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If you've been paying attention, then you know hybrids are all the rage. This goes for both mainstream and premium brands as efficiency-minded Americans contemplate their options after the cancelation of federal tax credits for battery-electric vehicles last fall. And many of those EVs have now departed from the market.
So hybrids and plug-in hybrids are filling that void, and Kia has some of the more popular ones on the lower end of the price spectrum. Based on 2027 pricing for its Sportage, the South Korean automaker will likely hold some of this market share. To add some context to all this, a recent Cox Automotive report shows the share of hybrid sales in the US has climbed from 6% in first-quarter 2023 to 14.1% in first-quarter 2026. As fuel prices have been fluctuating due to war with Iran, 56% of in-market shoppers said they are more likely to consider a hybrid or PHEV, according to a Cox consumer survey in May.
In short, it's a lucrative market and Kia has a good incentive to keep prices in check. And that's exactly what the brand is doing with the 2027 Sportage Hybrid and PHEV.
Kia Sportage Hybrid And Its Competitors
Against that backdrop, it appears Kia is gearing up for more sales in the midsize crossover space as it announces pricing for the 2027 Sportage Hybrid and Sportage PHEV, both of them arriving as the least expensive options in the segment. Keep in mind this sector is hopping and has been the highest-volume mover for a number of years, with entries such as the Chevy Equinox, Ford Bronco Sport, Volkswagen Tiguan, and Jeep Compass. But none of those is available as a hybrid or PHEV. A dedicated CX-5 Hybrid has been confirmed for 2027, and a Tiguan hybrid might come in 2028.
2027 Kia Sportage Costs $100 More Versus Last Year
The 2027 Sportage HEV in LX trim, now with a newly added FWD offering, starts at $32,085 with $1,495 destination charges included. That's a $100 increase, and the destination charge remains the same. A new technology package will be offered on HEV X-Line that includes 360-degree surround view and blind-spot monitor, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and navigation, Harman-Kardon premium audio, and highway drive assist.
Among full gas-electric hybrids, here are the competitors, all with front-wheel drive and including destination charges: Toyota RAV4 ($33,350), Honda CR-V ($37,080), and Hyundai Tucson ($32,550). From a pricing perspective, Sportage undercuts them all.
Hyundai Tucson Undercuts Sportage PHEV By $160
The Sportage PHEV X-Line AWD starts at $42,085 with destination charges, also a $100 increase from last year. Plug-in hybrids are more expensive because they have a bigger battery to allow for driving a certain number of miles in all-electric mode, and once again, Kia comes in under most (but not all). With destination charges, the starting prices for PHEV competitors are the Toyota RAV4 ($42,950) and Nissan Rogue ($47,535), while stepping up to the larger Mazda CX-70 PHEV will set you back $44,450 with destination charges.
However, the Sportage PHEV's stablemate from Hyundai is a little less. The Tucson PHEV comes in at $41,925, beating Sportage by $160.
If you're worried about potential price impacts due to further tariff wars, the 2027 Sportage HEV will now be dual sourced from South Korea and the new Hyundai Group Metaplant in Savannah, Georgia, while the Sportage PHEV will come from South Korea. Toyota builds the RAV4 hybrid in Kentucky and the PHEV in Japan. Honda builds the CR-V hybrid in Ohio while Nissan and Mazda both source their PHEVs from Japan. Hyundai assembles both the Tucson hybrid and PHEV in South Korea.
Sportage PHEV Gets An Extra 36 HP
Whether you opt for the 2027 Sportage hybrid or PHEV, you'll get the same 1.6-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder engine producing 177 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Factoring in the contribution from the electric motor, the combined torque is 261 pound-feet in the hybrid or PHEV.
But overall, the combined output for the Sportage PHEV is 268 hp, compared to 232 hp for the hybrid. Kia says the PHEV will get 34 miles of all-electric range and will carry an EPA fuel-economy rating of 83 MPGe, but only if owners plug in regularly. The Sportage hybrid is rated as high as 41 mpg in combined driving in LX trim, while all other trims are rated at 35 mpg combined.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Affordability has become a major issue for new cars in America, and surely there are shoppers who want to buy a hybrid midsize crossover for less than $30,000. Once prices rise, it's hard to nudge them back down. At the top end for Kia, the Sportage HEV SX-Prestige AWD will set you back $42,185 with destination, while the most expensive 2027 Sportage is the PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD for a stout $48,885. While Kia does not disclose anticipated model mix, a spokesperson tells CarBuzz the Sportage hybrid is "on fire" in terms of sales.
