Four Kia SUVs sit in the showroom at Outten Kia in Hamburg between $24,990 and $32,390 to start, and the single thing that decides between them is how much vehicle a buyer needs around the same five or seven seats. The 2027 Seltos is 174.4 inches long. The 2026 Sorento is 189.6 and carries a third row. The 2026 Niro Hybrid returns 50 mpg combined. The 2027 Sportage sits between them with 74.1 cubic feet of cargo.

Outten Kia sells all four, and a test drive of two of them back to back settles more than any table can. What follows takes them in price order, gives each one its own case, and puts the figures side by side so the differences are visible rather than described.

Seltos vs Niro vs Sportage vs Sorento: Overview

2027 Kia Seltos, from $24,990. The compact one, 174.4 inches long on a 105.9-inch wheelbase, with a 2.0-liter engine making 147 horsepower and a 1.6-liter turbo making 190 in the X-Line SX. It carries 64.2 cubic feet behind the front row and 27.8 behind the rear seat, and the front-drive car is rated 30 mpg combined. It is the easiest of the four to park in Reading and the least expensive way into a Kia SUV.

2026 Kia Niro Hybrid, from $27,390. Almost exactly the Seltos's length at 174.0 inches, on a slightly longer 107.1-inch wheelbase, and hybrid-only: a 1.6-liter engine and an electric motor for 139 horsepower combined through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. It is rated 53 city, 46 highway and 50 mpg combined, which is the highest figure of these four by nine. Its 11.1-gallon tank is the smallest here, and it does not need to be large.

2027 Kia Sportage, from $28,990. Ten inches longer than the Seltos at 184.4 inches, on a 108.5-inch wheelbase, with a 2.5-liter making 187 horsepower and hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions above it. It carries 74.1 cubic feet behind the front row and 39.6 behind the rear seat, tows 2,500 pounds with trailer brakes, and offers 41.3 inches of rear legroom. The full range is on the Sportage trims page.

2026 Kia Sorento, from $32,390. The largest, 189.6 inches long on a 110.8-inch wheelbase, and the only one of the four with a third row: seven seats on LX and S, six on EX and above. Its 2.5-liter makes 191 horsepower and its 2.5-liter turbo makes 281. It carries 75.5 cubic feet behind the front row and 12.6 behind the third row, and the turbo tows 3,500 pounds with the towing package.

Powertrain and Performance Compared

	2027 Seltos	2026 Niro Hybrid	2027 Sportage	2026 Sorento
Base engine	2.0L	1.6L hybrid	2.5L	2.5L
Horsepower	147 hp	139 hp combined	187 hp	191 hp
Upgrade engine	1.6L turbo, 190 hp	Hybrid only	Hybrid 232 hp, plug-in 268 hp	2.5L turbo, 281 hp
Transmission	IVT or 8-speed	6-speed dual clutch	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
EPA combined	30 mpg FWD	50 mpg	28 mpg FWD	26 mpg FWD
Fuel tank	13.2 gal	11.1 gal	14.3 gal	17.7 gal
Towing	See dealer	See dealer	2,500 lb	3,500 lb with 2.5T

Size and space	2027 Seltos	2026 Niro Hybrid	2027 Sportage	2026 Sorento
Length	174.4 in	174.0 in	184.4 in	189.6 in
Wheelbase	105.9 in	107.1 in	108.5 in	110.8 in
Width	72.0 in	71.9 in	73.4 in	74.8 in
Seats	5	5	5	6 or 7
Cargo behind front row	64.2 cu ft	See dealer	74.1 cu ft	75.5 cu ft
Cargo behind rear seat	27.8 cu ft	See dealer	39.6 cu ft	12.6 cu ft behind row three

Pricing Compared

Model	Base trim	Starting MSRP
2027 Seltos	LX FWD	$24,990
2026 Niro Hybrid	LX	$27,390
2027 Sportage	LX FWD	$28,990
2026 Sorento	LX FWD	$32,390

Base MSRP excluding destination, taxes, title, license, options and dealer charges. Dealers set their own selling prices. Model years differ because each figure is the latest Kia publishes for that nameplate.

Where Each Kia SUV Wins

The Seltos wins on price and on parking

At $24,990 it is the most affordable route into a Kia SUV, and at 174.4 inches long and 72.0 inches wide it is the one that fits a tight street space in Reading or a downtown Allentown garage without a second thought. Its 27.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat still swallows a full grocery run and a stroller. The X-Line SX brings a 190-horsepower turbo, which is more power than the Sportage's base engine, in the smallest body here. For a single driver, a couple, or a family whose cargo is people rather than gear, nothing above it is doing work the Seltos cannot.

The Niro Hybrid wins on running cost

Fifty mpg combined is a figure the other three do not approach, and it comes from a hybrid system that needs no plug and no change in habit. On a daily Reading or Allentown commute on US-222 or I-78, that is roughly half the fuel of the Sorento for the same trip, every trip, for as long as the car is owned. Its 11.1-gallon tank still delivers a long highway leg because of the economy. The dual-clutch transmission gives it a directness most hybrids lack. For a high-mileage driver, the Niro's case compounds with every year of ownership.

The Sportage wins on space per dollar

Thirty-nine point six cubic feet behind the rear seat is more than the Seltos offers behind its rear seat by nearly twelve, and more than the Sorento offers behind its third row by twenty-seven. Add 41.3 inches of rear legroom, which is within a tenth of an inch of the front, and the Sportage carries adults and their gear at the same time in a body 184.4 inches long. It also tows 2,500 pounds and offers hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, so a buyer can have that space at 41 mpg. For the family that wants one vehicle to do everything and does not need a third row, this is the middle that does not compromise.

The Sorento wins on people and on towing

It is the only one of the four with a third row, and seven seats on the LX and S trims means the eighth-grade carpool and the trip to Blue Marsh Lake happen in one vehicle. Its 2.5-liter turbo makes 281 horsepower and tows 3,500 pounds with the towing package, which is 1,000 more than the Sportage and covers a real boat or a camper. Its 17.7-gallon tank gives it the longest legs on a highway run to Wilkes-Barre or Lancaster. And 75.5 cubic feet behind the front row is the most cargo here. For anyone who regularly carries more than five people, it is the one that does the job.

Which Kia SUV Should You Buy?

• Carrying six or seven people: the 2026 Sorento from $32,390. The third row is the reason, and no other model here has one.
• Highest miles per gallon: the 2026 Niro Hybrid from $27,390 at 50 mpg combined, which buys back its price difference in fuel on a long commute.
• Most cargo and rear legroom without a third row: the 2027 Sportage from $28,990, with 39.6 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 41.3 inches of rear legroom.
• Smallest footprint and lowest price: the 2027 Seltos from $24,990, easiest to park and quickest to fuel.
• Towing a boat or a camper: the 2026 Sorento with the 2.5-liter turbo at 3,500 pounds with the towing package.
• Driving on electricity most days: the Sportage Plug-In Hybrid, covering a Kia-estimated 34 miles before it uses fuel.

Shop All Four at Outten Kia in Hamburg

Outten Kia is at 900 S Fourth St, Hamburg, PA 19526, at I-78 exit 30 on the Route 61 corridor, and sales, service and parts all reach (610) 562-7577. The store draws from Reading, Allentown, Lebanon, Quakertown, Lehighton and across Berks County and the Lehigh Valley, and all four of these vehicles can be driven the same afternoon.

Every one carries 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. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited.

Seltos vs Niro vs Sportage vs Sorento FAQ

Which Kia SUV is the biggest?

The 2026 Sorento, at 189.6 inches long on a 110.8-inch wheelbase, with 75.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the front row and six or seven seats.

Which Kia SUV gets the best gas mileage?

The 2026 Niro Hybrid at 50 mpg combined. The 2027 Sportage Hybrid is next at 41 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, and the Sportage Plug-In Hybrid is rated 83 MPGe on electricity.

Which Kia SUVs have a third row?

Among these four, only the Sorento. It seats seven on the LX and S trims and six on EX and above. The Seltos, Niro and Sportage all seat five.

What is the difference between the Seltos and the Sportage?

Ten inches of length. The Sportage is 184.4 inches long against the Seltos's 174.4, carries 39.6 cubic feet behind the rear seat against 27.8, makes 187 horsepower against 147, and starts at $28,990 against $24,990.

Which Kia SUV can tow the most?

The 2026 Sorento with the 2.5-liter turbo, at 3,500 pounds with the towing package. The 2027 Sportage tows 2,500 pounds with trailer brakes.

Is the Niro bigger than the Seltos?

They are within half an inch of each other in length, at 174.0 for the Niro and 174.4 for the Seltos, and the Niro's wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer at 107.1 inches. The clear difference between them is the powertrain: the Niro is hybrid-only at 50 mpg combined.

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