# Kia Sportage (2026): specs and price

**Price (US):** $28790 at fueleconomy.gov (US MSRP base 2.5L FWD per fueleconomy.gov; full range $28,790–$40,590), as of 2026-06-27. A sourced, dated price of record — other retailers (incl. Amazon) may be lower. Among the 16 cars we track it is #5 cheapest of 16; category median $29740.
**Brand:** Kia
**Released:** 2026
**Deskmark:** Silver Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 49/100, #5 of 16 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).
**Price tracked since:** June 2026

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $28790 |
| Brand | Kia |
| Released | 2026 |
| Body style | compact SUV |
| Mpg combined | 28 |
| Horsepower | 187 |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
| Seats | 5 |
| Cargo cuft | — |
| Powertrain | 2.5L inline-4 naturally aspirated, 8-speed automatic |

## Where it stands

At $28790, the Kia Sportage (2026) is #5 cheapest of the 16 cars we track, where the median is $29720. On the spec sheet, its mpg combined of 28 is below the median of the 15, its horsepower of 187 is at the median of the 16, and its seats of 5 is at the median of the 16.

## What reviewers say

Both whitelisted hands-on reviews survived verification. Car and Driver (instrumented) and MotorTrend (hybrid first drive) rate the refreshed 2026 Sportage a comfortable, well-equipped value whose weak 2.5-liter non-hybrid gas engine is its main flaw; the hybrid supplies the missing pep. Car and Driver measured 9.1-sec 0-60 for the gas engine versus 7.4 for the hybrid, plus 31 mpg observed highway. Non-whitelisted outlets were excluded. (Based on 2 reviews, 2 lab-tested, 2025-08–2025-08-25.)

Praised: Comfortable, quiet, well-controlled ride; Strong value — low entry price and generous standard equipment; Hybrid powertrain adds welcome pep and refinement over the gas engine.
Flagged: Sluggish, underpowered 2.5-liter non-hybrid gas engine; Unengaging, dull driving dynamics (non-hybrid); Hybrid fuel economy regresses on larger-wheel SX/X-Line trims.
Disagreement: Real split on driving character: Car and Driver's instrumented test frames even the refreshed nonhybrid Sportage as dull and 'unengaging' (9.1-sec 0-60 gas, 7.4 hybrid at its test track), while MotorTrend's hands-on of the hybrid found Sport mode genuinely fun and the retuned suspension improved — but MotorTrend only estimates the hybrid's 0-60 (7.0-7.3 sec, MT est) and had not yet instrument-tested the 2026 car.
Sources: Car and Driver (2025-08, caranddriver.com), MotorTrend (2025-08-25, motortrend.com)

## Frequently asked questions

**What do reviewers say about the Kia Sportage (2026)?**

Both whitelisted hands-on reviews survived verification. Car and Driver (instrumented) and MotorTrend (hybrid first drive) rate the refreshed 2026 Sportage a comfortable, well-equipped value whose weak 2.5-liter non-hybrid gas engine is its main flaw; the hybrid supplies the missing pep. Car and Driver measured 9.1-sec 0-60 for the gas engine versus 7.4 for the hybrid, plus 31 mpg observed highway. Non-whitelisted outlets were excluded. Praised: Comfortable, quiet, well-controlled ride; Strong value — low entry price and generous standard equipment; Hybrid powertrain adds welcome pep and refinement over the gas engine. Flagged: Sluggish, underpowered 2.5-liter non-hybrid gas engine; Unengaging, dull driving dynamics (non-hybrid); Hybrid fuel economy regresses on larger-wheel SX/X-Line trims. (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

**How much does the Kia Sportage (2026) cost?**

The Kia Sportage (2026) has a US price of $28790 (US MSRP base 2.5L FWD per fueleconomy.gov; full range $28,790–$40,590), as of 2026-06-15.

**How does the Kia Sportage (2026) compare on price?**

At $28790, the Kia Sportage (2026) is #5 cheapest of the 16 cars we track, where the median is $29720.

**When was the Kia Sportage (2026) released?**

The Kia Sportage (2026) was released 2026.

**What are the Kia Sportage (2026)'s key specs?**

Kia Sportage (2026) (Kia): body style compact SUV, mpg combined 28, horsepower 187, drivetrain FWD, seats 5. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.

Source: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=49455 (fueleconomy.gov, accessed 2026-06-15)
Corroboration: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/kia/sportage/2026/overview/ (accessed 2026-06-15)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/cars/kia-sportage-2026/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the Kia Sportage (2026) price of record was $28790 as of 2026-06-15 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/cars/kia-sportage-2026/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl