I drive a Rav4 Prime, and for average daily driving, I never use the gas engine. For me, the purpose of the gas engine is long highway trips. A full EV would be great for me most of the time, but I really don’t want to have to stop to charge ever 200-300 miles on a road trip. I think a lot of PHEV owners choose a plug-in for this reason.
This is where I am. Hardly ever drive more than 35 miles in a day, but when I do it’s for LONG distances. I wouldn’t mind stopping on long highway trips…but my kid does. I’d love to go full EV but at least right now it’s unfortunately not worth the headache
Agreed, I believe he's incorrect in evangelizing that gasoline elimination commuters should just be EV all day. That may work Monday thru Friday on the 12 mile workday, but it's the wrong answer when weekends mean leaving the state, unless you REALLY like sitting around a charge station cafe or napping in the seat while your kids go insane in the back.
The reason why people don't just buy an EV. Is because EVS are incredibly expensive. I use our phev exclusively on battery in the city and it saves an incredible amount of money. Yes I would have purchased an EV if they weren't so darn expensive
Definitely the most comprehensive review I've watched on this PHEV, and most understandable with respect to the choice & cost factor between this model and the regular Hybrid Sportage. Well done
Alex, thank you for shining the light on PHEV’s. I have 2. The object for the purchase is the versatility of achieving whatever goal the driver has in mind that day. Run errands around town in electric mode? Done. Take a trip to Reno over snowy Donner Summit? Done. The PHEV is a different bird. I’m tired of EV owners telling me I’m crazy, that I have 2 power trains, that it is twice as costly, blah blah blah. I am willing to challenge any Tesla 3 owner on costs against my Ford Fusion Energi or my Audi A3 eTron. Thanks for highlighting the Sportage, and any other plug ins you can find.
Yes, you are spot on with regards to PHEV's. These should be way more popular than they are. A little bit of fuel can go a long way on the commutes, and for road trips, there's no need to worry about charge stations, but those are still available when you have time for it. Great review of a great car with weird headlights that I've gotten used to.
The problem is simple economics. My wife and I would love to buy a PHEV mid size SUV, but between the Tucson, Sportage, and Rav4 Prime the price differential is so great we'd never come close to making up for it in gas savings. We would happily spend ~3k more than a regular hybrid because of the added driving experience of EV modes, but when the difference is more like 7k it just doesn't make sense...
Alex claims he chuckles at those who never use gas in their PHEV… he then says ‘Why not just buy an EV in that case?’ I can see his point, but any comparable EVs will cost $10k+ more. That’s an expensive chuckle.
Exactly. I really like the EVs that are more like real SUVs, both here and Europe, but obviously they can be 10k-20k USD more. The ones that aren't are slightly raised hatchbacks
We've owned the Hyundai cousin (Tucson PHEV) to this for almost a year now. So far it's been fantastic, getting >125 MPG using it as my Wife's daily driver. However, she is religious about plugging it in, which is CRITICAL if you own a PHEV. I installed a level 2 charger in our garage, right next to where she parks, and she loves not having to go to the gas station every week. A PHEV is a fantastic "bridge" vehicle if you're not ready to go full EV just yet. If you want something that gets excellent mileage as a daily runabout, yet you also want something that can go cross country without making compromises on travel and "refueling" times. PS: Getting the $6,587 federal tax credit plus the Colorado $2,500 tax credit back this year. Unfortunately, the (so called) Inflation Reduction Act eliminated the Hyundai/Kia products from the federal credits...
My reason for considering a PHEV over a standard hybrid, probably even more than reducing my gasoline consumption, is the significant difference in (reduced) cabin noise when in EV mode. I'm really surprised that Alex didn't make any comments about comparative cabin noise, other than providing a single dB number, without indicating what the measurement would have been for the other (non-PHEV) Sportage models. Otherwise, a truly excellent discussion about the Sportage (and, presumably, the Tucson). FWIW, it's disappointing that the Sportage/Tucson PHEVs don't have a mode to lock-out the EV when utilizing the ICE for extended high speed traveling, in order to replenish the EV battery for later in the journey.
I didn't realize this has a 7.2kw charger. That's really nice as the vast majority of PHEVs (mine included) are stuck in the 3-3.5kw range so charging takes forever.
Just got one of these and your review is pretty on target. Got it for the plugin feature at home. My commute is short, and driving around town I rarely use gas. It kicks into gas when I drive on the highway into the city. I also got it for the old style 6 speed auto tranny, ground clearance and very nice interior. The transition from electric to gas operation is barely noticeable, except when you floor it and it takes off like a rocket. Shifts are always smooth. The battery never goes to zero because it drops out of full electric when the battery gets to 15%, then it’s full hybrid only. That’s AFTER the 32 mile all electric range is used up. The head rest bugs me a bit, it’s a bit forward and wish I could move just the headrest back instead of tilting the whole seat. And the sun roof has to roll the shade all the way to the back before it will open to the outside. Wish I could roll it back halfway and open the sun/moon roof. Another annoying thing is that the back doors always seem to be locked , even when the front is open. It beeps at you when the engine is on, you put in park and step out of the vehicle, which gets tiresome pretty quick. No spare is a bit concerning. Other than these minor quibbles, this thing is a sweet ride. 😎
Thank you for all the info. I don’t drive the PHEV, but I have a feeling that in the settings you can choose “two clicks unlock all doors” because in the 2023 EV6 I just noticed that. I think my 2019 Niro Ev even let me select a setting where one click unlocks all doors.
I test drove a Kia Niro PHEV in addition to the Niro EV, IONIQ 5, and ID.4. With sky-high electric rates here in San Diego, and people like Kyle Conner telling California road trippers that roadside DC fast chargers are often broken or overcrowded, I'm not convinced that EVs are the way to go in 2023. Alex's video is excellent, and his comment about people with PHEVs saying they almost never buy gas so why not just by an EV, gave me additional food for thought.
@@Bebela1ms it does come with heads up display. I got the x line. I think the trim up has the ambient lighting. Mine has lighting on the door handles, trunk lift. A tank of gas near empty had cost not cost me more than $33 for about 500 miles w/o electric
@@JoeHartman80 thank Joe for your reply. I’ve been to 3 Kia already they all keep telling me to go with the Ev6 Gt line which I love it but the PHEV also sounds like a safe option if I dont have a lot of access to charging stations u know. I wasnt sure about the heads-up display since I havent seen any of the TH-camrs addressing that feature as well the ambient lighting and those are two fun features to have if u going to pay all that money for a car.
It's actually exactly the same cargo capacity as the regular hybrid and non-hybrid models with the cargo floor in its standard upper position which provides a no-liftover floor. However on those models the floor can be repositioned to a lower level which provides a few more inches of height in the cargo area. In six months I haven't put the floor in my hybrid in the lower position yet.
One other advantage of a PHEV or EV, at least in So. Cal, is that you quailfy for a special lower electric utility rate, which can add up over time. Just one more reason we went with the Sportage PHEV vs the Hybrid.
I assume you are referring to the TOU-D-PRIME rate? If so, I find that a bad fit for a PHEV. With this rate, energy is most expensive right when you get home from work or school and need to charge back up again to go out to eat, the gym, whatever. I chose to stay on the tiered rate plan, which is still an option.
My next car. Niro PHEV currently. Note. The automatic transmission does not have a traditional energy wasting hydraulic torque converter. The motor is used to sync the engine and transmission speeds before shifts.
There are some good reasons to prefer the Sportage PHEV like styling (personal taste), technology (Rav has been updated, but it's certainly mediocre in my 21 Prime), price and maybe availability. I owned a Kia Soul and I thought it had awesome build quality, so I trust Kia. You may also prefer the mechanical AWD and the transmission. Where the Prime rules is in the EV mode. You have a lot more horsepower in the Prime's EV motors than any other PHEV other than the new Outlander PHEV. So it's super fun to drive around town and it's good on the freeway. You can pretty much keep it in EV mode until you take a longer trip. It's nice to have a little more range as well. I'm guessing the Sportage is good, but I know the Prime is good. : )
Always great reviews…I loved my RAV4 Prime’s ability to just be in EV mode…wish other PHEVs would do it…to clarify, some of us want the PHEV so we can do our daily commute on EV mode only, and then only use the gas when we take longer trips since the EV charging infrastructure in this country blows outside of the TESLA network…and on the subject of the battery and charger in the cargo bay where a spare tire would go, I’m would venture to guess it’s there for weight distribution and safety (closer to the side makes it more vulnerable in an accident). Lastly, why don’t your legroom/headroom comparos include the CRV? I’m guessing bc it’s not a PHEV?
Put the keys in your pocket then feel them, you can very easily feel and press the lock button with out pulling keys out or looking at them that's why I think they did that.
I think you're an outlier here Alex... I think the appeal of PHEVs is to people who want a full electric, but aren't fully ready and want the gasoline engine as a backup. They want to use ev only as much as possible but still have an alternative if they need to go on a road trip. The charging infrastructure isn't fully developed yet (especially outside of CA) and being reliant on that infrastructure is intimadating. I'm sure you're seeing the arguments from people living in apartments or in situations where they don't have access to reliable charging at home as well. Full EV isn't the best option for a lot of people. PHEVs are more affordable as you say, and they can be used almost like a full EV but they offer the ice as a backup for when full EV isn't workable. The KIA/Hyundai PHEVs not having a dedicated EV mode is a bit of a deal breaker for me... I would be one of those people who would brag about not using a bunch of gas.... If you're just going to use the car as a Hybrid, then just buy the standard hybrid, it would save a lot of money upfront, and be less complicated to operate... I for one don't understand people who buy a PHEV and just use it like it's a normal hybrid.... It's less efficient than a standard hybrid, and why bother with the biger battery and EV capabilities if you aren't planning to use them? And yeah, I know your commute is over a mountain and kind of far and a normal PHEV doesn't have the range to get you to and from work on battery alone.... That isn't the average situation though. I can get to work and back on that battery range alone, and could potentially make a tank of Gass last for months and months, but I'd also have the option to drive down to the beach for a weekend and not have to worry about finding a charge station somewhere nearby, or be worried about hotel charging, or using the car and depleting the range over the weekend. It could use the car without worry, and fully enjoy the vacation. Live in the moment and all that. I guess it's kind of like those VCR/DVD combo units they sold for a while. You get access to both and have the option to continue using what you already have access to and are comfortable with, but you can still also utilize the newer. format. Not a perfect analogy because DVDs are dead now, but the idea is there.. I mean hell, you even make the same argument at the end of your video... We want an ev but don't want to go all in. What does it matter if we want to be ev only as much as possible then? If we aren't ready for a full ev then using a PHEV as an ev alternative is a decent solution.... Not sure how that's hard to understand....
Re: your comments at 28:40, what's so hard to understand about a use case where someone would want the routine, local, daily travel to be in a purely EV mode, and then operate in a normal hybrid for days when you're traveling more than 25 or 30 miles? Seems so obvious to me...
The pricing between the RAV4 Prime and the Sportage PHEV differs massively in different countries. In Canada, the top end Sportage SX PHEV is $50k after tax and rebates. The Prime XSE Tech is $67k, even with rebates and is still missing a lot of features the Kia has. Paired with the awful interior, there is no world where it is actually worth the extra $17k. The base Prime SE is not even worth it either, it's basically an LE with the powertrain but it costs $15k over the hybrid. Toyota's pricing in Canada at least is terrible, and people fall for it. Also, thank goodness our Sportage spec has all the stuff the US is missing, including auto dimming rear mirror, heated rear seats, Homelink, and much more. Ours should hopefully be in our driveway soon.
Agreed 100 % that why I chose and got my Sportage PHEV SX (white color) this July 5th over the rav4 xse Prime ..I’m still on the rav4 waiting list since feb 2022…. Toyota told me 3 more years of waiting this March 2023…Lol I gave up and don’t regret it. My Sportage features, interior and tech beats the rav4 prime by a lot…. I’m quite happy to get a tiny less efficiency compared to the rav4 while saving more than $16k ! I love everything about my Sportage not even speaking of the full length moon roof… wisely integrated rear window wiper….such a beautifully designed suv.. overall Sportage stands out from its competitors 😊😊😊😊
I’m feeling very satisfied that we just brought a new Sportage Plug-In Hybrid home yesterday. Maybe watching this video first would have made it even easier.
Johnny Hates Jazz... Flashbacks to high school when that album came out and was only available on cassette and CD- one of the first albums not offered on vinyl.
No mentions of the Escape PHEV which has much better real world range and highest MPGe in the class. Seems like auto enthusiasts are turned off by the lack of AWD and bland interior, but it will readily meet the needs of many (most?) US Americans (and has a tax credit!)
I was glad to see your comment. As you said the Escape PHEV has the tax credit and is the only moderately priced PHEV that does. It has the best MPG of any of the PHEV’s in it’s class (Not counting the Niro as it’s a bit smaller) and is really a nice car. I almost bought one but Ford was slow about getting itself on the list for tax rebates here in Oregon. One thing about PHEV’s and EV’s is that efficiency kind of gets lost as people are not used to the numbers. 85 MPGe sounds good, but it’s really not that great compared to the Prime and the Escape. I think people are more focused on range than efficiency. Over all I’m a big fan of Alex but I don’t agree with some of the things he says about PHEV’s and EV’s. Just some.
The problem of the escape is that it doesn't have all wheel drive, and many features and a bland interior. I rather the better interior than to get an extra eight miles in a charge.
The front styling isn't something that I can't live with, but the Sorento and Telluride look so good I don't know why the KIA people didn't make the front of the vehicle look like them.
I have a RAV4 prime and part of the reason I chose it over waiting for the Sportage, was that it has the most powerful EV motor of any plugin hybrid other than the Outlander which adds up to about the same as the RAV4. This means it's a good EV as well as an efficient Hybrid. So, I can go on the highway at high speeds and decent acceleration and the engine doesn't turn on. I'd probably choose the Sportage over the RAV4 if AWD was more important to me because I'm guessing the mechanical AWD is better than the AWD that comes from the electric motor in the rear of the Prime. The tech is probably also a lot better in the Sportange than in my 2021 Prime, but it's been update now.
Kia is not better than Rav4 when off-road. Just better stability maybe slippery road. Outlander beats both off road due to powerful rear electric motor. But just one item. All of them make sense for some
For 2024, there is an available OEM (dealer installed) front steel skidplate. It is powder coated in white and is wide but not deep. It provides protection from parking lot barriers and curbs. It works on any Sportage.
I don't understand the stigma against PHEV's. It does everything that a BEV could do, as well as everything that a BEV couldn't. By use cases, at least 95% of my vehicle usage is commute and shopping. With 80-100km of electric range, PHEV's would be no different from the BEV's that have 500km range. In those rare cases where I need to drive long distance, I would just drive in HEV mode and fill-up at gas stations. What is there not to like?
Great review. Would I be correct in assuming I could use electric mode to do my grocery shopping and plug it in every night and get away with EV only mode (assuming my grocery shopping run is limited to the maximum battery distance) ? What I’m after is a run to the grocery stores EV vehicle but when I do longer runs just a really good MPG gas hybrid. I still need an SUV for all my sporting stuff.
Interested in the comparison between this and the Outlander PHEV. It seems like the Outlander behaves much more like an EV with a generator attached vs the Kia acting like a hybrid with a plug. Thoughts?
What's the PHEV Sportage availability? We've had our order in with the dealer for 6 months now. Any time we ask them for an update on availability they're completely clueless on when they'll be available.
Up here in Canada we get a $5k federal rebate and a $2k BC provincial rebate on PHEV, same as EV (Provincial rebate is $3k on full EV). Thus, it's pretty much the same price as the hybrid. We have a PHEV Sportage on order, been waiting for 8 months -it should be here any day now! Thanks for explaining the differences in the drivetrain -this is the best breakdown I've read so far. I really wanted an EV! But as you pointed out, there are no EV that give you same clearance, AWD and capacity for luggage and towing.
@@sedonars1 it does not exist yet. And if it ever does, there won't be a dealer network anywhere near me I'm picking up the sportage phev this afternoon from the local kia dealer
@@sedonars1 i won't order a tesla because service is 4hr away What makes u think ordering a car from an unknown manufacturer building it's first car is going to be of any interest? With the number of new ev manufacturers struggling to stay afloat I'm not accepting that risk w my money or vehicle requirements
@sedonars conventional wisdom is that you're taking a serious risk with respect to reliability when you buy a first-of-class or first year after a refresh. How much do you think that goes up with a company that's only just starting to build cars? EVs as a group have poor reliability, even from established manufacturers, because most are still pretty new to building EVs and they drag the stats down. I wouldn't buy from either Frisker or Rivian right now. Maybe in five years.
Thank you so much for this in-depth review and showing its off road capabilities. I’ve been in the market for a Phev and love that this has a mechanical AWD system. I almost went with a PHEV Sorrento.
Having recently driven both the RAV4 Prime and Kia Sportage PHEV (2025), the Sportage is the much better buy…much smoother ride, better sounding engine when it’s running, much better interior/electronics, available pano sunroof…I actually drove the Honda CRV Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Lexus NX PHEV, and Kia Sportage, back to back to back…Sportage all the way.
This is great review which covers a lot of information at grassroot level regarding what is HYBRID and how Hybrid works and what should be our practical expectation regarding it. Thanks for sharing great information. +1 Subscriber :)
Here's a fix for those that buy the plug-in hybrid, run in EV mode, then complain the engine started to help power the vehicle: when you hit the EV button then the ICE falls off. 🙂 Don't take this too seriously and get upset folks. However, what good does being a complainer accomplish when your gripe is about aspects involving the vehicle you chose to buy?
I took a look at one of these recently, and just decided to stick with my high mileage Toyota SUV. My issue with this and many, many new cars is the lack of buttons, overly complicated infotainment systems, and the lack of lower seat length. I keep finding all these new cars have replaced the bottom seat cushion length to allow comfort for very short people, and as such i find in some of them that the bottom seat cushion is actually smaller than a park bench. This thing unfortunately was at the top of my list, but when i drove it, i couldn't find a comfortable position, the windows were too small so i couldn't see out of it, made me feel like i was driving a box truck.. Then the lower cushion only came mid length of my thigh, which at 6'2" tall i am not the tallest, but not short either.. The big Pano sunroof was stupid too, as it only opens a very small amount, the break in the panel where the black strip is showing is no where near as big as the opening of the roof actually is, the one in my old Toyota opens a lot further.. I will however say it is quiet, and does ride nice, but IMO it's too "Gimmick like" and would get old fast and likely not age well.. My wife has a prime, it's amazing to drive on EV Mode, but once the ICE kicks in with the Direct Injection the engine makes it feel way too unrefined and loud.. and while i Like that thing, the driving position, windshield rake is too far back and i don't fit in it.. As such being a tall US Male means I have to drive a 8MPG old Toyota SUV, because i can't fit in these new poorly engineered imports.. (Toyota included)
Hey Alex, Please start including headlight performance in your reviews. You are the best automotive reviewer and it would definitely give people another reason to subscribe to your channel.
So, I live in Wisconsin and we need the heat on for about six months of the year. Do I understand you correctly that I would have to be in hybrid mode to get heat? That would really compromise the value of the electric motor for me. The hybrid model would make a lot more sense in cold climates.
I am among those hating the transmission shifts. I prefer eCVT from Toyota working smoothly in HEV and PHEVs. There is no need for transmission at the end of the day if the wheels are propelled directly by electric motors since software can do wonders in modulating the needs off road: look at Rivian or GMC HUMMER. Why it does not work in case of Toyota RAV4 Prime to be a good off roader - simply unrefined software. Why Hyundai group still prefer transmission in their hybrids - their have spent money on RD and at the moment those factories still employ lots of folks but the product is relatively cheap.
Opposites unite is their stated design language. So I guess that explains your styling comment! I couldn’t get the plug-in. Period. They aren’t available in all areas. Still waiting on the Hybrid. Nearly a year now…
I have one on order from Oct, but looks like it will not arrive until June or July, I hope..., With 5.6KWH of solar and a backup battery, I think I'll be able to do 70-80% of my usual monthly driving in EV mode but I do travel to CO Springs and Tucson from Albuquerque which negates, for me, a pure EV.
Seems great -- the only deal killer for me would be the lack of a spare tire. I just really want the ability to change the tire in case there is any problem.
@@oateater5044 You have better luck than me. I think I've had to change a spare like at least 5 times, maybe more in yikes 40 years of driving? I dunno, every time it's traumatizing, LOL.
So am I correct in understanding here that an EV only mode can be forced unless you floor the pedal or the heating is needed? My goal here is to end up at my home with close to zero charge. However, if on a long trip, I would be OK with spending more on gas ( with a MPG penalty) so as to not do the charging hassle while traveling every 200 to 300 miles . Ninety percent of our trips are less than 20 miles.
I don’t understand your comment on the RAV4 Prime electric acceleration witch I find pretty good (9sec) also the hvac on the KIA would be for me a no go. Great review.
I have a non Prime Hybrid Rav4. I have had the opportunity to try it in packed deep snow drifts and it does fine. Going can be alittle slow but it it's hard to get stuck. The rear electric motor generator comes on quickly when the front wheels start to slip. The Rav4 Hybrid actually can't function as a gas only. The transmission is relying on one or the other electric motors to get engine power to the wheels via the differential effect of the planetary gear set. It sounds odd, but it's the way the system works. I like mine overall, not perfect but I don't miss the shifting gears one bit. Kia and Hyundai hybrids are a good system in my view. I like them less than Toyota Prius but more than Honda. Gas milage is the biggest advantage of a hybrid and Kia/Hyundai delivers good results. One more note: the hidden rear wiper is actually a rear good idea. My Rav 4 has the wiper exposed and it's always plugged with ice in snowy conditions. One detail I learned that I didn't like after the purchase. Enjoy your videos Alex and good day.
added cost and complexity, not worth it..... The one advantage of a PHEV, is you get to use Free waste heat.... heatpump and/or electric heat, make more sense to use for a BEV...
@@acche-rc there are many PHEVs, that add one or both.... I was just stating that it adds more cost and complexity... And it's kind of counterproductive.... not that it wasn't possible....
In Orlando, the PHEV is $10k more than the HEV. It's like refunding all your fuel savings back to the manufacturer and getting a higher electric bill each month too. I don't get it.
In Canada there are provinces that you can get up to 10k off a 50km+ range PHEV, similar to a BEV. That puts the Sportage EX at 38.7k on the Kia Canada website, the PHEV EX comes in at 48.2k but you get 10k as a rebate so after taxes are calculated it's only about an extra grand to get the PHEV. Only a grand makes it a no-brainer to select the PHEV if you can plug it in.
@@ALMX5DP No, our rebate is taken off the invoice at time of purchase after the sales tax is applied. So you pay full sales tax and then the rebate comes off the price so your payments/final price will be lower.
@@Snerdles true the percentage of those who fall into that might be fairly small but I think it’s not an insignificant number. I fall into that and would potentially consider something of this caliber for my next purchase if I knew I could get the full incentive. As it stands I would only reap a small amount based on how ours work which is a shame.
Alex, yesterday we purchased a 2023 Kia Sportage Plug In Hybrid. I have to say this is my first experience with an electric vehicle. My commute is about 27 miles each way so I am hoping to augment gas cost considerably with this SUV. I wish Kia could have fit the regular gas tank in - couple more gallons=longer range and made it so that you could still put the cargo cover in the lower position, but we'll deal with it. Other than those, I don't think there are any other compromises with this vehicle.
It would be best if you could charge at work. I have this car for a year. Although it’s an European version which is a bit smaller I love everything about this car except the app. I just hate it.
Many workshops still have some catching up to do when it comes to digitalization. Digitization. Electromobility. Consolidation. The electro cars industry is undergoing changes - and with it the secondary market . Aftermarket of green energy !!!!!!
I'm not sure this car exists in the real world. I was helping my parents car shop, and there were only two hybrid Sportage within 250 miles, and maybe a handful of plug-in nation-wide. All of them had $5-10k mark-ups.
I will, money is not really an issue, my wife hates gas stations specially now with our newborn but she doesnt want recharging stress at long distance, so its worth it
You’ll save that $7k in gas over about 5 years if you’re using the full EV range every day. If you plan to keep the car for a long time, it’s worth it. Additionally, the PHEV has much better power and acceleration than the non-plugin version. That’s what won my wife over.
I want the plug not to save money on gas but to emit less carbon. Ontario's electricity grid is primarily powered by nuclear (58%) and hydro (35%). I know nuclear has a waste storage issue, but the planet crisis at the moment is carbon.
I have the sportage SX non plug-in.... such a nice vehicle with the best ADAS tech! Question-- will this Sportage Plug-in hybrid qualify for the 7500 fed ev credit?? This will be a game-changer if it does...
At the moment, it won't. But, there are some news that Ally Bank is doing a lease for certain Kia models and passing some tax credit as incentive. And, I hope that Kia will officially start this soon since Hyundai started for Ioniq5.
@SF Tech wow, that sounds promising regarding Ally Bank! Fingers crossed we can access some good lease deals with this KIA sportage PHEV. Currently enjoying my gas sportage. Would love the extra power and ev versatility!
@@sftech9215 Good point! One thing to note is that while leasing companies can receive a tax credit for purchasing clean energy vehicles to lease (and I'm sure all will rush to make sure they do), they have no obligation to pass any of that on to the consumer. Hopefully most companies will without tacking on other fees that essentially cancel it out.
Such a shame that this is so much slower in electric mode than in hybrid mode. There are *zero* modern PHEVs with serial or serial-like systems where the car is just as fast whether the gas engine is on or off, like in the Honda Clarity or 2nd gen Chevy Volt. I understand that the argument here could be to just get an electric car, but I'm still firmly in PHEV camp for Texas-sized road trips. For now, our Clarity perfectly fits the bill.
I must admit the geek in me.... Would love to buy one too.... At the right price... Where else are you going to get a carbon fiber/aluminum framed, range extended used EV, at an affordable price? Make sure you get it checked out by an EV mechanic... BMWs Are not known for their reliability... And good luck buying one.
Fast forward to today, 2024, and the prices have jumped significantly. The hybrids are in high demand on the east coast and most EX trim hybrids are sold before they arrive at the dealership... our dealer wanted $39,000 for the EX trim hybrid, about $7,000 over MSRP and they can't keep them in stock.
This seems like the pinnacle of complication and thus potential stuff to break... turbo engine, engine/trans decoupling clutch, auto trans, mechanical AWD, and all the hybrid electric bits. I know most cars are pretty reliable but still. Toyota's relative simplicity on their non-Tundra hybrids is pretty appealing.
This is a wise observation not recognized by many. There is beauty in simplicity. This is such a comfy, great driving car (i was able to test drive one)…but i cannot get around the potential long term reliability of choices made here. So many things to go wrong here. If you’re leasing this thing, or else planning to sell it in 5 years, you probably won’t have a problem. If you’re like me, though, and keep cars for 10 years or well over 1-200K miles, I’d very very concerned about this offering.
Alex, Before you release thoughtful and deeply considered videos like this do you ever ask yourself whether subscribers can actually handle the truth? 🤔
Like the content as always but the Kia/Hyundai system failed to provide camp mode to use ac without running engine like RAV4 prime that’s a bummer, and probably the bigger bummer is there is no tax credit
So, Alex, what you're saying is that despite the otherworldly ugly front lighting setup, this is actually a compact CUV that is genuinely good at being a compact CUV with an actual mechanical connection to all 4 contact patches. Thanks! In 10 years, once it is affordable on the used market, if I can stomach the front end by then, I might put it on my shopping list!
I personally love the looks-- about 3 years ahead of its time-- design-wise best in class-- feels like a car in the next class up--- vs x3, q3/q5, glc etc for significantly less money and with excellent lane centering and smart cruise for long drives on freeway!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it looks great. Just received my Sportage SE and love the fact it can operate on gas or electricity. No range anxiety. Great vehicle so far. My first Kia so I have my fingers crossed.
Since we haven't driven this vehicle 80,000 km's we can't speak from first hand experience but that's really not that much distance and you'll find very few occasions where a modern vehicle has had significant issues at 80,000 km. I wouldn't have any concern with this Kia until nearly double the distance and even then it would be standard things that come up with all vehicles. -Travis
Love my PHEV - I have a bmw 530e. Something about Kia I really dislike is the markups! Looked at an EV6 recently because they had one at the dealer and it had a 17,000$ markup! A Kia EV6 for more than 2023 bmw i4! 🤦🏻♂️
It’s crazy how different it is in Europe. You always buy at SRP price. You just need to wait for your car until it’s produced. I waited for my Kia Sportage PHEV for 7 months. But it was worth it.
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I drive a Rav4 Prime, and for average daily driving, I never use the gas engine. For me, the purpose of the gas engine is long highway trips. A full EV would be great for me most of the time, but I really don’t want to have to stop to charge ever 200-300 miles on a road trip. I think a lot of PHEV owners choose a plug-in for this reason.
This is where I am. Hardly ever drive more than 35 miles in a day, but when I do it’s for LONG distances. I wouldn’t mind stopping on long highway trips…but my kid does. I’d love to go full EV but at least right now it’s unfortunately not worth the headache
This is exactly why we went with this PHEV.
Do you live where the winter is c-c-c-cold?
Agreed, I believe he's incorrect in evangelizing that gasoline elimination commuters should just be EV all day. That may work Monday thru Friday on the 12 mile workday, but it's the wrong answer when weekends mean leaving the state, unless you REALLY like sitting around a charge station cafe or napping in the seat while your kids go insane in the back.
The reason why people don't just buy an EV. Is because EVS are incredibly expensive. I use our phev exclusively on battery in the city and it saves an incredible amount of money. Yes I would have purchased an EV if they weren't so darn expensive
Definitely the most comprehensive review I've watched on this PHEV, and most understandable with respect to the choice & cost factor between this model and the regular Hybrid Sportage. Well done
Alex, thank you for shining the light on PHEV’s. I have 2. The object for the purchase is the versatility of achieving whatever goal the driver has in mind that day. Run errands around town in electric mode? Done. Take a trip to Reno over snowy Donner Summit? Done. The PHEV is a different bird. I’m tired of EV owners telling me I’m crazy, that I have 2 power trains, that it is twice as costly, blah blah blah.
I am willing to challenge any Tesla 3 owner on costs against my Ford Fusion Energi or my Audi A3 eTron.
Thanks for highlighting the Sportage, and any other plug ins you can find.
Yes, you are spot on with regards to PHEV's. These should be way more popular than they are. A little bit of fuel can go a long way on the commutes, and for road trips, there's no need to worry about charge stations, but those are still available when you have time for it. Great review of a great car with weird headlights that I've gotten used to.
Honestly, if you are an expressway driver and travel a distance, you might as well get a gas car. Your adding parts and maintenance
The problem is simple economics. My wife and I would love to buy a PHEV mid size SUV, but between the Tucson, Sportage, and Rav4 Prime the price differential is so great we'd never come close to making up for it in gas savings. We would happily spend ~3k more than a regular hybrid because of the added driving experience of EV modes, but when the difference is more like 7k it just doesn't make sense...
@@LoneOakWoodworks where i am from, we have gov incentive that make the phev only $1500 more than the gas version. however avabililites is ass here,
Alex claims he chuckles at those who never use gas in their PHEV… he then says ‘Why not just buy an EV in that case?’
I can see his point, but any comparable EVs will cost $10k+ more. That’s an expensive chuckle.
Exactly. I really like the EVs that are more like real SUVs, both here and Europe, but obviously they can be 10k-20k USD more. The ones that aren't are slightly raised hatchbacks
We've owned the Hyundai cousin (Tucson PHEV) to this for almost a year now. So far it's been fantastic, getting >125 MPG using it as my Wife's daily driver. However, she is religious about plugging it in, which is CRITICAL if you own a PHEV. I installed a level 2 charger in our garage, right next to where she parks, and she loves not having to go to the gas station every week. A PHEV is a fantastic "bridge" vehicle if you're not ready to go full EV just yet. If you want something that gets excellent mileage as a daily runabout, yet you also want something that can go cross country without making compromises on travel and "refueling" times.
PS: Getting the $6,587 federal tax credit plus the Colorado $2,500 tax credit back this year. Unfortunately, the (so called) Inflation Reduction Act eliminated the Hyundai/Kia products from the federal credits...
Makes sense right. Since the inflation reduction act is to help Americans. Those vehicles aren’t. Build in America and have most of the parts imported
My reason for considering a PHEV over a standard hybrid, probably even more than reducing my gasoline consumption, is the significant difference in (reduced) cabin noise when in EV mode. I'm really surprised that Alex didn't make any comments about comparative cabin noise, other than providing a single dB number, without indicating what the measurement would have been for the other (non-PHEV) Sportage models. Otherwise, a truly excellent discussion about the Sportage (and, presumably, the Tucson). FWIW, it's disappointing that the Sportage/Tucson PHEVs don't have a mode to lock-out the EV when utilizing the ICE for extended high speed traveling, in order to replenish the EV battery for later in the journey.
Once more, yours is the best review. I've seen 20+ but the information you give is still supplementary to the others therefore essential! Well done!
I like the fact that Kia decided to stick with a standard auto 6 speed. Would've been great to have more gears but it just works.
I didn't realize this has a 7.2kw charger. That's really nice as the vast majority of PHEVs (mine included) are stuck in the 3-3.5kw range so charging takes forever.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, now has a DCFC CHAdeMO charging
Chademo is arguably less useful than higher power AC charging, at least outside of Japan.
How many Chademo Chargers in the US?
It has 17,740 fast charging ports in the US
And of course it has AC charging too...
Level 2 Charging (240V) Full charge in under 4 hours
DC Fast Charging (CHAdeMO connector) 80% in 25 minutes
27:50 THIS is the point most people get wrong, Alex educates all! I hope this is the replacement of the long term EV6!
Just got one of these and your review is pretty on target.
Got it for the plugin feature at home. My commute is short, and driving around town I rarely use gas. It kicks into gas when I drive on the highway into the city. I also got it for the old style 6 speed auto tranny, ground clearance and very nice interior. The transition from electric to gas operation is barely noticeable, except when you floor it and it takes off like a rocket. Shifts are always smooth. The battery never goes to zero because it drops out of full electric when the battery gets to 15%, then it’s full hybrid only. That’s AFTER the 32 mile all electric range is used up.
The head rest bugs me a bit, it’s a bit forward and wish I could move just the headrest back instead of tilting the whole seat. And the sun roof has to roll the shade all the way to the back before it will open to the outside. Wish I could roll it back halfway and open the sun/moon roof. Another annoying thing is that the back doors always seem to be locked , even when the front is open. It beeps at you when the engine is on, you put in park and step out of the vehicle, which gets tiresome pretty quick. No spare is a bit concerning. Other than these minor quibbles, this thing is a sweet ride. 😎
Thank you for all the info. I don’t drive the PHEV, but I have a feeling that in the settings you can choose “two clicks unlock all doors” because in the 2023 EV6 I just noticed that. I think my 2019 Niro Ev even let me select a setting where one click unlocks all doors.
I test drove a Kia Niro PHEV in addition to the Niro EV, IONIQ 5, and ID.4. With sky-high electric rates here in San Diego, and people like Kyle Conner telling California road trippers that roadside DC fast chargers are often broken or overcrowded, I'm not convinced that EVs are the way to go in 2023. Alex's video is excellent, and his comment about people with PHEVs saying they almost never buy gas so why not just by an EV, gave me additional food for thought.
Don't forget they tried to tax the solar home owners .
An EV only works if you NEVER need to buy gas. Not ALMOST never. Besides, EVs cost more.
I just got the sportage PHEV last week and loving everything about it!
Just wondering Does it come with heads up display or ambient lighting? How much is full tank of gas?
@@Bebela1ms it does come with heads up display. I got the x line. I think the trim up has the ambient lighting. Mine has lighting on the door handles, trunk lift. A tank of gas near empty had cost not cost me more than $33 for about 500 miles w/o electric
@@JoeHartman80 thank Joe for your reply. I’ve been to 3 Kia already they all keep telling me to go with the Ev6 Gt line which I love it but the PHEV also sounds like a safe option if I dont have a lot of access to charging stations u know. I wasnt sure about the heads-up display since I havent seen any of the TH-camrs addressing that feature as well the ambient lighting and those are two fun features to have if u going to pay all that money for a car.
It's actually exactly the same cargo capacity as the regular hybrid and non-hybrid models with the cargo floor in its standard upper position which provides a no-liftover floor. However on those models the floor can be repositioned to a lower level which provides a few more inches of height in the cargo area. In six months I haven't put the floor in my hybrid in the lower position yet.
Very in depth and packed with useful information. One of the most useful reviews on TH-cam...
One other advantage of a PHEV or EV, at least in So. Cal, is that you quailfy for a special lower electric utility rate, which can add up over time. Just one more reason we went with the Sportage PHEV vs the Hybrid.
I assume you are referring to the TOU-D-PRIME rate? If so, I find that a bad fit for a PHEV. With this rate, energy is most expensive right when you get home from work or school and need to charge back up again to go out to eat, the gym, whatever. I chose to stay on the tiered rate plan, which is still an option.
@Pasa335d Sure. It's not one size fits all. For me, it's a good fit. Self-employed and work from home.
My next car. Niro PHEV currently. Note. The automatic transmission does not have a traditional energy wasting hydraulic torque converter. The motor is used to sync the engine and transmission speeds before shifts.
Thanks for the info, I was wondering about it. Ps. I have Sportage PHEV now and my next car will be Niro PHEV ;)
Excellent video. You did some great explaining on the differences. I prefer the Sportage phev over the rav4 prime big time
There are some good reasons to prefer the Sportage PHEV like styling (personal taste), technology (Rav has been updated, but it's certainly mediocre in my 21 Prime), price and maybe availability. I owned a Kia Soul and I thought it had awesome build quality, so I trust Kia. You may also prefer the mechanical AWD and the transmission. Where the Prime rules is in the EV mode. You have a lot more horsepower in the Prime's EV motors than any other PHEV other than the new Outlander PHEV. So it's super fun to drive around town and it's good on the freeway. You can pretty much keep it in EV mode until you take a longer trip. It's nice to have a little more range as well. I'm guessing the Sportage is good, but I know the Prime is good. : )
Always great reviews…I loved my RAV4 Prime’s ability to just be in EV mode…wish other PHEVs would do it…to clarify, some of us want the PHEV so we can do our daily commute on EV mode only, and then only use the gas when we take longer trips since the EV charging infrastructure in this country blows outside of the TESLA network…and on the subject of the battery and charger in the cargo bay where a spare tire would go, I’m would venture to guess it’s there for weight distribution and safety (closer to the side makes it more vulnerable in an accident). Lastly, why don’t your legroom/headroom comparos include the CRV? I’m guessing bc it’s not a PHEV?
Put the keys in your pocket then feel them, you can very easily feel and press the lock button with out pulling keys out or looking at them that's why I think they did that.
Great, informative and BS-free review (as always). But did you film this now, in February? The weather looks fabulous.
I thought you were having snow storms in California.
I think you're an outlier here Alex... I think the appeal of PHEVs is to people who want a full electric, but aren't fully ready and want the gasoline engine as a backup. They want to use ev only as much as possible but still have an alternative if they need to go on a road trip. The charging infrastructure isn't fully developed yet (especially outside of CA) and being reliant on that infrastructure is intimadating. I'm sure you're seeing the arguments from people living in apartments or in situations where they don't have access to reliable charging at home as well. Full EV isn't the best option for a lot of people. PHEVs are more affordable as you say, and they can be used almost like a full EV but they offer the ice as a backup for when full EV isn't workable. The KIA/Hyundai PHEVs not having a dedicated EV mode is a bit of a deal breaker for me... I would be one of those people who would brag about not using a bunch of gas.... If you're just going to use the car as a Hybrid, then just buy the standard hybrid, it would save a lot of money upfront, and be less complicated to operate... I for one don't understand people who buy a PHEV and just use it like it's a normal hybrid.... It's less efficient than a standard hybrid, and why bother with the biger battery and EV capabilities if you aren't planning to use them?
And yeah, I know your commute is over a mountain and kind of far and a normal PHEV doesn't have the range to get you to and from work on battery alone.... That isn't the average situation though. I can get to work and back on that battery range alone, and could potentially make a tank of Gass last for months and months, but I'd also have the option to drive down to the beach for a weekend and not have to worry about finding a charge station somewhere nearby, or be worried about hotel charging, or using the car and depleting the range over the weekend. It could use the car without worry, and fully enjoy the vacation. Live in the moment and all that.
I guess it's kind of like those VCR/DVD combo units they sold for a while. You get access to both and have the option to continue using what you already have access to and are comfortable with, but you can still also utilize the newer. format. Not a perfect analogy because DVDs are dead now, but the idea is there..
I mean hell, you even make the same argument at the end of your video... We want an ev but don't want to go all in. What does it matter if we want to be ev only as much as possible then? If we aren't ready for a full ev then using a PHEV as an ev alternative is a decent solution.... Not sure how that's hard to understand....
Re: your comments at 28:40, what's so hard to understand about a use case where someone would want the routine, local, daily travel to be in a purely EV mode, and then operate in a normal hybrid for days when you're traveling more than 25 or 30 miles? Seems so obvious to me...
I love your videos, Alex! also, the subscribe notif at around 13:20 was non-intrusive, and clean looking. nice stuff
The pricing between the RAV4 Prime and the Sportage PHEV differs massively in different countries. In Canada, the top end Sportage SX PHEV is $50k after tax and rebates. The Prime XSE Tech is $67k, even with rebates and is still missing a lot of features the Kia has. Paired with the awful interior, there is no world where it is actually worth the extra $17k. The base Prime SE is not even worth it either, it's basically an LE with the powertrain but it costs $15k over the hybrid. Toyota's pricing in Canada at least is terrible, and people fall for it. Also, thank goodness our Sportage spec has all the stuff the US is missing, including auto dimming rear mirror, heated rear seats, Homelink, and much more. Ours should hopefully be in our driveway soon.
Agreed 100 % that why I chose and got my Sportage PHEV SX (white color) this July 5th over the rav4 xse Prime ..I’m still on the rav4 waiting list since feb 2022…. Toyota told me 3 more years of waiting this March 2023…Lol I gave up and don’t regret it.
My Sportage features, interior and tech beats the rav4 prime by a lot…. I’m quite happy to get a tiny less efficiency compared to the rav4 while saving more than $16k !
I love everything about my Sportage not even speaking of the full length moon roof… wisely integrated rear window wiper….such a beautifully designed suv.. overall Sportage stands out from its competitors 😊😊😊😊
I’m feeling very satisfied that we just brought a new Sportage Plug-In Hybrid home yesterday. Maybe watching this video first would have made it even easier.
I have a XLine Prestige PHEV. Really like the power and ability to charge at home. It’s worth every penny. Beautiful vehicle.
Does it come with heads-up display? How much does it cost full tank ?
@@Bebela1ms No heads up display, and about $50 dollars per month to charge daily.
@@oc0803 oh man. Idk why they wouldn't add that to this top trim. How about ambient lighting?
@@Bebela1ms Ambient lighting is very good with ability to change colors.
@@oc0803 ok cool. At least that though. Lol last question, what is the top speed ?
Johnny Hates Jazz... Flashbacks to high school when that album came out and was only available on cassette and CD- one of the first albums not offered on vinyl.
The best review of this vehicle I've seen. Very thorough explanation of the drivetrain.
Good review. I really wish you guys would go metric so we could understand the figures you're giving.
No mentions of the Escape PHEV which has much better real world range and highest MPGe in the class. Seems like auto enthusiasts are turned off by the lack of AWD and bland interior, but it will readily meet the needs of many (most?) US Americans (and has a tax credit!)
I was glad to see your comment. As you said the Escape PHEV has the tax credit and is the only moderately priced PHEV that does. It has the best MPG of any of the PHEV’s in it’s class (Not counting the Niro as it’s a bit smaller) and is really a nice car. I almost bought one but Ford was slow about getting itself on the list for tax rebates here in Oregon. One thing about PHEV’s and EV’s is that efficiency kind of gets lost as people are not used to the numbers. 85 MPGe sounds good, but it’s really not that great compared to the Prime and the Escape. I think people are more focused on range than efficiency. Over all I’m a big fan of Alex but I don’t agree with some of the things he says about PHEV’s and EV’s. Just some.
Escape Hybrid under stop sale and recall for engine fires with no solution/fix available lol
The problem of the escape is that it doesn't have all wheel drive, and many features and a bland interior. I rather the better interior than to get an extra eight miles in a charge.
The front styling isn't something that I can't live with, but the Sorento and Telluride look so good I don't know why the KIA people didn't make the front of the vehicle look like them.
I have a RAV4 prime and part of the reason I chose it over waiting for the Sportage, was that it has the most powerful EV motor of any plugin hybrid other than the Outlander which adds up to about the same as the RAV4. This means it's a good EV as well as an efficient Hybrid. So, I can go on the highway at high speeds and decent acceleration and the engine doesn't turn on. I'd probably choose the Sportage over the RAV4 if AWD was more important to me because I'm guessing the mechanical AWD is better than the AWD that comes from the electric motor in the rear of the Prime. The tech is probably also a lot better in the Sportange than in my 2021 Prime, but it's been update now.
But is still a f Toyota
Kia is not better than Rav4 when off-road. Just better stability maybe slippery road. Outlander beats both off road due to powerful rear electric motor. But just one item. All of them make sense for some
For 2024, there is an available OEM (dealer installed) front steel skidplate. It is powder coated in white and is wide but not deep. It provides protection from parking lot barriers and curbs. It works on any Sportage.
I don't understand the stigma against PHEV's. It does everything that a BEV could do, as well as everything that a BEV couldn't.
By use cases, at least 95% of my vehicle usage is commute and shopping. With 80-100km of electric range, PHEV's would be no different from the BEV's that have 500km range. In those rare cases where I need to drive long distance, I would just drive in HEV mode and fill-up at gas stations. What is there not to like?
On the buyer side, I can tell you that it would be great to do small daily commutes just in ev and save gas and wear of the ICE engine
I think you got the pricing wrong. PHEV comes in around $47000-48000
Great review. Would I be correct in assuming I could use electric mode to do my grocery shopping and plug it in every night and get away with EV only mode (assuming my grocery shopping run is limited to the maximum battery distance) ? What I’m after is a run to the grocery stores EV vehicle but when I do longer runs just a really good MPG gas hybrid. I still need an SUV for all my sporting stuff.
Surprised about the cabin noise readings. I’ve rented RAV4 and Sportage both. Sportage was noticeably quieter to me.
Interested in the comparison between this and the Outlander PHEV. It seems like the Outlander behaves much more like an EV with a generator attached vs the Kia acting like a hybrid with a plug. Thoughts?
That's pretty accurate. The Rav4 Prime can't be explained so easily.
Very true, but at the end of the day they’re both PHEVs, which are pretty limited, so making the comparison just makes sense.
Yes. Outlander goes more on EV mode but has much worse economy on gasoline engine.
What's the PHEV Sportage availability? We've had our order in with the dealer for 6 months now. Any time we ask them for an update on availability they're completely clueless on when they'll be available.
I ordered in March 2022 and got it in Oct 2022. PHEV “L” trim. But it was produced in neighboring country of Slovakia.
Up here in Canada we get a $5k federal rebate and a $2k BC provincial rebate on PHEV, same as EV (Provincial rebate is $3k on full EV).
Thus, it's pretty much the same price as the hybrid.
We have a PHEV Sportage on order, been waiting for 8 months -it should be here any day now!
Thanks for explaining the differences in the drivetrain -this is the best breakdown I've read so far.
I really wanted an EV!
But as you pointed out, there are no EV that give you same clearance, AWD and capacity for luggage and towing.
Fisker Ocean has all of your list
@@sedonars1 it does not exist yet.
And if it ever does, there won't be a dealer network anywhere near me
I'm picking up the sportage phev this afternoon from the local kia dealer
@@3crowsfarm16 you can order them online for delivery later this year. Initial delivery is occuring next month.
@@sedonars1 i won't order a tesla because service is 4hr away
What makes u think ordering a car from an unknown manufacturer building it's first car is going to be of any interest?
With the number of new ev manufacturers struggling to stay afloat I'm not accepting that risk w my money or vehicle requirements
@sedonars conventional wisdom is that you're taking a serious risk with respect to reliability when you buy a first-of-class or first year after a refresh. How much do you think that goes up with a company that's only just starting to build cars?
EVs as a group have poor reliability, even from established manufacturers, because most are still pretty new to building EVs and they drag the stats down. I wouldn't buy from either Frisker or Rivian right now. Maybe in five years.
Thank you so much for this in-depth review and showing its off road capabilities. I’ve been in the market for a Phev and love that this has a mechanical AWD system. I almost went with a PHEV Sorrento.
Having recently driven both the RAV4 Prime and Kia Sportage PHEV (2025), the Sportage is the much better buy…much smoother ride, better sounding engine when it’s running, much better interior/electronics, available pano sunroof…I actually drove the Honda CRV Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Lexus NX PHEV, and Kia Sportage, back to back to back…Sportage all the way.
This is great review which covers a lot of information at grassroot level regarding what is HYBRID and how Hybrid works and what should be our practical expectation regarding it. Thanks for sharing great information. +1 Subscriber :)
Here's a fix for those that buy the plug-in hybrid, run in EV mode, then complain the engine started to help power the vehicle: when you hit the EV button then the ICE falls off. 🙂
Don't take this too seriously and get upset folks. However, what good does being a complainer accomplish when your gripe is about aspects involving the vehicle you chose to buy?
I took a look at one of these recently, and just decided to stick with my high mileage Toyota SUV. My issue with this and many, many new cars is the lack of buttons, overly complicated infotainment systems, and the lack of lower seat length. I keep finding all these new cars have replaced the bottom seat cushion length to allow comfort for very short people, and as such i find in some of them that the bottom seat cushion is actually smaller than a park bench. This thing unfortunately was at the top of my list, but when i drove it, i couldn't find a comfortable position, the windows were too small so i couldn't see out of it, made me feel like i was driving a box truck.. Then the lower cushion only came mid length of my thigh, which at 6'2" tall i am not the tallest, but not short either.. The big Pano sunroof was stupid too, as it only opens a very small amount, the break in the panel where the black strip is showing is no where near as big as the opening of the roof actually is, the one in my old Toyota opens a lot further.. I will however say it is quiet, and does ride nice, but IMO it's too "Gimmick like" and would get old fast and likely not age well..
My wife has a prime, it's amazing to drive on EV Mode, but once the ICE kicks in with the Direct Injection the engine makes it feel way too unrefined and loud.. and while i Like that thing, the driving position, windshield rake is too far back and i don't fit in it..
As such being a tall US Male means I have to drive a 8MPG old Toyota SUV, because i can't fit in these new poorly engineered imports.. (Toyota included)
Hey Alex, Please start including headlight performance in your reviews. You are the best automotive reviewer and it would definitely give people another reason to subscribe to your channel.
Is there a particular standard you have in mind? I'm not sure how easy it would be but things can always be considered. -Travis
So, I live in Wisconsin and we need the heat on for about six months of the year. Do I understand you correctly that I would have to be in hybrid mode to get heat? That would really compromise the value of the electric motor for me. The hybrid model would make a lot more sense in cold climates.
I am among those hating the transmission shifts. I prefer eCVT from Toyota working smoothly in HEV and PHEVs. There is no need for transmission at the end of the day if the wheels are propelled directly by electric motors since software can do wonders in modulating the needs off road: look at Rivian or GMC HUMMER. Why it does not work in case of Toyota RAV4 Prime to be a good off roader - simply unrefined software. Why Hyundai group still prefer transmission in their hybrids - their have spent money on RD and at the moment those factories still employ lots of folks but the product is relatively cheap.
Excellent video...thankyou for the comprehensive review. I think I will go with the regular hybrid afterall
Opposites unite is their stated design language. So I guess that explains your styling comment!
I couldn’t get the plug-in. Period. They aren’t available in all areas. Still waiting on the Hybrid. Nearly a year now…
I would love to see two all wheel drive setups compared. Maybe an EV Buyers Guide/TFL duo video?
I have one on order from Oct, but looks like it will not arrive until June or July, I hope..., With 5.6KWH of solar and a backup battery, I think I'll be able to do 70-80% of my usual monthly driving in EV mode but I do travel to CO Springs and Tucson from Albuquerque which negates, for me, a pure EV.
Great review ! I prefered the Kia than the Rav4 prime. Much more modern vehicule.
Seems great -- the only deal killer for me would be the lack of a spare tire. I just really want the ability to change the tire in case there is any problem.
Eh, that's only come up for me about 3 times in 30 years of driving. I don't like the idea of no spare, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.
@@oateater5044 You have better luck than me. I think I've had to change a spare like at least 5 times, maybe more in yikes 40 years of driving? I dunno, every time it's traumatizing, LOL.
So am I correct in understanding here that an EV only mode can be forced unless you floor the pedal or the heating is needed? My goal here is to end up at my home with close to zero charge. However, if on a long trip, I would be OK with spending more on gas ( with a MPG penalty) so as to not do the charging hassle while traveling every 200 to 300 miles . Ninety percent of our trips are less than 20 miles.
It’s worth mentioning the conventional 6 speed is way better mild off road!
I don’t understand your comment on the RAV4 Prime electric acceleration witch I find pretty good (9sec) also the hvac on the KIA would be for me a no go. Great review.
I have a non Prime Hybrid Rav4. I have had the opportunity to try it in packed deep snow drifts and it does fine. Going can be alittle slow but it it's hard to get stuck. The rear electric motor generator comes on quickly when the front wheels start to slip.
The Rav4 Hybrid actually can't function as a gas only. The transmission is relying on one or the other electric motors to get engine power to the wheels via the differential effect of the planetary gear set. It sounds odd, but it's the way the system works. I like mine overall, not perfect but I don't miss the shifting gears one bit.
Kia and Hyundai hybrids are a good system in my view. I like them less than Toyota Prius but more than Honda. Gas milage is the biggest advantage of a hybrid and Kia/Hyundai delivers good results.
One more note: the hidden rear wiper is actually a rear good idea. My Rav 4 has the wiper exposed and it's always plugged with ice in snowy conditions. One detail I learned that I didn't like after the purchase.
Enjoy your videos Alex and good day.
Another question, does the economics of having a plug-in offset the gas price ? Assume Electric is free from solar at home ?
I wish it has a heatpump and/or electric heat because idling with engine on is still not very safe. Toxic gas and kids at the back don't mix.
added cost and complexity, not worth it..... The one advantage of a PHEV, is you get to use Free waste heat....
heatpump and/or electric heat, make more sense to use for a BEV...
@@nc3826 Honda insight had that setup I think
@@acche-rc there are many PHEVs, that add one or both....
I was just stating that it adds more cost and complexity... And it's kind of counterproductive.... not that it wasn't possible....
Thanks Alex, I was on the fence between the reg hybrid and phev, your video def helped!
In Orlando, the PHEV is $10k more than the HEV. It's like refunding all your fuel savings back to the manufacturer and getting a higher electric bill each month too. I don't get it.
In Canada there are provinces that you can get up to 10k off a 50km+ range PHEV, similar to a BEV. That puts the Sportage EX at 38.7k on the Kia Canada website, the PHEV EX comes in at 48.2k but you get 10k as a rebate so after taxes are calculated it's only about an extra grand to get the PHEV. Only a grand makes it a no-brainer to select the PHEV if you can plug it in.
Does the incentive work similar to the US where it isn’t a cash offer but rather a tax liability reduction?
@@ALMX5DP No, our rebate is taken off the invoice at time of purchase after the sales tax is applied. So you pay full sales tax and then the rebate comes off the price so your payments/final price will be lower.
@@Snerdles oh interesting, so anyone can technically receive the same? That makes more sense to me than the way we do it.
@@ALMX5DP Yes, exactly... But I doubt people who don't pay income tax are dropping 40k on a new vehicle anyway.
@@Snerdles true the percentage of those who fall into that might be fairly small but I think it’s not an insignificant number. I fall into that and would potentially consider something of this caliber for my next purchase if I knew I could get the full incentive. As it stands I would only reap a small amount based on how ours work which is a shame.
Alex, I gotta ask - do you actually ever put a half gallon of milk in your center console? Enquiring minds want to know.
Alex, yesterday we purchased a 2023 Kia Sportage Plug In Hybrid. I have to say this is my first experience with an electric vehicle. My commute is about 27 miles each way so I am hoping to augment gas cost considerably with this SUV. I wish Kia could have fit the regular gas tank in - couple more gallons=longer range and made it so that you could still put the cargo cover in the lower position, but we'll deal with it. Other than those, I don't think there are any other compromises with this vehicle.
It would be best if you could charge at work. I have this car for a year. Although it’s an European version which is a bit smaller I love everything about this car except the app. I just hate it.
Yeah.... the app needs some work, that's for sure! THanks for the feedback.
Absolutely the best video describing the Plug in Technology out there!!!!!!!!
Great video and information that makes sense. Well done Alex 👍🙂
Many workshops still have some catching up to do when it comes to digitalization.
Digitization. Electromobility. Consolidation. The electro cars industry is undergoing changes - and with it the secondary market
.
Aftermarket of green energy !!!!!!
I'm not sure this car exists in the real world. I was helping my parents car shop, and there were only two hybrid Sportage within 250 miles, and maybe a handful of plug-in nation-wide. All of them had $5-10k mark-ups.
We just purchased at MSRP, even though I only found 3 of the PHEV models along the eastern coast of the US.
Same, bought this week, and boy are they scarce.
Got my Sportage PHEV SX white color this July in Quebec at msrp (no mark up) so yes they are quite rare but it does exist..😊
Can’t you just order one at SRP and wait till it’s produced?
What color is this car in the video??? I love it!
In canada PHEV is almost the same price as the gas model. So the wait time is crazy
A reason why someone whould buy a plug in and not use the gas engine over a BEV is... a Cheap BEV lacks size and an expensive BEV lacks features.
I find an expensive BEV like the EV6 or Ioniq 5 to lack almost no features?
@@L3x4Pr0ne same here. My Ioniq5 has all the features I want and my Model 3 has features that even some high end cars don’t.
Is this motor affected by oil consumption issues?
Excellent and thought out review as always. Thanks!
NO WAY I’m paying 7 large just to get the plug in version of this vehicle.
I will, money is not really an issue, my wife hates gas stations specially now with our newborn but she doesnt want recharging stress at long distance, so its worth it
You’ll save that $7k in gas over about 5 years if you’re using the full EV range every day. If you plan to keep the car for a long time, it’s worth it.
Additionally, the PHEV has much better power and acceleration than the non-plugin version. That’s what won my wife over.
7 large…..lol what part of NJ you from?
No brainer in Canada where the phev qualifies for a $5000 federal rebate and additional provincial rebates in some provinces.
I want the plug not to save money on gas but to emit less carbon. Ontario's electricity grid is primarily powered by nuclear (58%) and hydro (35%). I know nuclear has a waste storage issue, but the planet crisis at the moment is carbon.
You said the ride height is 8.9 inches, its actually 7.4 inches. Theres a big black object hanging down in the middle.
I have the sportage SX non plug-in.... such a nice vehicle with the best ADAS tech!
Question-- will this Sportage Plug-in hybrid qualify for the 7500 fed ev credit?? This will be a game-changer if it does...
30:57
It isn’t built in the US and the battery components aren’t US sourced so it doesn’t qualify for any of the credit.
At the moment, it won't. But, there are some news that Ally Bank is doing a lease for certain Kia models and passing some tax credit as incentive. And, I hope that Kia will officially start this soon since Hyundai started for Ioniq5.
@SF Tech wow, that sounds promising regarding Ally Bank! Fingers crossed we can access some good lease deals with this KIA sportage PHEV. Currently enjoying my gas sportage. Would love the extra power and ev versatility!
@@sftech9215 Good point! One thing to note is that while leasing companies can receive a tax credit for purchasing clean energy vehicles to lease (and I'm sure all will rush to make sure they do), they have no obligation to pass any of that on to the consumer. Hopefully most companies will without tacking on other fees that essentially cancel it out.
If it was still eligible for the rebate, many would've already bought one. I have an Optima Phev and would like to switch to awd crossover.
Such a shame that this is so much slower in electric mode than in hybrid mode. There are *zero* modern PHEVs with serial or serial-like systems where the car is just as fast whether the gas engine is on or off, like in the Honda Clarity or 2nd gen Chevy Volt. I understand that the argument here could be to just get an electric car, but I'm still firmly in PHEV camp for Texas-sized road trips. For now, our Clarity perfectly fits the bill.
For me it’s pretty quick in EV mode especially 0-35 mph range. For city it’s good enough
I've been looking at a used BMW i3 Rex
I must admit the geek in me.... Would love to buy one too.... At the right price... Where else are you going to get a carbon fiber/aluminum framed, range extended used EV, at an affordable price?
Make sure you get it checked out by an EV mechanic... BMWs Are not known for their reliability... And good luck buying one.
Fast forward to today, 2024, and the prices have jumped significantly. The hybrids are in high demand on the east coast and most EX trim hybrids are sold before they arrive at the dealership... our dealer wanted $39,000 for the EX trim hybrid, about $7,000 over MSRP and they can't keep them in stock.
This seems like the pinnacle of complication and thus potential stuff to break... turbo engine, engine/trans decoupling clutch, auto trans, mechanical AWD, and all the hybrid electric bits. I know most cars are pretty reliable but still. Toyota's relative simplicity on their non-Tundra hybrids is pretty appealing.
Alex has mentioned that point in the past in detail.... It is strange he did not bring it up in this post...
This is a wise observation not recognized by many. There is beauty in simplicity. This is such a comfy, great driving car (i was able to test drive one)…but i cannot get around the potential long term reliability of choices made here. So many things to go wrong here. If you’re leasing this thing, or else planning to sell it in 5 years, you probably won’t have a problem. If you’re like me, though, and keep cars for 10 years or well over 1-200K miles, I’d very very concerned about this offering.
Surprised you didn’t mention the Crosstrek PHEV - similar price and also a mechanical AWD system
Because it’s much smaller and for 2023 no longer exists
It had terrible range. The Crosstrek is a solid car, but it wasn't a good PHEV.
Great explanation, as always, thanks Alex!!
Does this phev variant also do the slef charging like regular hybrid? In case i can't charge the battery with charging cable?
Thanks in advance
Alex, Before you release thoughtful and deeply considered videos like this do you ever ask yourself whether subscribers can actually handle the truth? 🤔
That off-center radar sensor looks absolutely ridiculous.
I’m surprised the cabin noise in this is 72DB and the normal hybrid is 70DB
Probably the rim and tire size. Less sidewalls because it comes with a 19inch vs the hybrid 18inch rim
Like the content as always but the Kia/Hyundai system failed to provide camp mode to use ac without running engine like RAV4 prime that’s a bummer, and probably the bigger bummer is there is no tax credit
No, the ac runs fine. It's the heater that's an issue.
Accelerating out of a problem isn't a thing? I've been doing it wrong all these years Alex 🤣
Thank you for doing such a through job of explaining this.
So, Alex, what you're saying is that despite the otherworldly ugly front lighting setup, this is actually a compact CUV that is genuinely good at being a compact CUV with an actual mechanical connection to all 4 contact patches. Thanks! In 10 years, once it is affordable on the used market, if I can stomach the front end by then, I might put it on my shopping list!
I personally love the looks-- about 3 years ahead of its time-- design-wise best in class-- feels like a car in the next class up--- vs x3, q3/q5, glc etc for significantly less money and with excellent lane centering and smart cruise for long drives on freeway!
You have a point, it's busy-ugly like a Mitsubishi. It's great butt almost makes up for it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it looks great. Just received my Sportage SE and love the fact it can operate on gas or electricity. No range anxiety. Great vehicle so far. My first Kia so I have my fingers crossed.
Nice, thorough review. Thanks, Alex 🙂
All Kia Phev Sportage have 6 clasic automatic gear?or it depends of car equipment and you can get DCT for other less equipped car?
All have 6 gear
How is reliability after 80000km on these Honda and Toyota are built to last what about this?
Since we haven't driven this vehicle 80,000 km's we can't speak from first hand experience but that's really not that much distance and you'll find very few occasions where a modern vehicle has had significant issues at 80,000 km. I wouldn't have any concern with this Kia until nearly double the distance and even then it would be standard things that come up with all vehicles. -Travis
Love my PHEV - I have a bmw 530e. Something about Kia I really dislike is the markups! Looked at an EV6 recently because they had one at the dealer and it had a 17,000$ markup! A Kia EV6 for more than 2023 bmw i4! 🤦🏻♂️
It’s crazy how different it is in Europe. You always buy at SRP price. You just need to wait for your car until it’s produced. I waited for my Kia Sportage PHEV for 7 months. But it was worth it.