It’s been three years since Kia revealed a dramatically different-looking Sportage, and now it’s time for some updates. The Korean automaker unveiled a refresh for the crossover SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and while the boomerang daylight running lights are gone, the 2026 Kia Sportage now features design elements common to most other popular SUVs.
The 2026 Sportage’s stacked cube LED headlights bookend the larger grille on the front fascia, matching the “Opposites United” design language used on other Kia models. However, the grille is much more upright and rugged-looking without ditching the automaker’s futuristic aesthetic. The Sportage gravitates towards the market consensus of what an SUV should look like while visibly remaining a Kia model.
Other things remain the same on the 2026 Sportage. The ICE version of the SUV will keep the same 2.5-liter inline-four engine, but the hybrid and plug-in-hybrid versions are getting marginal power bumps. Kia claims the HEV powertrain will output 231 horsepower, a 4-hp increase, while the PHEV Sportage’s 268 horsepower output is a 7-hp increase.
What is new is how that power is put to the road. The 2026 Sportage is equipped with a new Terrain mode for all AWD trims, including the new rugged X-Line turbo hybrid trim level. Drivers can select different drive modes designed to traverse snow, mud and sand. X-Line is an off-road focused trim with unique front and read bumpers along with molding shaped like skid plates. It also features raised roof rails. The X-Pro Prestige trim is equipped with even more off-road hardware like LED fog lights and B.F. Goodrich all-terrain tires.
The 2026 Sportage’s interior is now fitted with pair of integrated 12.3-inch LCD displays and a 10-inch heads-up display. The two surfaces are the user-facing parts of a new connectivity suite that will also the SUV to receive over-the-air updates. Owners can also use Kia Connect to start their Sportage or check if it’s locked from a smartphone. Kia will also offer Forward Collision Avoidance Assist and Parking Distance Warning as options in its full suite of driver-assist systems.
It’s apt for KIA to make the Sportage more appealing to customers who might want to take their SUV off the pavement on occasion. While the 2026 Sportage isn’t capable of rock crawling, most people are only willing to take their daily driver on unpaved roads.
