2025 Kia Sportage Review

The Sportage holds its own against some of the biggest names in the segment, proving itself as one of the leading options in the family-friendly, medium SUV segment.

Within the Sportage range, there’s no shortage of options, including an affordable base model through to a more powerful turbocharged version and even the option of a fuel-efficient hybrid at the top of the lineup.

The Sportage is Kia’s bread and butter here in Australia, remaining the best-selling horse in the company’s stables, so let’s see how it shapes up in 2025 with a closer look at the Sportage range.

Kia Sportage Competition

How Much Does the 2025 Kia Sportage Cost?

Prices for the MY25 Kia Sportage range kick off from $32,995 for the entry-level Sportage S Manual and stretch out to $55,420 for the range-topping Sportage HEV GT-Line.

Pricing for the full Sportage range in 2025 can be found below.

• Sportage S 2.0 Manual FWD - $32,995

• Sportage S 2.0 Automatic FWD - $34,995

• Sportage S 2.0D AWD - $40,395

• Sportage SX FWD - $37,550

• Sportage SX 2.0D AWD - $42,950

• Sportage SX Hybrid FWD - $45,950

• Sportage SX+ FWD - $42,950

• Sportage SX+ 1.6T AWD - $44,050

• Sportage SX+ 2.0D AWD - $47,450

• Sportage GT-Line 1.6T AWD - $49,920

• Sportage GT-Line 2.0D AWD - $52,920

• Sportage GT-Line Hybrid FWD - $55,420 

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Kia Sportage S 2.0 Automatic FWD Specifications

What Features & Specs Does the 2025 Kia Sportage Have?

Kia’s entry-level Sportage S range comes riding on 17-inch alloys and picks up adaptive cruise control, cloth upholstery with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED headlights and daytime running lamps, part-LED tail lights, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, a 4.2-inch TFT cluster and digital instrument cluster and a full-sized spare tyre.

Stepping up to the Sportage SX adds 18-inch alloys, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a remote-folding second row bench, a leather-wrapped gear lever, gloss black interior highlights and front-mounted parking sensors.

Kia’s Sportage SX+ range picks up a set of 19-inch alloys, upgraded leatherette upholstery with heated front seats, a powered boot lift, keyless entry & start, LED fog lights, wheel-mounted paddle shifters, rear privacy glass and USB-C charging ports in the rear of the cabin.

Finally, Kia’s range-topping Sportage GT-Line comes packaged with dual-LED headlights and full LED tail lights, leather and suede upholstery with heated & ventilated front seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, a surround-view monitor, ambient lighting, alloy pedals, metal scuff plates and a wireless charging pad.

Kia Sportage Connectivity & Infotainment Features

Kia offers the Sportage range with two infotainment systems, with the entry-level Sportage S picking up a pretty basic little 8.0-inch touchscreen unit sitting atop the dashboard.

It’s paired with a six-speaker sound system as standard and offers AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio.

Buyers stepping up from the base model to SX variants or higher pick up a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display which serves as a great reason to upgrade, with significantly more screen real estate on offer and addition of satellite navigation.

The Sportage SX makes do with the same six-speaker sound system as the base model, while upgrading to the SX+ or above adds an eight-speaker sound system courtesy of Harman/Kardon that will better serve audiophiles.

Does the Kia Sportage Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Interestingly, Kia offers wireless smartphone mirroring tech in the Sportage range, but it’s only available in the entry-level Sportage S with its 8.0-inch display.

This means that price-conscious buyers opting for the base model pick up wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, while the rest of the Sportage family requires you to connect via a USB cable, with the 12.3-inch infotainment suite offering only a wired connection.

Is the Kia Sportage Comfortable to Drive?

The Kia Sportage is a comfortable and particularly user-friendly midsize SUV package for the masses.

It ticks all the important boxes around town while, thanks to some local suspension tuning, riding confidently on rougher Aussie roads that make it a true all-rounder in the medium SUV segment.

Under the bonnet, buyers have a choice of four engines for the Sportage range - two petrols, a diesel and a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain.

The entry-level Sportage 2.0 comes powered by a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol that pushes out a modest 115kW of power and 192Nm of torque, powering the front wheels only via a six-speed automatic or manual transmission.

Upgrading to the Sportage 2.0D range means you pick up 137kW of power and 416Nm of torque from a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder and the added confidence of an all-wheel drive system paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

There’s also a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 132kW of power and 265Nm of torque, which is offered in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive formats and has snappy shifts thanks to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Finally, fuel-conscious buyers have the option of a hybrid that pairs a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor producing 169kW of power and 350Nm of torque, but it is offered solely as a front-wheel drive package.

Braked towing capacity figures for the Sportage range stand at 1,900kg, dropping down to 1,650kg in the case of the Sportage HEV Hybrid.

Whichever engine you opt for the in the Sportage, it remains a great medium SUV package on the road, though the diesel and hybrid engines are the most attractive options on paper when it comes to effortless acceleration.

With lightweight and direct steering, solid visibility and a lovely, Australian-tuned suspension package, the Sportage feels confident while trotting around town and stretching its legs on the open road.

It’s also a great long-distance touring option thanks largely to that accommodating suspension package, smooth drivetrains and a quiet, refined driving experience behind the wheel, proving itself as a true jack-of-all-trades.

Is the Kia Sportage Fuel Efficient?

With four different engines to choose from, fuel economy figures in the 2025 Sportage lineup ranges from decent in petrol models to super-efficient in hybrid form.

The Sportage with the base 2.0-litre petrol drinks a claimed 7.7L/100km in manual variants, increasing to 8.1L/100km.

Fuel economy figures drop to 7.2L/100km for the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, while the Sportage diesel range sips 6.3L/100km on a combined cycle.

If you’re after the best outright fuel economy figures in the Sportage range, ticking the box on the Sportage HEV Hybrid means you’ll consume around 4.9L/100km on the combined cycle.

• Sportage 2.0 Petrol Fuel Economy: 7.7 - 8.1L/100km (manual v automatic)

• Sportage 1.6T Petrol Fuel Economy: 7.2L/100km

• Sportage Diesel Fuel Economy: 6.3L/100km

• Sportage HEV Hybrid Fuel Economy: 4.9L/100km

Is it Practical and Spacious?

Kia has done a great job with the Sportage’s packaging which offers Aussie family no shortage of space and practical touches.

Up front, the driver and front passenger pick up a heap of headroom and a great view over their surroundings, while a fully-adjustable driving position, complete with steering wheel reach and rake adjustment.

The layout of the dashboard sleek, with some interesting patterns for the air vents and centre console that has no shortage of storage options.

There’s a large, retractable storage area behind the gear lever, a pair of large cup holders that can be hidden away to make room for even more loose items in the centre console bin, with added storage hiding inside the folding armrest.

The Sportage also offers a pair of large door bins that can eat up a 1L water bottle and some more loose items and a decent-sized glovebox.

The company knows that the Sportage is a family chariot, which was an obvious focal point of its design priorities for the rear bench.

Climb into the second row and there’s a generous amount of legroom, even while sitting behind a tall driver, with no issues for headroom, either.

Amenities in the second row are pretty sparse in the base model, though you’ll still pick up a folding armrest with cupholders, air vents and map pockets in the seatbacks.

The Sportage SX range and above pick up remote folding second row seats while the SX+ receives USB-C charging ports for those seated in the rear.

Parents will be glad to know that the Sportage is packaged with two pairs of ISOFIX anchors and three top tether mounts hiding behind the seats, with easy access into the cabin from the wide-aperture doors and enough space to fit three child seats in the back.

How Big is the Kia Sportage’s Boot?

The Kia Sportage rounds-out its particularly family-friendly appeal with a healthy amount of boot space.

Most of the Sportage range’s boot measures 542L with the rear seats standing, while the Sportage HEV Hybrid has a slightly larger boot measuring 586L.

Fold down the rear seats and you’ll unlock 1,829L worth of boot space in non-hybrid versions of the Sportage, while the HEV’s boot measures a maximum 1,872L.

• Sportage Boot Space Minimum: 542L

• Sportage Hybrid Boot Space Minimum: 586L

• Sportage Boot Space Maximum: 1,829L

• Sportage Hybrid Boot Space Maximum: 1,872L

Is it Safe?

Kia is happy to throw in a boat-load of active safety tech into all members of the Sportage range, though some features are reserved for higher grades.

As standard, all MY25 Sportage variants come packaged with autonomous emergency braking with junction assist and both pedestrian and cyclist detection alongside blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist with lane-centring, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control for automatic variants and seven airbags.

Stepping up to the Sportage SX+ adds a set of front-mounted parking sensors while the Sportage GT-Line picks up a blind-spot view monitor, a surround-view monitor and rear autonomous emergency braking.

Does the Kia Sportage Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The MY25 Kia Sportage range wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating after 2022 testing saw it score the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 87%

• Child Occupant Protection: 87%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 66%

• Safety Assist: 74% 

What Warranty does the Kia Sportage Come With?

Kia continues to offer its very attractive seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with the MY25 Sportage range.

This comes in addition to seven years of capped-price servicing.

Prices for seven-years worth of capped-price servicing for the MY25 Sportage range can be found below, while service intervals stand at 12 months or 15,000-kilometres across the range.

• Sportage 2.0 Petrol Servicing Costs: $3,344

• Sportage 2.0 Diesel Servicing Costs: $3,580

• Sportage 1.6T Servicing Costs: $3,907

• Sportage HEV Hybrid Servicing Costs: $4,502

Our Verdict: Is the 2025 Kia Sportage Worth it?

It’s hard to fault the latest Kia Sportage range without getting stuck in the weeds trying to spot a small chink in its armour.

With an affordable base model that ticks all the important boxes for family buyers and a wide range of options for those looking for more power, better fuel efficiency or a more luxurious cabin, the Sportage appeals across a wide range of budgets.

On the road, the Sportage is user-friendly around town, smooth on the highway and confident on rougher Aussie roads thanks to its local suspension tune, making it quite the all-rounder.

While we’d like to see an entry-level hybrid version, you can get Kia’s fuel-efficient hybrid tech in the SX grade that makes for a very competitive option in the hybrid, medium SUV segment.

As a result, we’d recommend you add the Kia Sportage to your shortlist if you’re shopping around for a family-friendly package and encourage you to get in contact with one of our car-buying experts if you’re looking to secure the best possible price.

Five Kia Sportage Specs You Need to Know

1. Seven-year/unlimited-km warranty

2. Four engines available with FWD and AWD systems

3. 4.9 - 8.1L/100km fuel economy (hybrid vs petrol)

4. Five-star ANCAP safety rating (tested 2022)

5. 542 - 1,829L boot space increases to 586 - 1,872L in Hybrid