With a full redesign under its belt, the 2023 Kia Sportage gains inches (almost seven) and a new face with a few more styling details in-between. Also Kia introduces a plug-in hybrid to the mix and that is the subject of this review.
An entirely fresh plug-in hybrid option now leads the Sportage lineup, boasting a formidable total of 261 horsepower, making it the most robust iteration of the Sportage to date. The introduction of this plug-in hybrid powertrain infuses the Sportage with added zoom. Although this augmented power doesn’t quite elevate the Sportage to the level of a thrilling driver’s car, it enhances its suitability for daily commuting, while also contributing to fuel efficiency.
The Sportage PHEV takes things to the next level by offering a top-notch interior. Its cabin offers a sense of luxury that rivals some well-known posh brands, although there are a few noticeable hard plastic components that remind one of its origins.
The Sportage PHEV is offered in two trim levels X-Line and X-Line Prestige. This review will focus on the X-Line Prestige trim.
The Prestige trim brings a suite of interior and safety enhancements to add to your driving experience. On the interior front, you’ll find advanced headlights and fog lights, along with a heated and heat-reflective windshield for improved visibility and comfort in various weather conditions. The cabin boasts a stylishly curved instrument panel and alloy pedals, adding a touch of elegance. For added convenience, there’s a memory function for the driver’s seat, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, ventilated front seats for those warmer days, and a heated steering wheel for colder weather. An upscale touch is provided by the high-end Harman Kardon sound system, perfect for audio enthusiasts.
Safety features receive a significant boost as well. The adaptive cruise control intelligently adjusts your speed to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead, while the frontal cross-traffic alert system warns of potential collisions at intersections. For added safety when reversing, the reverse automatic braking system will engage to prevent imminent collisions with objects behind the vehicle. The Highway Driving Assist enhances lane-keeping assistance along with adaptive cruise control functionality for a more relaxed highway drive. Parking and maneuvering are made easier with the surround-view camera system providing a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings, along with a blind-spot camera that displays an image of the vehicle’s blind spot in the instrument panel when signaling. Front parking sensors alert you to obstacles that may be out of sight, and the remote parking assistance simplifies the parking process further.
A turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four paired with an electric motor gives the Sportage PHEV a nice burst of power with 261 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The PHEV comes in all-wheel drive only. On a full charge the battery can get up to 34 miles. It doesn’t support DC fast charging so it takes about two hours to completely recharge the battery at a Level 2 charge station. When combined with the gas engine the mileage estimate is 84 MPGe. With just the gasoline engine the mileage estimate is 35 MPG.
As I previously mentioned, the interior is a very nice place to be. Thanks to the added length the cargo and rear-seat legroom are greatly improved. The 12.3 inch infotainment screen has crisp, clear graphics and operation is pretty intuitive. What’s not straight-forward is the knob control that operates both the audio and climate. It’s easy to forget which mode it’s in and there were a few times where I got a blast of music instead of cool air.
The Sportage PHEV is a fun around-town drive with zippy and engaging acceleration. Its steering is not as tight and suffers some around intense curves with a bit of body roll. The ride is pretty smooth, however road noise increases at higher speeds.
All-around the 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV is a fun to drive plug-in hybrid with an added extra 34 miles of travel with a full charge of the battery.
