Get ready, 5th-gen Kia Sportage is coming to Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Kia has confirmed the upcoming arrival of its C-segment SUV, the Sportage, in Malaysia. During an interview with a renowned publication, Datul Francis Lee Kok Chuan, Bermaz Group COE, revealed several important tips about the upcoming Kia car.

Let’s check out what the all-new Kia Sportage will bring to the table -

• The new Sportage will be locally assembled at the Inokom plant in Kulim, Kedah, alongside the Carnival MPV and the bigger Sorento SUV

• The upcoming SUV will be offered in petrol and hybrid variants; with the former coming first followed by the latter which will be introduced at a later date
• On arrival, the Sportage SUV is expected to give tough competition to the likes of Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, Proton X70, and Honda CR-V

Globally, the 5th-gen Kia Sportage offers several powertrain options, including internal combustion engines, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options. The ICE options include a 1.6-litre turbo petrol and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine unit.

Many need to be made aware that Kia Sportage was previously available in the Malaysian market before it was discontinued sometime back. However, now the C-segment is returning to our market and it is great news for both prospective buyers and Kia fans.

Kia Sportage launch date

Kia Malaysia has yet to announce the launch date for the new Sportage, however, we are expecting it to happen soon, probably by the end of this quarter. Also, upon its arrival, the automaker has plans to sell around 4000-5000 units annually. It is a reasonably good number for a Kia model and that’s because the brand will soon play the role of ‘volume generator’ for Bermaz; a responsibility that is currently handled by Mazda. Why the shift? Well, that’s because Mazda is all set to go upmarket in Malaysia with a high price tag for all its next-gen models (set to arrive in the next 2-3 years).

Are you excited about the arrival of the new Kia Sportage? We sure are; stay tuned for the latest update on the new Sportage.

Also Read: Kia EV9 officially launched in Malaysia - Starting from RM367k, 6/7seater, 380hp/700Nm, 505km range