2026 Kia Sportage X-Line: Great SUV, Wrong Drivetrain

The Kia Sportage is the brand’s best-selling vehicle, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. It competes in one of the largest SUV segments, against the likes of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Subaru Forester.

Not all that compact anymore, these sport utility vehicles are the new bread-and-butter segment for North America, with plenty of customers migrating from compact and mid-size sedans alike. To keep competitive in market with so many prospective consumers, a brand needs to keep things fresh. For the 2026 model year, the Kia Sportage gets just that: a mid-cycle refresh.

The refresh this year includes a revised front-end design that features Kia’s star map lighting and the now ubiquitous amber daytime running lights. It’s the latest evolution of Kia’s “Opposites United” design philosophy. Aside from updated front and rear bumpers as well as new exterior color choices, the interior has been updated and can include new technology.

In for testing is a 2026 Kia Sportage X-Line Limited. That’s a Canadian trim, occupying the the top trim for gas-only Sportage models. In the United States, there’s no real equivalent. Even the 2026 Sportage X-Line with all available option packages is still missing a few features. Think of our tester more like a SX-Prestige with the X-Line exterior.

The optical impact of the vehicle’s exterior changes makes the Sportage feel a bit rounder and in X-Line trim, it looks subtly sophisticated. It has the trim level’s high profile roof rails, and 19-inch alloy wheels painted black. The latter are a chunky four-spoke design that we think works well on the Sportage, but not everyone may be a fan.

With this just being a refresh, dimensionally, not much changes with the 2026 Sportage. It measures in at 184.4-inches (4,660 mm) long. That puts it longer than the Toyota RAV-4 by a few inches, but slightly shorter than a Honda CR-V.

The 2026 Sportage is available with a gasoline-powered engine, a gas/electric hybrid system, or a plug-in hybrid set-up. Our X-Line tester has the pure gasoline drivetrain, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine develops 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, which is wholly competitive…on paper at least.

The 2025 Honda CR-V makes 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque. The Toyota RAV4 makes a bit more power at 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The Subaru Forester makes a bit less power at 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Regardless of the small variations here and there, all these SUVs are in the same ballpark in terms of power, including the Sportage.

Yet, the Kia feels slowest of the bunch behind the wheel and in fact is. It requires close to a second more to hit 60 mph from a standstill compared to the trio mentioned above. Almost like the power is being held back, or it doesn’t produce as much as the numbers listed. The transmission needs to downshift multiple gears for decent passing acceleration on the highway.

On the plus side, even though the engine does feel strained at times, it’s quite smooth and lacks vibrations. When driven sedately, expect 24 mpg (9.3 L/100 km) in the city and 30 mpg (7.0 L/100 km) on the highway.

The Kia Sportage appeals to many consumers because it blends a bit of everything. It’s not a performance SUV or all that engaging one to drive, but the Sportage dispatches corners well enough. There’s no excessive body roll or unbalanced feeling. The 235/55R19 tires don’t feel greasy nor are they prone to squealing during moderate cornering in the 3,603 pound (1,634 kg) SUV.

The ride comfort is above average, and although maybe not a class leader, the compromise between comfort and handling does favor the former. Those that plan more SUV-like activities, there is 8.3-inches (210 mm) of ground clearance and a capable all-wheel drive system.

Continuing the comfort theme, our Canadian-spec X-Line Limited includes the 10-way power memory driver’s seat and 4-way power passenger’s seat. Both include heated and ventilation functionality. The outboard rear seats, as well as the steering wheel, are also heated.

During an excessively hot week of testing, we appreciated the ventilated seats and the Pro SynTex seating surface didn’t remain griddle-hot for long even after baking in the sun for hours. Another often-overlooked feature we appreciated on those hot days sitting in traffic was the sound absorbing glass that kept our emotions just as cool as our backsides.

Up front, passengers get 37.8 inches (959mm) of headroom and 41.4-inches (1,052 mm) of legroom. The driver’s seating position is a bit high, even at its lowest setting. Taller drivers may be looking partially into the sun visor. It’s something we find in a lot of Kia products. Otherwise, the sightlines are good all-around with no massive blind spots. The 360 camera and lane view cameras further help with visibility behind the wheel.

Everything behind the driver is quite spacious, making the Sportage a true four-adult vehicle. Rear seat passengers have 38.0-inches (966mm) of headroom and a generous 41.3-inches (1,050 mm) of legroom. The rear cargo area can take 39.6 cubic feet (1,036 L) of stuff, which expands to 74.1 cu ft (2,098 L) with the rear seats down.

The Kia Sportage has one of the more impressive interiors in the class. It may not be as stylish or premium feeling as the Mazda CX-50 or Volkswagen Tiguan, but the Sportage has all the technology one could want, baked into a very modern, interesting design. It doesn’t feel like an uninspired sea of black plastic inside.

We like the curved panel that houses the dual 12.3-inch digital screens and the optional terracotta interior. There are hard plastic materials here and there, but Kia has done a good job to hide and/or blend them in.

Aside from all the features discussed up to this point, a fully loaded Kia Sportage also includes rain sensing wipers, power folding mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate, panoramic sunroof, navigation, Harman Kardon audio system, wireless phone charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smart liftgate, and more.

From a safety front, a vehicle vying for attention in such a family-oriented segment should include a ton of safety tech and guess what, the 2026 Kia Sportage does. There is blind-spot warning, blind-spot view monitor, forward collision avoidance, rear-cross traffic avoidance, parking distance warning and assist all around, lane keep assist, smart cruise control, highway driving assist, and more.

Like many options in this SUV segment, there’s a lot of choice when configuring a 2026 Kia Sportage. Pricing starts at $30,085 (all prices include destination charges) for the entry level LX front-wheel drive. Since there is no exact equivalent to our Canadian X-Line Limited trim, the best estimate in as tested pricing falls in around a loaded X-Line at $39,890, and a SX Prestige at $40,080. Sticking with non-hybrid models, that slots a bit above a less-equipped Honda CR-V EX-L AWD and a few thousand dollars less than a Toyota RAV4 Limited AWD.

In Canada, the starting price is $34,095, while our tester came in at $47,595.

The Kia Sportage is one of the class leaders in this segment having won our eleven SUV mega shootout a few years ago. But that was the hybrid version of the Sportage and after driving a loaded-up example with the entry level engine, we reaffirm that the hybrid is the one to get. It’ll cost a few thousand more, but the driving experience is better and more relaxed, with a good wallop of extra power on tap. Plus, some of that price premium will be recovered through better fuel consumption requiring less trips to the gas station.

More importantly, regardless of drivetrain, the updates for the 2026 model year should keep the Kia Sportage near the top end of the segment.

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FAQs

• Q. What are the changes in the 2026 Sportage?
• A. A revised front-end design, new front and rear bumpers as well as new exterior color choices. The interior has been updated and can include new technology.
• Q. How much is the 2026 Kia Sportage?
• A. The new Sportage starts at $30,085 in the United States including destination charges.
• Q. How much is the 2026 Kia Sportage in Canada?
• A. In Canada the 2026 Kia Sportage starts at $34,095 including destination charges.