The next Sportage is coming, and it changes the maths on buying now
Kia's biggest seller is about to be replaced. The next-generation Kia Sportage has been caught testing overseas, and it is on track for Australian showrooms in 2027.
That is not far away. If you are shopping a mid-size SUV in the next 12 to 18 months, the arrival of an all-new model changes what the current car is worth and how hard you should push on price.
Here is the part the glossy spy shots skip. A new generation on the horizon is leverage for you, not the dealer.
What we actually know about the 2027 Sportage
The camouflaged test cars show a shape close to today's Sportage in size, but with a more steeply raked windscreen and a tapering roofline. Think evolution, not reinvention.
Underneath, it shares its bones and its engines with the next Hyundai Tucson, since both come from the same parent company. The two have long been mechanical twins wearing different suits.
Inside, the spy images point to a much larger central touchscreen running Kia's new in-house operating system. It is the same software the group plans to roll out across millions of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis cars by 2030.
Hybrid becomes the whole story
The big shift is under the bonnet. The 2027 Sportage is expected to drop petrol-only engines entirely and lean fully into electrified power.
That means mild-hybrid, regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, with a range-extender version also on the table. The test car spotted overseas was already running a hybrid setup, going by its exhaust.
For buyers, this is mostly good news. Hybrids cut fuel bills in the stop-start suburban driving most Sportage owners actually do, and they sidestep the charging anxiety that still puts people off full EVs.
The catch is price. Electrified drivetrains almost always carry a higher sticker than the petrol engines they replace, so the entry point for a new Sportage is likely to climb.
The diesel exit is the decision that matters most
Here is the detail that should drive your timing. The current Sportage is one of the last mid-size SUVs you can still buy with a diesel engine, and roughly a third of Australian Sportage buyers choose exactly that.
The next generation is expected to walk away from diesel completely. If a torquey diesel is what you tow with, commute long distances in, or simply trust for high-kilometre reliability, the current car may be your last chance to buy one new.
That is a genuine reason to act on today's model rather than wait. Diesel resale on the current Sportage could also hold up well precisely because the replacement drops it.
Diesel is still offered across the S, SX, SX+ and GT-Line grades right now. Hyundai already killed diesel in the Tucson last year, which makes the Sportage one of the few remaining paths to an oil-burner in this class alongside the Mazda CX-60.
The PHEV Australia never got may finally arrive
The current Sportage is sold as a plug-in hybrid overseas, but Kia Australia decided the business case was too weak to bring it here. Buyers who wanted a plug-in Sportage were simply out of luck.
The next generation looks set to change that. A locally offered PHEV would give the Sportage a real answer to the plug-in versions of rivals, and it suits buyers who want short electric-only commutes with petrol backup for road trips.
If that is the car you have been waiting for, waiting is the right call. There is no point buying a petrol Sportage now if a plug-in is 18 months away and better suits how you drive.
A bigger screen and new software, for better or worse
The new infotainment system is a genuine step up in hardware, with a larger display and a faster underlying platform. It should make everyday tasks like navigation and phone mirroring smoother.
Be realistic about first-generation software, though. Brand-new operating systems often ship with bugs that get ironed out over the first year or two of updates.
Early adopters tend to be the ones who find the glitches. If you value a proven, settled cabin over the newest screen, the current Sportage is a known quantity.
What this means if you are shopping right now
A model on the way out is a buyer's opportunity, and this is where a smarter approach pays off. Dealers know the replacement is coming, and they do not want current stock sitting on the lot when it lands.
That pressure builds through 2026 and into 2027 as the changeover nears. Expect runout campaigns, sharper drive-away offers and more room to negotiate on the outgoing model, especially on diesel and higher grades that the new car will not directly replace.
The trap is assuming the advertised runout price is the real floor. It rarely is. The same negotiation logic that works on its twin applies here, and our Hyundai Tucson price negotiation guide breaks down how to push past the sticker on a shared-platform SUV.
This is exactly the gap Carseekers exists to close, by putting dealers in competition for your business instead of leaving you to haggle one showroom at a time.
How it stacks up against the RAV4 and the rest
The Sportage's arch-rival, the Toyota RAV4, went hybrid-only some time ago and has been plagued by long wait times as demand outstrips supply. A well-timed Sportage deal can be the faster way into a driveway.
Against the RAV4, the current Sportage's trump card has been choice, including that diesel option Toyota does not offer. Once the new generation lands hybrid-only, that gap between the two narrows considerably.
The larger Kia Sorento tells a similar story one size up, keeping diesel for now while rivals drop it. If you need seven seats and diesel torque, the same last-chance logic applies there too.
The market backdrop buyers should not ignore
The shift away from diesel is not just a Kia decision, it is the whole market moving. In one recent month, Australians bought more fully electric cars than diesels for the first time, with hybrids and plug-ins together outselling both.
Petrol still leads overall, but the direction is clear. Diesel is being squeezed out of the mainstream, and the next Sportage dropping it is a symptom of that bigger trend, not an outlier.
For a buyer, the takeaway is simple. If diesel matters to you, the window is closing across the board, not just at Kia. Waiting a year could mean the choice is made for you by the time you walk in.
The bottom line
The 2027 Sportage looks like a sensible, electrified evolution of a car Australians already love, with a better screen and a plug-in option worth waiting for. If hybrid or PHEV is your goal, patience is rewarded.
But if you want a diesel, or you simply want a sharp deal on a proven SUV, the smart move is the opposite. The outgoing Sportage is about to get cheaper and harder to ignore, and diesel is about to disappear from the price list for good.
Either way, do not pay the first number you are quoted. Let the dealers chase you.
Considering finance for your next car? Loanseekers can help you explore car loan options.
The finer details
Your questions answered.
When is the 2027 Kia Sportage coming to Australia?
The next-generation Kia Sportage is on track for Australian showrooms in 2027. It has already been spotted testing overseas, and it shares its timing and underpinnings with the next Hyundai Tucson, which is due the same year.
Will the 2027 Kia Sportage still come with a diesel engine?
No. The next Sportage is expected to drop diesel and petrol-only engines entirely in favour of hybrid power. Since around a third of Australian Sportage buyers currently choose diesel, the outgoing model may be your last chance to buy one new.
Will the new Kia Sportage get a plug-in hybrid in Australia?
It looks likely. Kia Australia skipped the plug-in hybrid on the current Sportage because the business case was too weak, but the next generation is expected to offer PHEV power locally, alongside mild-hybrid and regular hybrid options.
How does the Kia Sportage compare to the Toyota RAV4 on price and wait times?
The RAV4 is hybrid-only and has long been dogged by long wait times. The current Sportage counters with more engine choice, including diesel, and a well-timed runout deal can get you into a driveway faster than joining a RAV4 queue.
Should I buy a Kia Sportage now or wait for the 2027 model?
If you want a diesel or a sharp price, buy now while runout deals build on the outgoing model. If you specifically want a plug-in hybrid or the newest tech, it is worth waiting for the 2027 car.
Will the current Kia Sportage get cheaper before the new one arrives?
Expect it to. As the 2027 replacement nears, dealers will push runout campaigns and drive-away offers to clear current stock, especially on diesel and higher grades. Do not treat the advertised runout price as the real floor, there is usually more room to negotiate.
