Kia Expands 2023 Sportage Lineup With New Plug-in Hybrid
Kia redesigned its Sportage compact SUV for 2023, and the new model added a lot of size, not to mention power and features. The fifth-generation Sportage also welcomed a hybrid variant to the lineup, but that’s not the end of its powertrain updates: Kia announced today that a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle will also join the lineup for 2023.
Related: 2023 Kia Sportage Revealed With More Room, More Power, More Style
Powertrain and Electric Range
Power comes from a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine good for 177 horsepower. It pairs with a 66.9-kilowatt electric motor that draws juice from a 13.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-polymer battery. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is all-wheel drive. Kia expects the Sportage PHEV to have an all-electric range of 32 miles, but published EPA range and fuel economy estimates are pending.
The Sportage PHEV is equipped with a 7.2-kW high-efficiency onboard charger, and Kia says it’ll take the SUV around two hours to charge via a Level 2 charger.
The plug-in model joins the regular Sportage, which uses a 187-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission in front-wheel drive or AWD. It also joins the Sportage Hybrid, which pairs a turbo 1.6-liter four-cylinder with a 44-kW electric motor and much smaller (1.49-kWh) battery for a total system output of 226 hp. Kia estimates the 2023 Sportage Hybrid will achieve up to 39 mpg and have more than 500 miles of total driving range.
Outside, the plug-in blends in with the rest of the new Sportage lineup and has the same upgraded safety, technology and convenience features as the redesigned 2023 model. The plug-in comes in just two trim levels, however: X-Line PHEV AWD and X-Line Prestige PHEV AWD.
Price and Release Date
Kia says the plug-in hybrid will go on sale toward the end of 2022 and starts at $39,785.
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