2025 Kia Sportage FWD: MPG and fuel economy
The 2025 Kia Sportage FWD is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 28 combined MPG, with 25 MPG in the city and 32 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 54% worse combined MPG than the average car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2025 model year (60.8 MPG class average).
- The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2025 model year is the Lexus RZ 300e (18 inch wheels) at 125 MPG.
- The Kia Sportage FWD has gained 5 MPG since its first rated model year, the 2015 Kia Sportage FWD at 23 MPG.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 28 MPG |
| City MPG | 25 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 32 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,150 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 317 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD compares
The 2025 Kia Sportage FWD returns 28 combined MPG. Cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year average 60.8 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 54%.
The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2025 model year is the Lexus RZ 300e (18 inch wheels) at 125 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Kia Sportage FWD alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2025 model year (across all classes) returns 44.3 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2025 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 535.7 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,075 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,150 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $3,583 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Kia Sportage FWD
The EPA has rated the Kia Sportage FWD across 12 model years, from 2015 Kia Sportage FWD through 2026 Kia Sportage FWD. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
The 2015 Kia Sportage FWD returned 23 MPG. The most recent 2026 Kia Sportage FWD returns 28 MPG. That is an improvement of 5 MPG over 11 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 28 MPG | 2026 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2025 | 28 MPG | this page |
| 2024 | 28 MPG | 2024 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2023 | 28 MPG | 2023 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2022 | 26 MPG | 2022 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2021 | 26 MPG | 2021 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2020 | 26 MPG | 2020 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2019 | 25 MPG | 2019 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2018 | 25 MPG | 2018 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2017 | 25 MPG | 2017 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2016 | 23 MPG | 2016 Kia Sportage FWD |
| 2015 | 23 MPG | 2015 Kia Sportage FWD |
Compare against other Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD for 2025
If you are cross-shopping the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Lexus RZ 300e (18 inch wheels) leads this group at 125 MPG, 97 MPG ahead of the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD.
Specifications
The 2025 Kia Sportage FWD runs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a automatic (s8), sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic (S8)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 10.6 barrels per year
- Start-stop system
- Yes
Common questions about the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD.
-
Is the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 2025 Kia Sportage FWD returns 28 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year by about 54%. -
What MPG does the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD get?
The EPA rates the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD at 28 combined MPG, 25 MPG in city driving, and 32 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2025 Kia Sportage FWD per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,150 for the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD use?
The EPA lists the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Kia Sportage FWD become more fuel efficient over time?
Yes. The first EPA-rated Kia Sportage FWD, the 2015 Kia Sportage FWD, returned 23 combined MPG. The most recent 2026 Kia Sportage FWD returns 28 MPG, an improvement of 5 MPG over the run. -
How much CO₂ does the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 317 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 4,755 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD?
City driving returns 25 MPG and highway driving returns 32 MPG, a gap of 7 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD?
The 2025 Kia Sportage FWD has a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (EPA description: SIDI & PFI). -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD have?
The 2025 Kia Sportage FWD comes with a automatic (s8) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 2025 Kia Sportage FWD compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2025 model year is the Lexus RZ 300e (18 inch wheels) at 125 combined MPG. The Kia Sportage FWD returns 28 MPG, a gap of 97 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.