The entry-level Kia Sportage S will gain front- and all-wheel-drive hybrid power later this month.
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The 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid line-up will expand in Australia later this month with a more affordable variant, the brand has confirmed.
Kia Australia has announced the Sportage Hybrid will gain an S base grade in front- and all-wheel drive configurations, which is likely to see its entry price fall by $2490.
The Sportage Hybrid is currently offered in SX and GT-Line grades in front- and all-wheel drive, while S and SX+ grades are limited to petrol and diesel.
A Kia Australia spokesperson confirmed the 2026 Sportage S HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) FWD and S HEV AWD will begin arriving later this month, with pricing and specifications due closer to its launch.
However, based on the pricing difference between the Sportage SX petrol and SX hybrid, the S hybrid is expected to be priced from $43,960 before on-road costs.
It is a $5470 premium over the 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, which starts from $38,490 for the entry-level Sportage S.
Hybrid all-wheel-drive Sportage SX and GT-Line grades cost $3000 more than front-wheel-drive, likely positioning the Sportage S HEV AWD at $46,960, $3100 more than the S diesel AWD.
Meanwhile, the Kia Australia spokesperson confirmed the Sportage's 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre turbo will remain on sale, after a notice on its website stated "petrol variants… are now limited to dealer stock".
Roland Rivero, Kia Australia's product planning boss, warned last year the 2.0-litre Sportage's "days might be… numbered" due to NVES.
"The [NVES] targets are going to continue getting tougher, although it seems to be changing," Rivero said.
"Things evolve, and we will work with the evolving market expectations. There are always external factors that you've got to try and plan for.
"It's difficult, obviously, if you have a moving target, but you could say that about a lot of things like safety ratings.
"We've just got to plan forward, be responsible and flexible."
In 2025, the wider Sportage range received an update, which also saw Kia introduce all-wheel-drive SX and GT-Line hybrid grades to join the front-wheel-drive hybrids launched a year prior.
Recommended retail pricing for petrol and diesel grades has since increased by $500, while the hybrids are unchanged.
Standard features in the S petrol and diesel, likely to carry over to the hybrid, include 17-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Kia Connect services, DAB+ digital radio, and a 4.2-inch driver display with digitised gauges.
The S also includes a six-speaker audio system, cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, directional rear air vents and adaptive cruise control.
Compared to the SX hybrid, the S is expected to forego 18-inch alloy wheels, satellite navigation, rain-sensing wipers, two-way lumbar support for the driver's seat, and gloss black exterior trims.
Australian new-car sales data reveal 5096 Kia Sportage hybrids were reported as sold in 2025 from a total of 19,137, representing 26.6 per cent of its sales.
According to Kia Australia, the remaining sales are split "pretty much 50/50" between petrol and diesel, with the Sportage being the only continuing 'Medium SUV Under $60,000' to retain diesel power.
2026 Kia Sportage price in Australia
Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.
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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
