2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid vs. 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid Comparison

A hybrid compact SUV combines two highly sensible things: A highly practical 5-passenger utility vehicle, and a highly efficient powertrain. Peanut butter and jelly has nothing on one of these. Two of the best such examples of this excellent combo are the Honda CR-V Hybrid and the Kia Sportage Hybrid.

Here’s how both of these overachievers compare.

2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid

The Honda CR-V has been a long been benchmark among compact SUVs, and is our reigning Best Buy Award winner among them. The 2025 CR-V is available with a standard gasoline-only powertrain, but we think the CR-V Hybrid is the best version of itself, being both the most fuel-efficient version and the most powerful of CR-V models. Prices for the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid start at about $36,000, including destination charge.

Honda CR-V Hybrid Highlights 

Fuel efficient: This is why most drivers buy a hybrid, and the CR-V Hybrid will make you glad you did. It returns up to 40 mpg with front-wheel drive or 37 mpg with all-wheel drive. As a bonus, it’s also more powerful than a standard, gasoline-only CR-V. Win-win.

Traffic Jam Assist: Being stuck in traffic can be a soul-sucking experience. This feature can be a balm. The system can make steering adjustments, accelerate, and brake to keep up with traffic below 45 mph. Combined with adaptive cruise control, this is a real helper for highway treks and traffic jams alike.

Cargo space: The CR-V Hybrid has one of the roomiest cargo bays in its class, offering 36.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 76.5 with them down. Just as important, loading and unloading is easy thanks to the CR-V’s low floor. It’s like they think of everything.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the CR-V Hybrid models for sale near you. 

2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid

Don’t be surprised if you do a double-take when seeing the latest Kia Sportage. We certainly did, and we test cars for a living. Simply put, the Kia Sportage is a real looker, just like other vehicles in the automaker’s lineup these days. And we’re not just talking exterior. The inside also glows with premium tech and surprisingly helpful features. Like the CR-V, the Sportage is also available with a standard gasoline engine or in hybrid form, which we highlight here. Also available is a plug-in hybrid variant. The 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid is all the more attractive with a starting price of around $30,000.

Kia Sportage Hybrid Highlights 

Value: At its starting point, the Kia Sportage Hybrid is about $6,000 less than the starting price of a Honda CR-V Hybrid. Though that base model won’t bring as many driver-assist features, it’s still a significant chunk of change.

Warranty: In this regard, the Sportage Hybrid beats the CR-V Hybrid hands-down. Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty can’t be beat.

Impressive tech: From dual 12.3-inch digital displays to Kia’s Blind-Spot View Monitor, Harman Kardon premium audio, and even the ability to remotely park the vehicle while standing outside of it, the Kia Sportage Hybrid offers tech the CR-V can’t match.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Sportage Hybrid models for sale near you. 

Similarities

Both of these hybrid SUVs pack a lot: A lot of cargo space, a lot of miles per gallon, and a lot of value.

Pricing

The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles and New 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.

Specifications

	2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid	2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid
Popular Powertrains
Engine	2.0-liter gas-electric 4-cylinder	Turbo 1.6-liter gas-electric 4-cylinder
Horsepower	204 hp @ 6,100 rpm	227 hp @ 1,500 rpm
Torque	179 lb-ft @ 1,700 – 5,000	258 lb-ft @
Transmission	CVT	6-speed automatic
Fuel economy MPG	43 city/36 highway/40 combined	42 city/44 highway/43 combined
Also Available	gasoline; AWD	gasoline; AWD; Plug-in hybrid
Specs
Basic Warranty	3 years/36,000 miles	5 years/60,000 miles
Powertrain Warranty	5 years/60,000 miles	10 years/100,000 miles
NHTSA Overall Safety	5 stars	5 stars
Max Seating Capacity	5	5
Wheelbase	106.3 inches	108.5 inches
Overall Length	184.8 inches	183.5 inches
Width	73.5 inches	73.4 inches
Height	66.5 inches	65.4 inches
Turning Diameter	37.3 feet	38.6 feet
Headroom, Front	38.2 inches	39.6 inches
Headroom, 2nd Row	38.2 inches	39.1 inches
Legroom, Front	41.3 inches	41.4 inches
Legroom, 2nd Row	41.0 inches	41.3 inches
Shoulder Room, Front	57.9 inches	57.5 inches
Shoulder Room, 2nd Row	55.9 inches	55.6 inches
Cargo Volume rear seats up/down	39.3/76.5 cubic feet	39.5/73.7 cubic feet

The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles and New 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.

Conclusion

The Honda CR-V is currently our top-rated compact SUV, but getting a hybrid version does mean stepping up to a higher trim and, thus, spending more money. And as good as it is, the Honda still doesn’t have the kind of innovative tech that can be found in the Kia. The Sportage Hybrid, meanwhile, starts thousands below its CR-V rival. While the lower trims don’t have adaptive cruise control, they still pack a lot of other features. Which is best for you? Here again, it’s a toss-up. Check your budget, see which has the features you want most, and test-drive each.