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.

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

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 love your videos, Alex! also, the subscribe notif at around 13:20 was non-intrusive, and clean looking. nice stuff

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.

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...

Very in depth and packed with useful information. One of the most useful reviews on KZfaq...

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.

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.

Great video and information that makes sense. Well done Alex 👍🙂

27:50 THIS is the point most people get wrong, Alex educates all! I hope this is the replacement of the long term EV6!

Excellent and thought out review as always. Thanks!

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.

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.

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.

Great explanation, as always, thanks Alex!!

Excellent video. You did some great explaining on the differences. I prefer the Sportage phev over the rav4 prime big time

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?

Nice, thorough review. Thanks, Alex 🙂

I just got the sportage PHEV last week and loving everything about it!

Thank you for doing such a through job of explaining this.

Excellent all rounder. Thanks for the review

Excellent video...thankyou for the comprehensive review. I think I will go with the regular hybrid afterall

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.

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. 😎

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.

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.

Good review. I really wish you guys would go metric so we could understand the figures you're giving.

I would love to see two all wheel drive setups compared. Maybe an EV Buyers Guide/TFL duo video?

Great, informative and BS-free review (as always). But did you film this now, in February? The weather looks fabulous.

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.

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 :)

very informative and interesting, thanks

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.

Great review ! I prefered the Kia than the Rav4 prime. Much more modern vehicule.

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.

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.

Thanks!

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.

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 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....

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.

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 this motor affected by oil consumption issues?

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…

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

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.

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

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.

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)

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.

What color is this car in the video??? I love it!

Absolutely the best video describing the Plug in Technology out there!!!!!!!!

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’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 think you got the pricing wrong. PHEV comes in around $47000-48000

In canada PHEV is almost the same price as the gas model. So the wait time is crazy

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.

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.

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...

It’s worth mentioning the conventional 6 speed is way better mild off road!

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 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?

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.

I have a XLine Prestige PHEV. Really like the power and ability to charge at home. It’s worth every penny. Beautiful vehicle.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Another question, does the economics of having a plug-in offset the gas price ? Assume Electric is free from solar at home ?

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.

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 !!!!!!

Alex, I gotta ask - do you actually ever put a half gallon of milk in your center console? Enquiring minds want to know.

I see a windshield defrost button but also a 2nd windshield heater icon... What does the 2nd icon do?

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.

Very pro, I love this video

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.

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.

On the Hwy, how long do you have electric power? then if only gas motor, how sluggish is the power on a incline compared to the pick up of a regular gas motor suv?

I have the phev Kia Ceed Sportwagen and I think I would very much appreciate an upgrade to the phev Sportage.

I think the Outlander PHEV should have been included in the comparison.

The large screen for Android is now available with an update.

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 this model doesn't come with à Spear wheel at all?

You said the ride height is 8.9 inches, its actually 7.4 inches. Theres a big black object hanging down in the middle.

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.

Surprised you didn’t mention the Crosstrek PHEV - similar price and also a mechanical AWD system

somehow I missed the AER in this video.

I've been looking at a used BMW i3 Rex

That off-center radar sensor looks absolutely ridiculous.

I’m surprised the cabin noise in this is 72DB and the normal hybrid is 70DB

How is reliability after 80000km on these Honda and Toyota are built to last what about this?

Alex, when are you going to post on your AoA. The rationale for 2023 Sportage ICEV buyers to instead buy hybrid or PHEV such as the 2023 Sportage Plug-In Hybrid? Since currently your soapbox is pretty myopic.

Alex, all of your mentions of the new Prius Prime has me wondering when your video on it comes out. I heard a claim about its electric-only range that is great if true: 60+ miles on a charge.

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 have seen literature indicate the RAV4 has AWD at lower speeds. That seems to me the primary time the average user would need to use it, and would mean it doesn't have to slip first. Is that not the case?

PHEVs are the most complicated car on the road, ICE, electric, battery, and plug in. What could go wrong?

I really like it but think I'll wait for the 2023-2024 Mazda CX-70 PHEV. A lot more money but much nicer quality.

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...