2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid vs 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV

The Kia Sportage is the automaker’s longest-running nameplate in North America. It started out as a no-frills off-roader, but today the Sportage competes in the red-hot small crossover SUV segment against big names like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4, as well as the Hyundai Tucson from Kia’s parent brand. All of those nameplates have added hybrid variants recently, so Kia followed suit as part of a 2023-model-year redesign. This segment slots in size-wise below mid-size SUVs such as the Kia Sorento (also offered as the Sorento Hybrid and PHEV) and Kia Telluride.

The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid will be offered alongside non-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the new Sportage, which represents the nameplate’s fifth generation. The hybrid model is part of an effort to create more space between the Sportage and the smaller Kia Seltos, which also brought increased interior space, more tech, and radical exterior styling.

The Sportage Hybrid is offered in Canada in EX and SX trim levels. We drove the U.S. equivalent of the SX trim for this review. Note that this isn’t the same lineup as the non-hybrid Sportage, which is offered in Canada in five different trims (LX, X-Line, EX, EX Premium, and X-Line Limited).

It may share a name with the gasoline-powered Blazer crossover SUV, but the Chevy Blazer EV is in fact a new vehicle based on the General Motors Ultium electric vehicle (EV) component set. It’s Chevy’s belated answer to the crosstown rival Ford Mustang Mach-E and other electric SUVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV6, and the Tesla Model Y.

Verdict: The Blazer EV offers unique style and impressive technology, but it doesn’t really move the needle when it comes to range, fast charging, or interior packaging