The Kia Sportage is one of the longest-serving compact SUVs in the marketplace, arising from a body-on-frame sub-compact in the early 1990s to become a current standout in the compact SUV space. It offers the desirable combination of affordability, space, and flexibility that’s so desirable for today’s families, particularly those in one-vehicle households. In hybrid form, it adds one of the more efficient powertrains on the market.
- Base Trim Engine
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1.6L I4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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6-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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177 HP @5500 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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195 lb.-ft. @ 1500 RPM
But the Kia Sportage Hybrid isn’t the only electrified option that checks those same boxes in this most desirable of market segments. The compact SUV segment has rapidly filled with both hybrid and fully electric contenders in recent years, and though there aren’t many hybrids and EVs that can rival the Sportage Hybrid’s pricing while offering comparable size, versatility, and everyday usability, we found 10 that at least match up in price.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources, including the EPA and Edmunds. The models below are presented in descending order based on their starting MSRP.
Lexus UX 300h
Starting Price: $38,035
- Base Trim Engine
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2.0L Inline-4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT)
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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196 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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139 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
The 2025 Lexus UX 300h positions itself as a compelling alternative in the compact SUV/crossover space, especially against the upper tier of the segment, and particularly against high-stakes players like the Kia Sportage Hybrid. The hybrid-exclusive UX brings the cachet of Lexus to roughly the same price range, lacking the size and interior volume of Sportage, but making up for it with upscale design, refined execution, and a focus on efficiency.
Introduced in 2018, the Lexus UX established the brand in the lucrative compact SUV space by leveraging urban-friendly proportions, Toyota’s hybrid know-how, and Lexus’s cachet. It became a hybrid-only model as part of a mid-cycle refresh in 2023, and improves for 2025 with enhanced hybrid performance and efficiency. Compared to the Kia Sportage Hybrid, it lags in interior space and versatility, but claps back with features tailored to a more comfort-focused buyer.
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Toyota bZ4X
Starting Price: $37,070
- Base Trim Engine
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EV
- Base Trim Transmission
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Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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201 HP
- Base Trim Torque
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196 lb.-ft.
If you’re prepared to walk away from ICE vehicles, the 2025 Toyota bZ4X stands out as an electric rival to the Kia Sportage Hybrid, with a compelling combination of price, intent, and presence. Its starting MSRP hovers around the same ballpark as a well-equipped Kia Sportage Hybrid, making it a viable consideration for the value-conscious buyer ready to embrace at-home “refuelling.” And, you get a healthy dose of modern design.
The 2025 Toyota bZ4X shares its platform with the Lexus RZ and Subaru Solterra, and either of those two would also be a healthy consideration to a fully-loaded Kia Sportage Hybrid. Introduced in 2023, it will get a new face and name (dropping the 4X) and additional efficiency and tech features for the 2026 model year. Although power trails the Kia’s turbocharged engine system, it makes up for it in efficiency and instant torque for quick getaways and ramping up to highway speeds.
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Honda CR-V Hybrid
Starting Price: $34,650
- Base Trim Engine
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2.0L I4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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Electronic Continuously Variable Transmission (e-CVT)
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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204 hp
- Fuel Economy
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43/36/40 mpg (FWD) | 40/34/37 mpg (AWD)
The 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid has been a strong rival to the Kia Sportage Hybrid right from the beginning, usually countering the Kia’s affordability with its reputation for reliability and durability. Both acquired hybrid powertrains at about the same time, five years ago, with today’s CR-V more conservatively styled, though that tends to wax and wane through generations. The Honda’s higher cost is often accepted for its perceived long-term value and proven pedigree.
The Kia Sportage predates the Honda CR-V by a couple of years, though both came to North America at roughly the same time, in the mid-1990s. Sportage has consistently adapted to the changing tastes of buyers, and the CR-V earned its reputation through consistent performance and versatility. The CR-V’s system is more powerful, but less efficient, taking into account its larger engine and bulk over the Sportage.
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Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Starting Price: $34,490
- Base Trim Engine
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1.6L I4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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6-speed auto-shift manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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139 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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195 lb-ft
The underrated 2025 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid presents itself to buyers wanting to go a step further in the hybrid game, without shelling out more for the plug-in Sportage, though you do have to take a step back in cabin size. Its design is a bit more futuristic than the Sportage’s, and its powertrain lacks the turbo punch of its larger kin, but it returns much better fuel economy overall, and can perform most of its around-town tasks (up to 33 miles) on electric power alone.
The Kia Niro was launched in 2017 as an electrification-exclusive model (hybrid, PHEV, and EV), and has the added attraction of using a dual-clutch transmission (whereas most hybrids prefer to use CVTs for their efficiency goals). Power can best be described as leisurely, though the initial launch on electric power alone is quite brisk, but it makes up for it with remarkable efficiency and a nimble footprint for the urban cycle.
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Mazda CX-50 Hybrid
Starting Price: $33,970
- Base Trim Engine
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2.5L SKYACTIV-G I4 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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SKYACTIV-Drive 6-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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187 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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185 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM
A relative newcomer to the compact SUV scene, the Mazda CX-50 offers a compelling alternative to the Kia Sportage, and their respective hybrid variants are natural rivals. The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is slightly larger than the Kia, and its hybrid system has the pedigree of Toyota’s 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle powertrain, instantly giving it a reliability belied by the vehicle’s two-year-old age. Its base price is higher than that of the Sportage Hybrid, but it also only comes in AWD.
Introduced in 2023, the Mazda CX-50 traces its roots back to the Mazda3 hatchback, and you don’t get much more desirable and reliable than that. Add Toyota’s hybrid expertise to the mix, and you have a two-year-old vehicle with decades of experience under its belt. It has the size and sportiness advantage over the Sportage, but trails in rear-seat space and cargo versatility. Infotainment is also overly complicated, which is typical for Mazda.
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Chevrolet Equinox EV
Starting Price: $33,600
- Base Trim Engine
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Electric
- Base Trim Transmission
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Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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213 HP
- Base Trim Torque
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236 lb.-ft.
If you’ve been putting off diving into the EV pool because of the expense, the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV may be the counterpoint to your argument, as it makes a strong case as an alternative to the Kia Sportage Hybrid. Its price aligns quite evenly with the Sportage Hybrid, its technology is slightly ahead, and its exterior design is considerably more futuristic than the Kia’s, though it lacks the cabin versatility.
Built from the ground up as an electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Equinox EV has nothing in common with the ICE Equinox other than the name tie-in. It has the power and acceleration edge over the Kia Sportage Hybrid, though it’s by no means a powerhouse in its base FWD single-motor version. The tech-forward interior is as spacious, but trades some SUV flexibility and practicality for innovation and space efficiency.
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Hyundai Kona Electric
Starting Price: $32,975
- Base Trim Engine
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Electric
- Base Trim Transmission
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Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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133 HP
- Base Trim Torque
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188 lb.-ft.
The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric is an intriguing contender to the Kia Sportage Hybrid, offering a similar entry-level price while signaling a deeper commitment to sustainable mobility. Theoretically, it competes in the same compact SUV segment, but it appeals to buyers who seldom travel outside urban or suburban boundaries. Its range is about half that of the ICE Sportage, and its interior space offers an ideal, but constricted, mix for passenger and cargo.
Hyundai has steadily improved the battery and range of the Kona Electric, bringing its best range up to 261 miles (by EPA estimates), which gives it an edge over city cars like the Fiat 500e and Nissan Leaf you’ll read about later, but falls well short of the Sportage Hybrid’s near-600. Acceleration, though, is brisk, and its footprint is tailor-made to handle urban maneuverability, though it doesn’t have the interior roominess and versatility of the Sportage.
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Ford Escape ST-Line
Starting Price: $32,490
- Base Trim Engine
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2.5L Inline-4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT)
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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192 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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155 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
The Ford Escape Hybrid is the longest-serving hybrid SUV in the marketplace, and still one of the best. The 2025 Escape ST-Line is arguably more traditional in its presentation, but with a sportier profile. It’s as close a competitor as you’ll get to the Kia Sportage Hybrid, with a similar footprint and cabin dimensions, though its proven Toyota-based powertrain is not as powerful or efficient in FWD models (but better in AWD).
The 2025 Ford Escape Hybrid uses a Toyota-based 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder powertrain that delivers nearly 200 horsepower and solid fuel economy (identically rated between FWD and AWD versions). Belying its SUV presence, it offers car-like handling that outdoes many in its segment. Its tight, tech-rich interior includes large touchscreens, but lacks the modern presentation of the Kia, choosing to be more utilitarian.
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Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
Starting Price: $28,495
- Base Trim Engine
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2L Dynamic Force I4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
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10-speed automatic/CVT
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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150 HP @6000 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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139 lb.-ft. @ 4400 RPM
Though it’s relatively new to the compact SUV segment, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid has one of the richest heritages in the marketplace, drawing on both the cachet of the Corolla name and Toyota’s legacy of reliability and hybrid powertrains. It’s arguably more conservative, slightly cheaper, and smaller than the Kia Sportage Hybrid, but its interior makes the most of its tight but comfortable confines.
Launched in 2022, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid borrows its 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain from the Prius, and you don’t get much more experienced than that. Still, it gives up power, acceleration, and long-run efficiency to the Sportage Hybrid’s turbocharged powertrain, though its sleeker, more compact footprint gives it the edge around town. As with many others, it trails the Kia in rear-seat and cargo room, and passenger/cargo versatility.
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Nissan Leaf
Starting Price: $28,140
- Base Trim Engine
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EV
- Base Trim Transmission
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Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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147 HP @3282 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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236 lb.-ft.
The pioneer of mainstream EV sustainability, the Nissan Leaf presents a compelling, budget-friendly electric alternative to the Kia Sportage Hybrid, with base pricing undercutting that of the traditionally powered compact SUV. The differences to the Sportage are glaring, in that the Leaf is a hatchback city car (though the Leaf gets totally reimagined for its next generation) with barely enough range and interior space, and versatility for viable long-range excursions.
Though it doesn’t have the credentials of a viable one-car household vehicle, the 2025 Nissan Leaf will satisfy buyers who simply need to get the kids to school or practice, or a commute from the suburbs to the city core. Available with a choice of batteries, it can stretch out range to upwards of 210 miles, and will save about 50 percent on driving costs. Acceleration is brisk, and the interior is cozy, though it does lack the familiarity of the more classically styled Sportage.
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