Hybrid / PHEVSUVFamily PHEV
Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid
A family SUV with a 1.6-litre turbo petrol plug-in hybrid system, a 13.8 kWh battery and front- or four-wheel drive.
Names and versions: Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, Sportage 1.6 T-GDi PHEV.
Electric range
40–44 miles electricWLTP
Rapid charging
No DC rapid charging listed
AC only, 2.3–7.2 kW single-phase, Type 2 socket, per ADAC catalogue maker data; ADAC found a full charge took just under two hours at 7.2 kW on the earlier car.
Official range
40–44 miles electricWLTP
Market or version specificBattery
13.8 kWh
Market or version specificRapid charging
No DC rapid charging listed
Local check neededEfficiency
88.2–104.6 mpg weighted
Market or version specificIs the Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid worth considering?
Our view. ADAC measured about 63 km of electric driving against a 70 km WLTP figure on the earlier four-wheel-drive car, and 7.0 L/100 km once the battery was empty. It makes sense if you can charge at home and most trips are short; there is no DC rapid charging.
What independent tests found
- Claims checked
- 0 of 1 hold up
- Safety
- 5 stars, Euro NCAP 2022
- Evidence
- 4 tests from 3 testers
Range
- ADAC ADAC Autotest Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI Plug-In Hybrid, electric range, December 2022
63 km vs 70 km WLTP
Close · 90% Published referenceKia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI Plug-In Hybrid GT-Line AWD Automatik, 195 kW (265 PS), 13.8 kWh, press car first registered 03/2022. Electric cycle of the ADAC Ecotest, Germany. About 10% below the WLTP figure ADAC quotes for this version; this is the pre-facelift car, and the current model is rated differently (40–44 miles in the UK).
Efficiency
- ADAC ADAC Ecotest Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI Plug-In Hybrid, fuel use with empty battery, December 2022
7 L/100 km
Published referenceKia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI Plug-In Hybrid GT-Line AWD Automatik, 195 kW (265 PS), 13.8 kWh. ADAC Ecotest in hybrid mode with the battery empty; 5.6 L/100 km in town, 6.2 on country roads, 9.3 on the motorway. ADAC also measured 23.4 kWh/100 km in electric driving including charging losses; no official battery-empty figure for this version was given to compare with.
Safety rating
- Euro NCAP Euro NCAP 2022 rating, Kia Sportage
5 stars
Market or version specificKia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI HEV (tested); rating covers the 1.6 T-GDI PHEV 4x4. Euro NCAP 2022 protocols; adult occupant 87%, child occupant 86%, vulnerable road users 66%, safety assist 72%. Five stars, published 6 July 2022; the hybrid was tested and some results were taken from the Hyundai Tucson, which shares the platform.
Recalls
- NHTSA NHTSA recall database, Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, October 2026
3 campaigns
Market or version specificKia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid (US market). Model years 2023–2026: 23V298 (instrument cluster display), 25V874 (instrument display failure with Kia tow hitch harness), 26V046 (instrument cluster software). US-market cars; all three campaigns concern the instrument display or its software, not the hybrid system.
Measured figures are compared only with an official figure in the same unit and test basis; the bar’s tick marks 100% of the claim. Winter results are shown, not judged. How the evidence check works.
How far can it go?
The published reference is 40–44 miles electric. WLTP combined, Kia UK: 44 miles for 2WD (Pure, GT-Line), 40 miles for AWD (GT-Line, GT-Line S). ADAC's catalogue lists 66 km as maker data for the German 2WD Core. US EPA, 2026 Sportage Plug-in Hybrid AWD: 33 miles. Compare it only with figures from the same test cycle. For a plug-in hybrid this is the electric-only range before the engine takes over.
Against other hybrids in the file, on a 0–200 km scale
- Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid 40–44 miles electric
- BYD Seal 6 DM-i Up to 65 miles electric
- BYD Seal U DM-i 70–125 km electric
- Honda CR-V Hybrid Not published Market dependent
- Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Not published Not a plug-in
- Jaecoo 7 SHS Up to 56 miles electric
- MG MG3 Hybrid+ Not published Not a plug-in
- Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Up to 85 km electric
- Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Not published Not a plug-in
- Toyota Prius Up to 86 km electric
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Not published Market dependent
Speed, temperature, wind, elevation, tyres, load and cabin heating or cooling all change real-world range. How EPA, WLTP and CLTC differ.
How quickly does it charge?
The highest published DC figure is No DC rapid charging listed. AC only, 2.3–7.2 kW single-phase, Type 2 socket, per ADAC catalogue maker data; ADAC found a full charge took just under two hours at 7.2 kW on the earlier car.. A peak rate is reached briefly; the average across a session is lower.
Home charging time depends on the energy added, the car’s AC limit, the charger and the supply. Estimate a session with this car’s battery.
What to check before buying
- Who is it for?
- Families who can charge at home and mostly drive under about 60 km a day, and who want a roomy SUV that can still cover long trips on petrol.
- What needs checking?
- Fuel use on long trips with an empty battery, and whether the 2WD or AWD version suits you, as AWD has less electric range. The only ADAC test is of the pre-facelift 265 PS car. In the US, check that recall work has been done.
- What is the evidence?
- An ADAC Autotest of the pre-facelift GT-Line AWD (December 2022), a Euro NCAP five-star rating (2022) that covers the plug-in hybrid, and three NHTSA recall campaigns for US model years 2023–2026.
Evidence record
4 figures, each linked to where it starts. A published value is not automatically the right value for every trim or country.
| Figure | Value | Condition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official range | 40–44 miles electric | Market or version specific WLTP combined, Kia UK: 44 miles for 2WD (Pure, GT-Line), 40 miles for AWD (GT-Line, GT-Line S). ADAC's catalogue lists 66 km as maker data for the German 2WD Core. US EPA, 2026 Sportage Plug-in Hybrid AWD: 33 miles. | Official manufacturer specification (Kia UK) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Battery | 13.8 kWh | Market or version specific Gross capacity as listed in ADAC's catalogue (maker data) for the facelifted Sportage 1.6 T-GDI Plug-In Hybrid, series start 07/25; Kia's UK and German pages do not state it. ADAC's 2022 test also gives 13.8 kWh. | ADAC Autokatalog, maker data (Germany) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Rapid charging | No DC rapid charging listed | Local check needed AC only, 2.3–7.2 kW single-phase, Type 2 socket, per ADAC catalogue maker data; ADAC found a full charge took just under two hours at 7.2 kW on the earlier car. | ADAC Autokatalog, maker data (Germany) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Efficiency | 88.2–104.6 mpg weighted | Market or version specific WLTP weighted combined, Kia UK: 104.6 mpg (2.7 L/100 km) 2WD, 88.2–91.1 mpg AWD. Kia Germany: 2.9–3.3 L/100 km plus 10.9–11.2 kWh/100 km weighted, 6.1–6.7 L/100 km with the battery empty. US EPA 2026 AWD: 36 mpg on petrol, 83 MPGe. | Official manufacturer specification (Kia UK) Checked 18 October 2026 |