The 2026 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige AWD SUV
What is a Sportage? The Sportage is a compact SUV built in the West Point, Georgia, USA assembly plant and sold in North America by Kia. The first Kia Sportage was developed and introduced in 1993 in South Korea, with its debut in the North American market following in 1995 as a compact, body-on-frame SUV. It marked Kia’s entry into the SUV segment, offering rugged capability and affordability. Today, the Kia Sportage is currently in its 5th generation, and received a significant mid-cycle refresh for the 2026 model year. It’s now offered in gas, hybrid, or as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model, with updated styling, a spacious interior and advanced safety technology.
Some of the new features and updates for the 2026 Kia Sportage models are:
Design: The 2026 Sportage receives a mid cycle refresh with updated front and rear bumpers, a broader bowtie style grille, and revised star map LED lighting.
Technology: All models now come standard with dual 12.3″ panoramic displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety: Standard safety features across all trims include adaptive cruise control with stop and go, forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and front and rear parking sensors.
Interior Space: It maintains its class leading cargo space with up to 39.6 cubic feet behind the second row, and generous rear seat legroom, making it a practical choice for passengers and their gear.
Engine Specifications: The 2026 Sportage comes with 3 distinct powertrain options.
The first option is a 2.5L 4 cylinder gas engine with 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque bolted to an 8 speed automatic transmission. Second is a 1.6L turbo gas hybrid engine with 232 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque paired with a 6 speed automatic transmission, and in PHEV hybrid mode you will get a 1.6L turbo plug in hybrid driveline with 268 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque bolted to a 6 speed automatic transmission.
Trim Levels: The Sportage is offered in various trim levels across the different powertrain options. These include gas trims in LX, EX, X-Line, SX, SX Prestige, X-Pro Prestige, in the Hybrid Trims is LX, S, EX, X-Line, SX Prestige, and in PHEV Trims X-Line, X-Line Prestige. The X-Line and X-Pro Prestige trims feature more rugged styling and increased ground clearance, with the X-Pro Prestige adding all terrain tires and standard all wheel drive (AWD).
User Reviews: Experts generally praise the Sportage for its feature rich, stylish interior and overall value, and recommend the hybrid versions for higher performance and better fuel economy. User feedback is always positive regarding comfort, tech, and styling.
To showcase this updated model, this week Kia sent me a 2026 Sportage to test drive and review. The base window sticker price for this X-Pro Prestige Edition is $39,590. The options on the test SUV are: the special paint for $595, the rear cargo mat for $105, the carpeted floor mats for $180, and the pull out rear cargo cover for $190. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), including the $1,395 delivery charge is: $42,055.
After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the out the door and in your garage total purchase price came to $47,312. At just 312 bucks over $47 Grand, you get a fully optioned, just updated, compact SUV, that gets 23 MPG city, 26 MPG highway, and a respectable 24 MPG in combined driving, with a top of the line X-Pro Prestige trim package, an 8 speed automatic transmission with AWD and terrain mode select.
OK, so what is terrain mode select? Terrain mode select is a specialized traction control feature available on AWD models, including the X-Line and X-Pro trims. Terrain Mode allows you to select and optimize the vehicle’s performance for specific low grip surfaces through 3 driving settings:
Snow Mode: Tailors the engine torque and transmission shift patterns to reduce wheel spin on icy or slick roads.
Mud Mode: Adjusts power delivery and traction control to maintain forward momentum through wet or rutted surfaces.
Sand Mode: Manages gear shifts and torque distribution to prevent the wheels from digging into loose, shifting surfaces.
Availability: Standard on the X-Line and X-Pro AWD trims, and available on other AWD equipped trims as an add on option.
How to Use: It is activated by a dial on the center console that toggles between drive modes, for normal, sport, and terrain mode.
Integration: The system works with the active all wheel drive system to monitor wheel slip in milliseconds, redistributing power to the wheels with the most grip instantly.
OK, then what makes the 2026 Kia Sportage such a good buy? The Sportage is a good buy due to its class leading interior space, abundance of standard technology and safety features, and the availability of a powerful and efficient hybrid powertrain options. Its distinctive styling and comprehensive warranty further enhance its appeal in the compact SUV class. Here are some of the key advantages of the 2026 Kia Sportage compact SUV.
Class Leading Interior Space: The Sportage offers best-in-class rear seat legroom of 41.3 inches, and a generous 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, making it highly versatile for commuters, small families and everyday use.
Abundant Technology: The cabin features a sophisticated, tech forward design with a standard 12.3″ touchscreen across all trims, and an available dual panoramic display that combines two 12.3″ screens for over 24″ of digital screen real estate.
Tech & Tunes: Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment, simplifying smart phone integration, plus the 2026 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige AWD SUV comes with a Harman Kardon premium surround sound system that features 8 speakers, a 400 watt amplifier, and HALOsonic audio technology, for that perfect sound.
Advanced Safety Features: Safety is a major selling point, with 15 standard collision avoidance and driver assist features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction turning detection, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control.
Powertrain Options: While the standard 2.5L engine with 187 hp is considered adequate for daily driving, the available Sportage Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid models offer significantly more power, up to 232 hp and 268 hp, and better fuel economy, which I highly recommend, so go with the hybrid editions on any trim line.
Strong Warranty: Kia provides the industry’s leading warranty, with a 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, and a 5 year 60,000 mile basic warranty, offering excellent peace of mind to all owners, for the next 10 years.
Capability: Available active AWD with a multi terrain mode selector for snow, mud, and sand, and up to 8.3″ of ground clearance on certain trims provide added confidence in various driving conditions.
Overall: The 2026 Kia Sportage delivers a strong balance of style, comfort, features, and value, making it a highly compelling option in the crowded compact SUV market, especially in its hybrid configurations.
So, call, click or visit your local Kia dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on the 2026 Sportage X-Pro Prestige AWD SUV. And remember that the base price for a new Sportage starts at only $28,690. Kia – Movement that inspires.
The key to life is to learn something new every day, and by reading my Bottom Line review, I hope you did just that, learned about something new and exciting. So, be smart, stay safe, and just breathe. Remember, You Are What You Drive, and maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should Drive one, Buy one, Today. Drive safely, have a great day, and enjoy the ride, as the future looks nice and bright – Tony the Car Guy.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. Tony the Car Guy is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net