all grades $1000 dearer in Western Australia. Those drive-away figures sit on top of the respective list prices of $46,450, $49,450, $57,370 and $60,370 before on-roads. ²

What the base hybrid loses and keeps

CarExpert detailed the equipment differences between the new S Hybrid and the existing SX Hybrid. Missing from the base grade are native satellite navigation, rain-sensing wipers, two-way driver's lumbar adjustment and gloss black exterior trim, while the wheels shrink from 18-inch to 17-inch alloys. Standard equipment continues to include a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Kia Connect, adaptive cruise control, DAB+ digital radio, a 4.2-inch driver's display, six-speaker audio, cloth seat trim and a leatherette steering wheel. ²

In its 2026 Sportage SX Hybrid review, Chasing Cars observed that across all Sportage grades the facelifted 12.3-inch media system runs the ccNC software, but in a 'lite' form on the entry S grade, which notably drops satellite navigation. That aligns with the equipment list CarExpert provides for the S Hybrid. ⁴

Petrol engines dropped and the rationale

Chasing Cars reported that the Sportage range will shrink from 15 variants to eight following the discontinuation of both the 1.6-litre turbo and 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol powertrains. The hybrid range now spans S, SX and GT-Line grades in front- and all-wheel drive, while the diesel is reduced to SX+ and GT-Line trims, both all-wheel drive exclusive. The cheap S diesel, once from $43,890, is gone, leaving the SX+ Diesel AWD at $50,980 as the cheapest oil-burner. ¹

Speaking to Chasing Cars, Kia Australia's General Manager Product Planning and Training, Roland Rivero, said the decision was 'not just because of NVES', explaining that the company had 'monitored market demand, and the hybrid has really become a favourite in the Sportage range'. Rivero said the optimisation exchanges petrol models for hybrids to 'create an opportunity to satisfy multiple budgets', with the diesel remaining a dependable option for rural buyers. Kia's position, as told to Chasing Cars, was that the cull reflects buyer attitudes rather than the emissions standard alone. ¹

Chasing Cars separately calculated the emissions exposure of the dropped petrols: it found both exceeded the 2026 'Type 1' NVES target of 117g/km by between 52 and 67 grams of CO2 per kilometre, and that against the stricter 92g/km target applying from next year they would sit 77 to 92g/km over the line. On that basis the publication estimated potential fines of between $3850 and $4600 per car, though it explicitly noted the figure ignores the Mass Adjustment Factor, so the real penalty outcome could differ. Chasing Cars added that NVES targets will tighten again in 2028 to 68g/km. ¹

Hybrid drivetrain and running costs

Hybrid versions of the Sportage pair a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and a six-speed torque-converter automatic. CarExpert lists combined outputs at 173kW and 367Nm, with combined fuel consumption of 4.9L/100km for front-drive configurations and 5.3L/100km for AWD. In its SX Hybrid review, Chasing Cars broke the system down as 132kW/265Nm from the turbo petrol plus 44kW/264Nm from the motor mounted in the six-speed automatic, and recorded consumption 'in the sixes' in Sydney metro driving against the 4.9L/100km claim for its FWD tester. ²⁴

Chasing Cars' SX Hybrid review noted the powertrain runs happily on 91-octane or E10 fuel, with a 51-litre tank supporting around 900km of touring range. Servicing is costlier than rivals: five years costs $2613 at 12-month/10,000km intervals, versus $1350 for a front-drive Toyota RAV4 hybrid. Warranty is seven years unlimited kilometres, with seven years/150,000km for high-voltage components. The reviewer rated the facelifted SX Hybrid 7.0 overall, praising the powertrain, ride and improved local steering tune while criticising uncomfortable front seats and low-rent cabin materials. ⁴

Range context and the next generation

The new grades bring the total Sportage variant count to 15 and the hybrid grades to six, CarExpert reported. The publication noted the fifth-generation Sportage remains the only mainstream sub-$60,000 mid-size SUV still offered with a diesel, while its sixth-generation successor is expected to be offered only with hybrid and plug-in hybrid power when released in the second half of 2027. Chasing Cars' MY27 pricing list, in contrast, shows eight variants spanning the six hybrids and two diesels, dated later in 2026. ²¹

The next-generation Sportage has been spied hot-weather testing in Spain ahead of an expected Australian arrival in 2027, CarExpert reporting via 7NEWS noted, with a more upright, angular shape, a clamshell bonnet and a tapered roofline. A visible exhaust muffler confirmed the prototype has an internal-combustion engine, possibly one of the hybrid powertrains expected for the new model, which is tipped to offer mild-hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, potentially joined by extended-range electric variants. Diesel currently accounts for about one-third of Australian Sportage sales, and Kia Australia has said it has no plans to drop the fuel type for now, though global headquarters' direction may ultimately force the issue. ³

For the current range, the Sportage remains a strong seller: CarExpert, via 7NEWS, reported it was Kia Australia's best-selling model in August 2026 with 1586 deliveries, placing it 15th overall, one spot ahead of the Hyundai Tucson on 1548, but well behind the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 on 5470. ³