After a lengthy absence, the Kia Sportage returns to the local market as an electrified model. This is the facelifted version of the fifth-gen model that was first unveiled in 2021, and while it’s not exactly the freshest crossover in the compact class, Kia Philippines has put together a package that should still make buyers take a second look.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2027 Kia Sportage.
Variants and prices of the Kia Sportage 2027
There are two variants, with the lower one starting at under P2 million:
- Kia Sportage EX Turbo Hybrid – P1,978,000
- Kia Sportage SX Turbo Hybrid – P2,098,000
Kia Philippines, however, is offering the Sportage EX Turbo Hybrid at an introductory price of P1,898,000 this month. This makes the base Sportage the most affordable hybrid-powered offering among the OG compact crossover squad, which includes the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Tucson, and the Subaru Forester. For that price, you also get a five-year or 160,000km vehicle warranty, an eight-year or 160,000km battery warranty for the hybrid system, and 24/7 roadside assistance.
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Exterior of the Kia Sportage 2027
The Sportage’s 2024 facelift was extensive to the point that you’d be forgiven for thinking this was an all-new generation. Basically, the Korean carmaker overhauled the front end, carving out the original boomerang headlights and replacing them with the ‘star map’ lighting signature that came out in 2023. Alongside other newer Kias, this model wouldn’t look dated—at least as long as you just look at the front.
The back still has the horizontally oriented taillights connected by a light bar, as opposed to upright rear lighting units of more recent Kia releases. At 4,660mm long, 1,865mm wide, and 1,665mm tall, it’s ever so slightly smaller than its newer contemporaries, too. Ground clearance is listed at 181mm, while curb weight is 2,195kg.
There are three color options available for both EX and SX trims: Gravity Gray, Wolf Gray, and Snow White Pearl. A fourth paint job called Heritage Blue is exclusive to the SX.
Interior of the Kia Sportage 2027
Leather upholstery for the interior is standard regardless of the variant you choose. Get behind the wheel and you’ll see the first difference between the EX and the SX: The driver’s seat in the former can only be adjusted manually, while the latter gets power adjustment. You may recall that the entry-level Sorento—positioned one segment higher but priced very competitively at P2.188 million—uses the same tactic to lower its asking price.
The 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen is also standard across the range, with wireless connectivity for CarPlay and Android Auto already available. This display is housed under a single panel of glass alongside the digital instrument cluster. Below the center A/C vents, the automatic dual-zone climate control system gets its own panel, and the console extends down to a chunky unit that separates the front seats and houses the engine start/stop button, the rotary gear selector, some shortcut buttons, two cupholders, and a panel that opens to reveal USB ports and a wireless charger. The blanks are a bit of an eyesore—in the Korean-spec unit we drove a few months ago, these had the buttons for seat ventilation and steering-wheel heating.
Not even the SX comes with a sunroof, but the Sportage’s interior has a generous amount of space, so while the all-black color scheme might make the cabin feel claustrophobic for some people, there’s plenty of head- and legroom to stretch out and be comfortable. The inside vibe is definitely more austere and businesslike than bright and airy, but materials quality is more than decent, and again, kudos to Kia for finding ways to hide the crossover’s age.
Powertrain and specs of the Kia Sportage 2027
The Sportage’s hybrid system comprises a 1.6-liter Gamma II turbocharged gasoline engine, a single electric motor, and a 1.49kWh battery. Combined output is 232hp and 367Nm of torque. Sounds familiar? It’s the same powertrain as the Sorento and the Tucson.
The six-speed automatic transmission delivers drive to the front wheels only, so those wanting an all-wheel-drive compact crossover will need to look elsewhere. Both variants also get 18-inch wheels, and are underpinned by a front MacPherson strut and rear multilink suspension setup.
Kia Philippines hasn’t released fuel-economy numbers as of this writing, but the Sportage should have an advantage over the base Sorento, which yieled 14-15km/L when we tested it last year—this compact model, after all, is more than 300kg lighter, with a curb weight of 2,195kg.
Extra features of the Kia Sportage 2027
The EX actually gets a lot of the SX’s features. Of note, both trim levels have cruise control, parking distance warning, rear cameras, six airbags, a tire-pressure monitoring system, power tailgates, and a full-size spare tire.
The inclusion of Kia Drivewise, however, substantially beefs up the spec sheet of the SX. While the base EX is equipped with cruise control, its higher-spec twin comes with advanced driver-assist systems like advanced smart cruise control, forward-collision avoidance, autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assistance.
The SX also gets the aforementioned wireless charger and a total of four USB-C ports; the EX only gets the latter. Finally, the SX’s audio system is an eight-speaker Harman Kardon setup, while the EX has six regular speakers.
We’ll let you know more about the 2027 Kia Sportage once we test a PH-spec unit, but you can also check our first drive of the model here. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts—did Kia make the right decision to bring this in quite late into its model lifespan, and how do you find it next to other vehicles in its class? Sound off in the comments.
More photos of the Kia Sportage 2027:
