2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid vs 2026 Kia Sportage

The 2026 Kia Sportage showcased a refreshed styling that gave it a more rugged, truck-like appearance, setting it apart from its competitors. The wide grille design, which pushed the headlights to the corners of the front fascia, was retained but became more rectangular, with vertical headlights and daytime running lights. This design aligned the Sportage with the larger Sorento and Telluride crossovers, enhancing its rugged appeal. However, the rest of the vehicle's design remained largely unchanged, with a curvaceous rear end and taillights that didn't quite match the restyled front. The Sportage's 108.5-inch wheelbase, longer than both the Subaru Forester and Nissan Rogue, was evident in its profile, with crisp body lines adding visual interest.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold reinterpretation of its design, which could polarize opinions. The grille, with its flat, faceless look spanning the entire front end, was particularly divisive. The Telluride's personality varied significantly with color and trim level, with body-colored vertical strakes at each edge that could appear jarring in lighter colors but blended harmoniously in darker shades. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile continued the bold theme with angular fender sculpting and unusual black plastic tabs atop each wheel well. The rear view adopted a different style, with rounded corners and vertical taillights reminiscent of a Range Rover. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout and a stark, buttonless modern appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim offered a luxurious two-tone palette, though the labeling on the buttons was difficult to read.

The 2026 Kia Sportage offered a range of powertrains, including conventional gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options. The base and hybrid powertrains were available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while the plug-in hybrid was AWD-only. The non-hybrid models featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains used a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, delivering 232 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque for hybrids, and 268 hp for plug-in hybrids. The Sportage X-Pro model, designed for off-road use, featured all-terrain tires and different drive-mode tuning, but its off-road capabilities came at the expense of everyday driving comfort.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Telluride Hybrid added electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed transmission. The Hybrid was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims but was offered in the X-Line trim. The Telluride Hybrid provided ample power and a quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas power. Both Telluride models were tuned for comfort, delivering a smooth ride, with the X-Pro Prestige trim offering surprising comfort despite its off-road suspension. The Telluride's handling was composed and controllable, though not particularly sporty.

The 2026 Kia Sportage's exterior styling changes did not affect its interior space, which remained competitive for the segment. Headroom and legroom were comparable to key rivals, with rear-seat legroom surpassing the Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4. Cargo space was nominally 36.6 cubic feet with the rear bench in place, expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the dual-level cargo floor in its lower position. The Sportage's towing capacity was 2,500 pounds for non-hybrid models and 2,000 pounds for hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. The center console offered ample storage space, with a wireless charging pad, movable cupholders, and a large storage bin.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers due to low-mounted seat cushions. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, offering comfort comparable to the front seats. The middle-row seats had significant travel fore and aft, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom. The Telluride could hold up to 22.3 cubic feet of cargo behind the third row, expandable to 89.3 cubic feet with the second-row seatbacks folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride's towing capacity was 5,000 pounds, or 4,500 for the Hybrid.

The 2026 Kia Sportage came standard with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Wireless phone charging was standard on all but the base LX trim, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system was standard on SX and higher grades. The horizontal display blended the instrument cluster and touchscreen into one unit, with sharp graphics and large icons. However, the screen-centric interface required regular swiping, and the dual-function control panel for climate and audio functions could be confusing.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The infotainment system included a native navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. The system was easy to use, though it required a hard tap to register inputs, and the climate control screen was difficult to use while driving. The Telluride offered customizable infotainment themes and a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system on SX trims and above, delivering powerful and clear sound.

The 2026 Kia Sportage came equipped with standard driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and parking sensors. Higher trim levels offered advanced features like adaptive cruise control synced with navigation and Highway Driving Assist. The Sportage received the highest Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid included standard advanced safety features such as frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and highway driving assist. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The Telluride's driver attention monitor had operational issues at night, and the blind-spot cameras were found to be distracting.