2026 Kia Sportage First Look: Compact SUV Gets New Design, More Tech

• The Kia Sportage, Sportage Hybrid and Sportage Plug-in Hybrid all get a number of changes for the 2026 model year.
• You can get the Hybrid in X-Line guise now.
• The SUV's cabin tech gets some tweaks, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

What's new outside

The 2026 Sportage gets a new face that’s still very grille-centric, but it’s a little less busy — at least in the X-Line version shown in Kia’s preview images. The white boomerang-shaped running lights have been replaced by a 7-like shape in amber, a color that helped early-year Tellurides stand out from the crowd. Kia switched to white lights when the Telluride received its midcycle redesign, but the response was so overwhelmingly negative that Kia not only went back to amber for the Telluride but has now made it the go-to look for its entire crossover lineup.

Speaking of the X-Line, it will now be available on the Sportage Hybrid. At the time of the fifth-generation Sportage’s launch, a Kia representative indicated that COVID-19-related parts shortages made the X-Line/Hybrid combo an unfortunate omission. That logjam has obviously been cleared. There is also a new S Hybrid trim level, which basically gives the base LX Hybrid a sportier look with 18-inch dark alloy wheels and gloss black trim.

What's new inside

The interior has a revised dash design. The infotainment screen measures the same 12.3 inches as before, but the housing is now a rectangle rather than being angled on the right side. The extra air vent shaped like an airplane’s tail has disappeared. The result is a less interesting design.

The infotainment system features new, more vibrant graphics thanks to the adoption of Kia’s latest tech interface. It’s certainly slicker in appearance, but in terms of functionality, some annoyances are gained. You can no longer split the screen between navigation and audio systems, for example.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can now be connected wirelessly, and a Wi-Fi hotspot is on board along with over-the-air update abilities. The addition of the Kia Connect Store lets drivers add entertainment and connectivity apps to the system, along with reskinning the interface to match your favorite NBA team’s colors and logos. The teal-and-purple Charlotte Hornets motif should be fun.

Upper trim levels will now get access to Kia’s 10-inch head-up display, which in hybrid models integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to some degree. That’s a rare feature.

In terms of driver assistance technology, the Sportage now comes standard with hands-detection technology for the steering wheel to ensure the driver is fully in control at all times. It also becomes the latest Kia to offer the more advanced Highway Driving Assist 2 system. (It was previously only available with Highway Driving Assist 1.) This upgrade can make partially automated lane changes, pulls info from the navigation system to automatically slow the car when approaching turns, and uses machine learning to accelerate and brake more like you do. The standard forward and reverse park distance warning system can now be enhanced with side detection.

Carryover powertrains

Sadly, the Sportage’s weakest link has gone unaddressed. The standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine still produces 187 horsepower and remains the only option for the X-Pro trim level. It took a Sportage with that engine 9.5 seconds to hit 60 mph at the Edmunds test track, which is very slow and seconds behind other SUVs in this class.

We recommend the Sport Hybrid as a result, which now makes 231 hp from its turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor. There's also a plug-in hybrid, just like before, with 268 hp.

Every Sportage with all-wheel drive now includes a driver-selectable Terrain mode for dealing with snow, mud or sand. No other driving-related upgrades have been indicated.

The 2026 Kia Sportage is set to arrive at dealers in the second quarter of next year with pricing announced closer to that time.