2025 Kia Sportage PHEV: The Plug-in Hybrid SUV That Finally Makes Sense? | First Look Review

[@jonolin5487]

Just leased one. Love it!

[@AUTOTVO]

Congrats! It is a great choice!!

[@AlisonJones-ls5kv]

I just bought onelast week. I drive very short distances and was hoping to use it in EV mode most of the time. Unfortunately the internal combustion engine keeps kicking in, even when I have the car in EV mode. Why? Am I doing anything wrong? Is something wrong with the car? The manual doesn’t say anything about this. I really want to use it as an EV vehicle most of the time but that’s not happening.

[@AUTOTVO]

Congrats on your new car, @AlisonJones-ls5kv! The internal combustion engine in plug-in hybrids like the Kia Sportage PHEV can sometimes kick in even in EV mode, depending on factors like the battery’s charge level, acceleration demands, or the need for cabin heating or cooling. It might also engage in extremely cold weather to maintain optimal performance. If this happens frequently even with a fully charged battery and under light driving conditions, it might be worth having the car checked by your dealership to ensure everything is functioning properly.

[@kostaskarinos4484]

I have the car for almost 5 months. It doesn't have a heat pump, so if you use the ac the engine will kick in. It's also doing it if you press the gas pedal to the end.

[@AUTOTVO]

@@kostaskarinos4484 Thanks for sharing, @kostaskarinos4484! That’s a great point about the lack of a heat pump and the AC causing the engine to kick in. @AlisonJones-ls5kv, it’s true that the internal combustion engine might engage for things like heating, cooling, or sudden acceleration.

[@rylans.5365]

Depending on where you are, it’s probably winter I’ll just assume so. A PHEV is still a combustion vehicle and sometimes it will turn on the engine even in EV mode if it needs to get to a sufficient operating temperature, more power is needed for acceleration, and other factors out of your control. Still your car will prioritize EV mode if it is in EV mode. There is nothing you can do and you are doing nothing wrong

[@edwardstaszko]

I have a Sorento PHEV and it is similar. It uses the engine heat to heat the cabin. The engine is just idling, not driving the car, in this mode and is also charging the battery. The AC is electric and should NOT run the engine (I know about that living in Phoenix). I have a 30-mile roundtrip I take almost every day, and I buy gas about every 2-6 months, depending on the amount of other long-distance trips. Be conservative on acceleration and you should find it fantastically cheaper to run, charging during overnight hours. The equivalent cost for a gallon-of-gas distance is about 90 cents. Hope you enjoy it.

[@thesingularity1010]

You mentioned a reduced boot space for the PHEV variant. Di you know how many litres of storage the boot has?

[@AUTOTVO]

I believe it's about 976 litres. Thank you for watching!

[@davidorheden529]

Just bought one three days ago ✌🏼

[@AUTOTVO]

Hope you enjoy it! Very good choice!

[@davidorheden529]

Yeah, i love to be able to charge it cheap at home for daily commutes. Only minus is the battery capacity that goes down during cold winter days here in Sweden

[@AlisonJones-ls5kv]

I will be going on a road trip in my new 2025 Kia Sportage PHEV on Monday. There is no spare tire but there is a tire repair/ inflation kit that comes with the car. But I CANNOT FIND IT anywhere in the car. Any idea where it might be? It’s not in the back where the battery bank is located. Please advise.

[@AUTOTVO]

Congrats on your new Sportage, @AlisonJones-ls5kv! The tire repair/inflation kit is usually stored under the floor in the cargo area, often near or under the storage compartments. If it’s not there, it might be tucked away in one of the side panels in the trunk area. If you still can’t find it, your dealership should be able to point you in the right direction before your road trip. Safe travels!

[@samimani8682]

Not so happy with mine: First, the eletric range is bogus: two weeks of daily charging and it has never started with 35 miles; it starts at 32 miles of range. Also, when I start it and set it to electric only, it will turn on the engine for one reason or another, like when I am stopping to step out and close the parking gate behind me. So even though technically I have been strictly in electric mode every day and driven less than 32 miles each day, my full gas tank has dropped from a full range of 368 to 347 in three days. So the 80 - 85 miles of electrical only driving I have done in the past three days has also resulted in loss of 21 miles on the gas range, which makes the claim of 30-35 electric range bogus. Then there is the quality control issue: the driver side has a vibration noise that is irritating me; I have been told to drop it off to have it checked out. Never had these issues with our previous German cars whether BMW or Mercedes, and I already know they will do a causual inspection and tell me they could not find the source of the vibration. Should have forked out antoher $150 a month and got a GLC-350e which I am told has an electric range of 54 miles. That is what we are planning to get for the wife.

[@AUTOTVO]

Sorry to hear about your experience, Sami. It’s frustrating when the electric range doesn’t meet expectations, especially with daily charging. The vibration noise issue just adds to the frustration. Hopefully, Kia’s service team can address these concerns effectively. The GLC-350e sounds like a solid option if you’re looking for better electric range. Thanks for sharing your honest feedback, it’s super helpful for others considering this model!

[@User13adbgc]

For me this is the japanese bmw x3 mate 👍

[@AUTOTVO]

Definitely!

[@anthonyho1723]

Kia is Korean.

[@lpguerzoni]

You mean Korean? 😂

[@Arondoesstuff]

Absolutely rubbish. I had Toyota CHR before and I change it to Kia Sportage plugin hybrid. I spend more than 2 times on fuel now. It’s not self charge, they telling lies and to make your battery full, you should spend about £11 which is not work even a day for you. I drove 450 miles with my CHR when I made my full tank (35 litres) but now I drive 220 miles with full tank (35 litres). Do NOT buy this rubbish.

[@AUTOTVO]

If you can’t charge regularly, a traditional hybrid like the CH-R might be better for fuel efficiency in my opinion. Thank you for watching!

[@rylans.5365]

You don’t know what a hybrid and PHEV is and that’s on you

[@Arondoesstuff]

@ I have 4 Hybrid cars and I exactly know what is Hybrid and PHEV. Kia sportage plug in hybrid is absolutely rubbish on fuel. Is not environment friendly and is not economic.