Performance of intended function is our final and perhaps most nebulous criterion, as it asks how well a vehicle does what it’s supposed to do. The Sportage performs here, but it’s not enough to rise to the top during SUV of the Year. “Overall, it’s exceedingly competent, but does it stand above everything else?” Gold asked. “I think not.”

Indeed, the new Sportage’s foray placed it among the contenders, not finalists, but not due to any specific flaw. Priddle summed up our sentiment: “It ticks all the boxes. No one thing is spectacular, but the summation of the whole satisfies everything buyers look for in a compact crossover SUV.”

This review was conducted as part of our 2026 SUV of the Year (SUVOTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.

2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige AWD Specifications
BASE PRICE	$41,835
PRICE AS TESTED	$42,055
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, front-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door hybrid SUV
POWERTRAIN	Permanent-magnet motor, 64 hp, 195 lb-ft; permanent-magnet motor, 17 hp, 32 lb-ft
TOTAL POWER	232 hp
TOTAL TORQUE	271 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION	6-speed automatic
BATTERY	1.5-kWh NMC lithium-ion
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	3,938 lb (59/41%)
WHEELBASE	108.5 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	184.4 x 73.4 x 66.1 in
TIRES	235/55R19 101H M+S
EPA FUEL ECONOMY, CITY/HWY/COMBINED	35/36/35 mpg
EPA RANGE	480 mi
ON SALE	Now
MotorTrend Test Results
0-60 MPH	7.3 sec
QUARTER MILE	15.6 sec @ 90.3 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	120 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.81 g
FIGURE-EIGHT LAP	27.8 sec @ 0.63 g (avg)