New Kia Sportage debuts with striking looks and hi-tech cabin

KUALA LUMPUR: Kia revealed a few teaser shots of the new Sportage last week and it now unveiled the next-gen mid-size SUV in full. The new version underpins the company’s bold ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy that shows a serious departure from the bulbous-looking outgoing generation. Not only exterior but the new Kia Sportage cabin also gets significant upgrades in terms of styling and tech.

After the new Kia EV6, the Sportage is the second production that is created under the new design concept. Thus, it shares a few design elements with the flagship electric car like boomerang headlights, concave tailgate, swollen rear arches, and prominent spoiler. The other key highlights are a large tiger-nose grille on the front, contrasting roof, lots of creases on the profile, silver skid-plate on the rear bumper, and tail lights that are linked by a horizontal bar running across the tailgate

The SUV’s design is the result of a collaborative effort between Kia's main design centres viz. Korea, Germany, the USA, and China. 

“Reinventing the Sportage gave our talented design teams a tremendous opportunity to do something new; to take inspiration from the recent brand relaunch and introduction of EV6 to inspire customers through modern and innovative SUV design. With the all-new Sportage, we didn’t simply want to take one step forward but instead move on to a different level in the SUV class,” commented Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Design Center.

Inside the cabin, the new Kia Sportage boasts a luxurious and comfortable space. On the front, we can see a massive horizontal screen that combines the instrument cluster and the infotainment system. The new central console gets an array of soft-touch haptic switches, including a drive mode selector and controls for the heated/ventilated front seats. Added to the upgrades are a new multifunctional steering wheel and three-dimensional air vents.

About the Kia Sportage engine specs, no information is available at the moment. However, the list of expected options includes a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine, a turbo version, and a plug-in hybrid. This is because the SUV shares the platform with Hyundai Tucson and Kia K5.

More information on the new Kia Sportage is expected to roll out closer to its launch, which will be held later this year. 

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