I drove the Kia Sportage PHEV for a week — and it’s the hybrid car most families should buy

Much like many people thinking about their next car purchase, convincing people to go all-in on an EV is hard enough, which is exactly why PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) exist. They’re the bridge between yesterday’s ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and today’s best electric cars because of how they offer both gas and electric power.

After driving the Kia Sportage PHEV for a week, I’m convinced it’s one of the more sensibly priced models on the market right now that most families can afford. The model I drove for a week, the 2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD, has an MSRP of $44,490. Yes, it absolutely costs as much as most entry-level EVs, but you gain the benefit of having longer range and instant refueling — plus it can lean on all-electric power.

Given how the average cost for electric cars in November was $55,105 according to Kelly Blue Book, the lower price of the Kia Sportage PHEV puts it in reach for more people. That’s something you can’t overlook when buying a new car today.

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD: Specifications

2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD: Testing summary

Don’t let the price tag scare you because of the long term savings you can get with this compact SUV. In addition to its EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined fuel economy, the Sportage PHEV also features a dedicated 13.8 kWh battery that gets a range of up to 34 miles. In my week’s worth of driving the 2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD, I drove a total of 361 miles — with 161 miles of that strictly on gas power. The rest was on nothing but all-electric power.

Thanks to the all-wheel drive system, the Sportage PHEV has the traction and power to endure inclement weather. On all-electric power, I really enjoy how it has a much smoother acceleration. It’s not quite as zippy as other all-electric vehicles I’ve tested, but it’s still better than the gear shifting I feel when I drive it in automatic mode with gas power.

The biggest thing I want to mention is that you’ll fuel much less than the average car thanks to its hybrid power. I estimate that a fill up on gas would be necessary about once a month, especially if you lean into its battery for most of the time.

However, I’m a little disappointed that Level 1 charging tops out at about the speed of 0.6 kW. Even after 12 hours of charging, it was still nowhere near full. In fact, I was getting estimated times of 24 hours for a complete charge. Comparatively, it took 10 to 12 hours to charge the Lexus RX450h+ PHEV’s 18.1 kWh battery.

• Gas range started at 361 miles, ended at 200 miles
• 282.4 miles driven in total: 161 miles on gas power, 121.4 miles on electric power
• Reach 39.8 mpg fuel economy
• 0.6 kW speed on Level 1 charging

2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD: What I Like

Smooth acceleration on EV mode

When you start getting accustomed to driving an EV, it’s hard going back to driving an ICE vehicle because of how smooth they accelerate. In EV mode, the 2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD offers the same smooth acceleration like any other EV — so you don’t feel the acceleration slipping because of all the gear shifting.

I also like how it gives drivers the option to switch from EV mode to automatic or hybrid mode. These two are different because automatic will decide when to use the battery, engine, or both. Meanwhile, hybrid mode will combine electric and engine power for the best efficiency. Personally, I would recommend driving in EV mode as much as possible not only for the smoother acceleration, but it allows you to use less gasoline — which inevitably means fewer gas fill ups.

Blind spot camera monitor

For some reason, I wasn’t expecting to find blind spot camera monitors in a vehicle of this caliber, but the X-Line Prestige trim packages them in. It’s one of those premium features that would normally be offered as part of an optional package.

Even though I still have that habit of turning my head slightly to check my blind spots while changing lanes on the highway, the cameras embedded into the side mirrors give me a preview directly on the dashboard cluster display — so I can instantly tell if a car is there or not. I find it especially handy when the traffic’s tighter on the road because I don’t have to turn my head around as much.

Panoramic roof

Another extra treat that Kia offers in this trim is a panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade. Again, these sprawling glass rooftops are often reserved for pricier models — so to find one here in a PHEV under $45,000 is icing on the cake. Not only does it offer a great view of the sky above, but the front portion can also open up for better air circulation when the weather’s warmer out.

Good size for a family

On the inside, there’s plenty of room for a family of four to comfortably drive around. The X-Line SynTex Seat Trim, in particular, feels really smooth and does much better at repelling stains and spills if they happen. In the back, the trunk’s more than spacious enough to accommodate my JackRabbit OG2 micro ebike without having to fold down the back seats. With this kind of utility, you’ll be able to carry big payloads instead of renting a truck.

Long term savings on gas

As much as I think I could rely on its electric power, that’s unrealistic because long distance driving would easily eat up its electric battery — so you’re bound to use gas regardless. Unlike your standard gas-powered car, however, you’ll be refueling considerably less.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, I drove 161 miles on gas power and 121.4 miles on electric power. If I’m able to retain its estimated 35 mpg fuel economy, it means that I should get about 388.5 miles of range of gas power from a full tank of gas. Meaning, it’s possible to fill it up once a month if I can manage its all-electric power. If your total daily commute comes out to less than 34 miles, you’ll rarely ever have to visit the pump for fill ups.

2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD: What I Don't Like

Acceleration stiffens with gas power

Hybrid engines aren’t known for their power, but even with its 261 hp performance, the acceleration stiffens when I drive the Sportage PHEX in either automatic or hybrid mode. The zippy continuous acceleration of the vehicle in EV mode is gone, replaced with your typical gear shifting that makes accelerating a lot more of a struggle — including on flat roads trying to reach cruising speed. But to be fair, this underperformance in acceleration is necessary to gain better gas efficiency.

No anti-glare film on mirrors

As much as I’m delighted by how it comes with blind spot camera monitors, I thought Kia would’ve thrown in anti-glare films on all the mirrors. Many EVs I’ve tested offer this, so I’m not blinded by the headlights behind me when driving at night. Neither the side mirrors nor the rearview mirror have any anti-glare films on them.

2024 Kia Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige AWD: Bottom Line

The reason why the Kia Sportage PHEV is the hybrid vehicle most families should buy is because of its spacious size, hybrid power to save you on gas fill ups in the long run, and its utility of being an SUV. For those not convinced with buying an EV just yet, this PHEV will give them a taste of the benefits of electric power — namely its smoother acceleration and cost savings.

Gas prices are volatile, so leaning into its all-electric power as much will offset refueling costs. Furthermore, it doesn’t have the same worry of running out of range and charging like EVs because in the worst case you can refuel it. I know that $45,000 could still be a stretch for some people, which is why you might want to consider just the X-Line trim at $39,590 — or save yourself even more with just the base LX hybrid trim at $31,940.

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