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The facelifted Kia Sportage vary received’t be joined by a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) choice to compete with Mitsubishi and an rising variety of Chinese language manufacturers, in addition to the next-generation Toyota RAV4, says the model’s native product boss.
Talking with CarExpert on the Australian media launch of the upgraded mid-size SUV, Kia Australia normal supervisor for product Roland Rivero mentioned the Sportage PHEV hasn’t been engineered for right-hand drive.
“As a lot as we’d like to throw [a PHEV] into say, a Sportage, we couldn’t justify the enterprise case from a quantity and enterprise case perspective [for RHD], and due to this fact this technology received’t see a plug-in hybrid variant in Australia,” Mr Rivero mentioned.
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Above: 2026 Kia Sportage facelift – Australian market
For now, Kia’s native division is ‘increasing’ its PHEV portfolio with further variants of the bigger Sorento PHEV past the present GT-Line flagship. Nevertheless, it stays unclear what number of new PHEV variants of the massive SUV are coming.
Just like the Sorento PHEV, the Sportage PHEV is powered by a well-known 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine mixed with an electrical motor and lithium-ion battery again.
Complete system output is rated at 200kW for the facelifted mannequin in North America, and whereas electrical vary hasn’t been confirmed for the brand new model, the pre-update mannequin within the US quoted round 50km of EV vary from a 13.8kWh battery.
Be aware that we’ve used the North American Sportage PHEV as a reference because it’s the longer-body mannequin much like the automobile offered within the Australian and Korean markets, versus the shorter Slovakian-built model offered in Europe and the UK.
Apparently, the long-body Sportage PHEV is in-built Korea for the US, regardless of Kia America producing petrol variants in Georgia. The Sportage PHEV additionally isn’t offered in Korea, regardless of its native meeting.
Above: 2026 Kia Sportage facelift – Australian market
An rising variety of mid-size SUV rivals are including PHEV choices, led by Chinese language manufacturers and Mitsubishi.
The favored Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV was as soon as a lone wolf on this area, however is now competing with all the things from the BYD Sealion 6 and Mazda CX-60 to the Cupra Formentor and Jaecoo J7.
Chery will quickly launch a Tiggo 7 Pro ‘SHS’ PHEV, and Toyota has confirmed the next-generation RAV4 Hybrid will be joined by a PHEV version in 2026. Leapmotor additionally has the C10 REEV (Vary Prolonged Electrical Car) on this area.
PHEV gross sales proceed to develop in Australia, outpacing these of all different powertrain sorts – albeit off a decrease base. To Might this yr, 19,393 PHEVs have been registered – 208.1 per cent greater than in the identical January-Might interval in 2024.
MORE: Everything Kia Sportage