The 2027 Kia Sportage Hybrid makes 232 horsepower and is rated 41 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. The Plug-In Hybrid makes 268 horsepower, carries a 13.8-kWh battery and covers a Kia-estimated 34 miles on electricity before the engine is needed. Outten Kia stocks both in Hamburg, and they are two different cars rather than two versions of one.

Both use the same 1.6-liter turbocharged four and the same six-speed automatic. What separates them is the size of the battery and everything that follows from it: the price, the rear seat, the cargo floor and whether the car ever needs a plug at all.

What the Hybrid Adds Over the Gas Sportage

Forty-five horsepower, ninety-three lb-ft of torque and thirteen mpg combined, for $1,600 at the bottom of the ladder. A gas LX is $28,990 and a Hybrid LX is $30,590.

The torque is the part that changes how the car drives. The gas engine makes its 178 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm; the hybrid system's 271 lb-ft is available from a standstill, because an electric motor makes peak torque at zero rpm. Pulling out onto Route 61 or climbing the Blue Mountain grades north of the borough, that arrives without waiting for a downshift.

What it does not cost is space. The Hybrid carries 73.7 cubic feet behind the front row against the gas car's 74.1, and 39.5 behind the rear seat against 39.6. Rear legroom is identical at 41.3 inches. The 1.49-kWh battery lives under the vehicle rather than in the cabin, and a passenger cannot tell which car they are sitting in.

The one number that goes the other way is towing: 2,000 pounds with trailer brakes against the gas car's 2,500. Both are rated 1,653 pounds without trailer brakes.

Sportage Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain

Both cars run a 1.6-liter turbocharged four making 177 horsepower on its own, in a Transmission Mounted Electric Drive layout. The motor sits between the engine and the gearbox, which is why these are geared six-speed automatics rather than the CVT most hybrids use. They shift like a normal automatic because they are one.

The Hybrid's motor makes 64 horsepower and its 1.49-kWh lithium-ion pack is charged by the engine and by regenerative braking. It is a self-charging hybrid and it is never plugged in.

The Plug-In Hybrid's motor makes 97 horsepower and its pack is 13.8 kWh, roughly nine times larger and 308.7 pounds on its own. It charges in 2.0 hours on a 240-volt connection. The EPA rates it at 83 MPGe combined running on electricity and 36 mpg combined once the pack is depleted, so a driver who never plugs it in still has a car that beats the gas Sportage's 26 mpg all-wheel-drive rating by ten.

	Hybrid	Plug-In Hybrid
Combined output	232 hp	268 hp
Electric motor	64 hp	97 hp
Battery	1.49 kWh	13.8 kWh
Plug required	No	Yes, for electric running
Drive	FWD or AWD	AWD only
EPA	41 mpg FWD, 35 AWD	83 MPGe, 36 mpg on gas
Rear legroom	41.3 in	39.5 in
Cargo behind rear seat	39.5 cu ft	34.5 cu ft

Hybrid Chassis and Hardware

Both cars share the gas Sportage's McPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension with gas shocks, its column-mounted motor-driven steering at 13.7:1, and its Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold. Wheels follow the trim: 17-inch on the Hybrid LX, 18-inch on S and EX, 19-inch on X-Line and SX-Prestige, and 19-inch on both Plug-In trims.

Weight is where the hardware differs. A front-drive Hybrid is 3,598 pounds, 164 more than a front-drive gas Sportage. The Plug-In Hybrid is 4,226 pounds with a 5,379-pound gross weight, which makes it the heaviest Sportage by a clear margin over a gas all-wheel-drive car. Ground clearance is 8.3 inches on every all-wheel-drive version of both, and 7.1 on the front-drive Hybrid LX.

Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Pricing

Trim	Starting MSRP	Drive
Hybrid LX	$30,590	FWD
Hybrid S	$31,290	FWD, AWD $32,890
Hybrid EX	$32,290	FWD, AWD $33,890
Hybrid X-Line	$35,790	AWD
Hybrid SX-Prestige	$40,690	AWD
Plug-In Hybrid X-Line	$40,590	AWD
Plug-In Hybrid X-Line Prestige	$47,390	AWD

Base MSRP excluding destination, taxes, title, license, options and dealer charges. Dealers set their own selling prices.

Named packages: the Hybrid EX takes a $1,000 Panoramic Sunroof Package, and the Hybrid X-Line takes the same $2,500 Technology Package the gas X-Line does, which brings navigation, Harman Kardon audio, the surround-view and blind-spot cameras, Highway Driving Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist.

Where the Hybrids Sit in the Sportage Lineup

The gas Sportage is the value end and the towing end: $28,990 to start, 2,500 pounds of trailer, and a trim ladder that runs to the X-Pro Prestige. Its full range is covered on the trims page, and every published figure sits on the specifications page.

The Hybrid is the middle and, for most Berks County and Lehigh Valley buyers, the default: the same cabin and cargo space as the gas car with a third less fuel used.

The Plug-In Hybrid is the specialist. It is the quickest and the most expensive Sportage, and it is the only one that can complete an ordinary errand day on electricity alone. It asks for a 240-volt outlet and for 1.8 inches of rear legroom in exchange. How all four Kia SUVs in this showroom line up against each other is covered on the comparison page.

Which 2027 Sportage Hybrid Is Right for You?

• Highest mpg for the lowest price: the Hybrid LX at $30,590, front-wheel drive, 41 mpg combined.
• Winter traction with hybrid economy: the Hybrid EX AWD at $33,890, 35 mpg combined with heated seats and wireless charging standard.
• A short commute and a driveway outlet: the Plug-In Hybrid X-Line at $40,590, covering a Kia-estimated 34 miles before it uses fuel.
• The most equipped hybrid without a plug: the Hybrid SX-Prestige at $40,690, with ventilated seats and the full camera suite.
• Carrying adults in the back regularly: any conventional Hybrid, which keeps the full 41.3 inches of rear legroom.

Shop the Sportage Hybrid at Outten Kia in Hamburg

Outten Kia is at 900 S Fourth St, Hamburg, PA 19526, off I-78 exit 30, and one number reaches sales, service and parts: (610) 562-7577. The store serves Reading, Allentown, Lebanon, Quakertown and the wider Lehigh Valley, and a test drive of a Hybrid and a Plug-In Hybrid back to back is the fastest way to settle which one fits.

Both carry Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty, a 5-year/100,000-mile Limited Anti-Perforation Warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile Roadside Assistance. The hybrid battery system is covered by an industry-leading 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited.

Sportage Hybrid Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Sportage Hybrid need to be plugged in?

No. The conventional Hybrid charges its 1.49-kWh battery from the engine and from regenerative braking, and it is fueled like any other Sportage. Only the Plug-In Hybrid, with its 13.8-kWh battery, uses a plug.

How many miles per gallon does the 2027 Sportage Hybrid get?

The EPA rates it at 40 city, 42 highway and 41 combined with front-wheel drive, and 35 city, 36 highway and 35 combined with all-wheel drive (fueleconomy.gov).

How far can the Sportage Plug-In Hybrid go on electricity?

Kia estimates 34 miles of all-electric range. The EPA rates it at 83 MPGe combined running on electricity and 36 mpg combined on gasoline alone.

How long does the Sportage Plug-In Hybrid take to charge?

2.0 hours at 240 volts, per Kia's own specification for the 13.8-kWh battery.

How much can a Sportage Hybrid tow?

2,000 pounds with trailer brakes and 1,653 pounds without, properly equipped. The same figures apply to the Plug-In Hybrid. The gas Sportage tows 2,500 pounds with trailer brakes.

Is the hybrid battery covered by warranty?

Yes. The hybrid battery system is covered by an industry-leading 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. All warranties are limited; see the Warranty and Consumer Information Manual for details.

Does the Plug-In Hybrid have less room inside?

Less than the other two, yes. Rear legroom is 39.5 inches against 41.3 in the gas car and the conventional Hybrid, and cargo behind the rear seat is 34.5 cubic feet against 39.6 and 39.5. The 13.8-kWh battery accounts for the difference.

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