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Non-hybrid petrol versions of the Kia Sportage are currently "being reviewed" in Australia, along with the most affordable turbo-diesel grades.
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The Kia Sportage family SUV could ditch its petrol-only engines in Australia, with the brand confirming they are currently "being reviewed" – along with its most-affordable diesel grades.
Details on the Model Year 2027 (MY27) Kia Sportage, published by industry database Redbook, currently exclude the 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated and 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines.
The entry-level Sportage S and SX grades are also not listed with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine in the MY27 range on Redbook, although diesel remains available for the SX+ and GT-Line grades.
A Kia Australia spokesperson told Drive the 2.0-litre petrol and non-hybrid 1.6-litre turbo petrol are currently under review by the company to determine their future – rather than discontinued entirely – along with the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel in the S and SX.
"Petrol and S/SX Diesel trims [are] being reviewed," the spokesperson said.
While the brand did not detail why they are being reviewed, Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is likely to be the main factor, along with a recently expanded petrol-electric Sportage Hybrid line-up.
Earlier this year, Kia Australia confirmed petrol V6 versions of the Sorento and Carnival had been discontinued "due to NVES", while the Sportage, Sorento and Carnival petrol-electric hybrid ranges have recently grown in Australia.
The Sportage gained an entry-level S HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) grade in front- or all-wheel-drive configurations in February 2026, joining the existing SX and GT-Line hybrids.
However, the S HEV is $5960 dearer than the front-wheel-drive 2.0-litre petrol S, due to the added cost of its 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid system and extra standard features, such as dual-zone climate control.
At the launch of the facelifted 2026 Sportage range in June 2025, Kia Australia product planning boss Roland Rivero said the 2.0-litre petrol's "days might be … numbered".
"For the 2.0-litre, its days might be … numbered, at least in Australia, as we see the evolution of NVES (New Vehicle Efficiency Standard)," Rivero said.
"The [NVES] targets are going to continue getting tougher, although it seems to be changing.
"Things evolve, and we will work with the evolving market expectations. There are always external factors that you've got to try and plan for.
"It's difficult, obviously, if you have a moving target, but you could say that about a lot of things like safety ratings."
Pricing and specifications for the MY27 Kia Sportage remain unchanged in Australia compared with MY26 examples, which are still in dealer stock across petrol, diesel and hybrid.
A new-generation Kia Sportage is expected to arrive in Australia in 2027 or 2028, following the debut of an all-new version of its Hyundai Tucson twin-under-the-skin later this year.
The sixth-generation Kia Sportage is expected to focus on hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, with the family SUV potentially axing non-hybrid petrol- and diesel-only engines globally.
In Australia, it is currently the only non-premium branded medium SUV to offer a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine.
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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
