2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Release Date : Smooth And Quiet Over Bumps – Kia’s crossover SUV, the Sportage, has been given a facelift for its newest model year. When compared to the charming, tiny SUV it replaces, the 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Premium seems like it came from a different family. (It’s not even obviously a Kia’s.) And underneath that outrageous exterior is a refined new hybrid powertrain, a dramatically upgraded interior, and the most advanced driver-assistance features available from the manufacturer.
2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Changes
Exterior Design
This new Sportage is 7.2″ longer than the preceding version as well as a wheelbase that is 3.5″ longer, for a total of 183.5 inches. Although the SUV is only 0.4 inches bigger than its predecessor, the sharply furrowed shoulders, more muscular flanks, as well as horizontal grille as well as rear bumper pieces give it the appearance of a considerably wider stance. The Sportage looks more grown up than before, striking a solid balance between the more traditional SUV body style and the more progressive cues that have come to define the class.
Due to the expansion caused by the growth spurt, there is now greater room inside. The second-row legroom inside the Sportage Hybrid also exceeds of this Toyota RAV4 Hybrid by 3.5 inches, coming in at 41.4″ compared to the RAV4’s 37.9″. The battery pack reduces cargo room compared to the non-hybrid model, but the Sportage Hybrid’s 39.6 cu. ft. behind the hands-free liftgate (73.8 cu. ft. with seats folding flat) still is fairly spacious for this class.
The extra $596 exterior paint on this model, which is named Shadow Matte Gray, is actually less satin that true matte also, honestly, more premium looking for it. The high-end SX Prestige trim, with its matte chrome grille but also window surrounds plus glossy black all around body as well as wheel arches, looks as if it were made specifically for this paint job. The LX and EX both have alloy wheels with a machined finish, but the SX Prestige has matte gray 18s featuring 235/60 tires that are almost an exact match to the body.
Interior Design
Kia’s now-standard dual-screen infotainment system is installed in the Sportage’s cabin. The technology combines two displays onto an one curved glass screen that spans the middle of the dashboard. The Kia EV6 had a very similar infotainment system, but with hybrid-specific screens instead of EV-specific ones.
The typical electronic instrument cluster as well as information display takes up 12.3 inches of space on the left screen. The newest iteration of Kia’s touchscreen system can be found on the right. The LX trim’s touchscreen is 8″ in size, while the EX as well as SX Prestige trims’ screens are 12.4″ and include navigation. For example, I enjoy that I can make my own “star” shortcut buttons for the system to utilize on the dashboard and steering wheel, and that I can create audio memos and listen to natural sounds while I’m on the go.
On the 8-inch system included in the base LX trim, Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto are standard, but the larger displays found in the EX and SX Prestige trim levels do not. This is a strange omission that diminishes the value of the wireless phone charging included at these trim levels, but it’s not a deal killer by any means.
All 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrids, regardless of trim level, also include automaker’s Drivewise driver assistance package. This package includes blind-spot monitoring, automatic braking for rear cross-traffic alert, rear park distance sensors, and lane-keeping assist. In addition to the standard safety equipment, the SX Prestige trim adds adaptive cruise controls featuring blind spot view cams. 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Release Date
The SX Prestige features Remote Smart Parking from Kia, which lets the driver maneuver the Sportage forward or backward while still standing on the sidewalk. The technology only activates whenever the driver is physically near the vehicle, and it utilizes the range sensors to avoid collision with obstacles or pedestrians. It’s not nearly as sophisticated as something like Tesla’s Summon, but it’s very easy to use. To return the Sportage to its garage, simply park it in a tight space, exit the vehicle, and hold down a remote control button. If I had a garage, which is rare because most automobiles won’t fit inside with room to open the doors, I would utilize it every day.
2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Engine
The Sportage Hybrid gets its power from a 1.6L turbo inline-4 engine, a 44 kilowatt electric engine, as well as a 1.5 kWh lithium polymer battery. Two powerful engines produce 228 horses plus 259 of torque, which are sent through with a 6 speed automatic gearbox to the front tires or an AWD system with a lockable middle differential for mild off-roading. If you’re not a fan of the Kia’s styling, then the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid will be closer to your liking since it shares its hybrid powertrain with the Kia but adds an extra pony.
There are three different drive modes available for the Sportage Hybrid: Normal, Eco, and Sport. And while this hybrid SUV’s comfort suspension encourages a more laid-back approach to the wheel, the included paddle shifters provide more accurate control well over transmission’s behaviour than I’ve ever needed to use them. 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Release Date
The non-hybrid Sportage has a 2.5L engine producing 188 horses, making the hybrid the most robust Sportage model available at this time. The acceleration is really smooth and it has good passing power, which impressed me. Even while the Sportage Hybrid’s 1.6L engine isn’t the most pleasant to listen to at full throttle, it’s noticeably less drone-y than the motors in most CVT-equipped hybrids, and it’s pleasingly quiet at low speeds and in the city.
It also uses very little gas. EPA estimations put the front-wheel-drive Sportage Hybrid’s fuel economy at 43 mpg inside the city, 49 mpg just on highway, as well as 44 mpg overall. Adding all-wheel drive to my vehicle dropped the fuel economy to a respectable 39 mpg. or a total of 150 miles that included both rigorous performance testing and easygoing driving, I managed a respectable 35.5 mpg. 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Release Date
Wait for the PHEV?
If you are as delighted with Sportage Hybrid’s efficiency as I am, you may want to hold off until the plug-in hybrid version is out later this year. To improve fuel economy, the PHEV replaces out the standard battery pack for a larger, more powerful one that can be charged from an electrical outlet or charging station to provide up to 33 miles on battery engine before switching to gasoline hybrid operation. It has a 67-kilowatt electric motor, so it should be slightly more powerful. 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Release Date
It’s important to weigh the prospective costs and benefits, though. Although it loses 2.2 sq ft of cargo space and 1.9″ of legroom to accommodate the battery, the PHEV still outperforms the RAV4 in both categories. Additionally, there is the possibility of a higher estimated price and lower supply. Assuming it shares the very same powerplant as well as technology as its Hyundai Tucson PHEV, however, this Sportage PHEV may likely very well worth the wait.
2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Price and Release Date
The base Hybrid LX model of a 2024 Kia Sportage costs $28,586 (with $1,296 destination), which is $1,300 more than the price of a non-hybrid model with the same features. You can get AWD for an extra $1,801 on the standard Sportage Hybrid, but it may not be necessary in your environment. Without it, you may save a lot of money on gas and maintenance. Because the hybrid tax is as small as $901 for the top SX standard, opting for the hybrid is essentially a no-brainer at about this grade, as well as the EX as well as SX Prestige models now have AWD in their corresponding $32,286 and $37,486 price tags.
My test vehicle costs $38,236, which is approximately $4,001 cheaper than a similarly equipped Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited. This price includes the cost of paint including carpeted floor mats. This 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid is not only among the greatest cars in its class, but also one of the best values, thanks to its exceptional performance as well as outstanding design both inside and out. 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid Release Date