Kia Sportage — model-year timeline & key facts
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
Compiled from the Kia Sportage deep-research dossier; researched 2026-09-21. UNVERIFIED flags from the source research are preserved verbatim.
Key facts
| Powertrain | ICE/Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Power | 187 (2.5L gas) / 227 (hybrid; 232 for 2026) / 261 (PHEV; 268 for 2026) |
| Range | ~54 (PHEV EV range) |
| Battery | 1.5 (hybrid) / 13.8 (PHEV) |
| 0–100 km/h | UNVERIFIED (~8.5 gas) |
| Fast charge | n/a |
| New price US | $28.8k–47.4k new (2026 US) |
| New price EU | €35k+ est (UNVERIFIED) |
| New price CN | UNVERIFIED (Yueda Kia; status unconfirmed) |
| Used price signal | Faster depreciation than RAV4/CR-V = used opportunity |
| Value call | New: gas EX ~$30.8k; used: 2025 gas or 2024 hybrid (verify ICCU history) |
| Sweet-spot year | 2025 |
| Years to avoid | 2023; 2025 (hybrid/PHEV) |
| Reliability flag | 2025 hybrid CR 36 (worst in cluster); 2026 facelift new-car complaint rate |
| Biggest risk | Hybrid ICCU sudden-death stranding (esp. 2025) |
| Community verdict | hybrids argued about |
Model-year timeline 2021–2026
| Year | Generation / changes / reliability / used prices |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Gen 4 (QL) final · 2.4L 181hp 6AT (US); 2.0T 240hp (SX) · Aging gen, sorted; Theta II engine-fire era legacy · SC249 tow-hitch fire recall (covers 2017–22) · UNVERIFIED (est. $14k–20k) |
| 2022 | Gen 4 final (US) · Carryover · Same; cheap used buy if fire-recall work done · SC249 · UNVERIFIED (est. $15k–22k) |
| 2023 | Gen 5 (NQ5) launch (US) · 2.5L 187hp 8AT; 1.6T hybrid 227hp 6AT; PHEV 261hp 6AT · First-year niggles: powertrain + climate; CR scores lowest (gas 50, hybrid 46, PHEV 35) · 3 NHTSA (gen total) · UNVERIFIED (est. $19k–27k) |
| 2024 | NQ5 carryover · No changes · Hybrid peak year (CR 82); gas still middling (59) · UNVERIFIED (est. $21k–30k) |
| 2025 | NQ5 · No powertrain changes · Gas best year (CR 76); hybrid collapse (CR 36) — ICCU/shutdown reports · SRS airbag TSBs; sunroof complaint · UNVERIFIED (est. $23k–33k) |
| 2026 | NQ5 facelift · Toned-down front, new dash/rotary shifter; hybrid 232hp, PHEV 268hp · First-year facelift: dash rattles, engine-knock replacement, mirror-stem failures (FB, real-time) · CR predicted 62/51/57 · New: $28,790–$47,390; used UNVERIFIED |
Sweet-spot year: 2025
Years to skip: 2023; 2025 (hybrid/PHEV)