New Kia Sportage to go hybrid only to better combat Toyota RAV4 – report

03/25/2025 01:00 AM

Kia's upcoming sixth-generation Sportage mid-size SUV will drop purely petrol and diesel engine options and go hybrid range-wide, according to a new report.

Detailed by South Korea's ETNews, work has reportedly already begun on the next-generation model, codenamed NQ6, with its market launch targeting a third quarter (July-September) 2027.

This gives the current Sportage, which is due for an imminent facelift, with another few years to run before being superseded.

According to the outlet, the new Sportage will be hybrid only – both closed-loop and plug-in – to better position it against Australia's best-selling Toyota RAV4.

Heavyweight markets like Europe and North America are also said to influence the decision to drop petrol and diesel engines.

For reference, the current Sportage is offered with either a 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre petrol, 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol, and 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine in Australia.

The range was also expanded last year with a hybrid, pairing the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol with an electric motor and battery for a combined output of 169kW/350Nm.

However, the new Sportage is set to take a step up in technology to "significantly improve driving efficiency such as output and fuel efficiency", according to the report.

The plug-in hybrid, which is available in overseas markets, is also set for a range boost up to 100km on a single charge.

According to ETNews, the move to make the Sportage line-up all hybrid is in reaction to the stagnating uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) globally.

Kia fields the EV5 as an all-electric mid-size SUV alternative, while other electric car models include the EV6, EV9, and EV3.

Last year in Australia, the Toyota RAV4, also now hybrid only, topped the sales charts with 51,718 units sold, while Kia managed to sell 22,210 Sportages.

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