First glimpse of new Sportage 17 | 08 | 2015
KIA WILL UNVEIL its all-new Sportage at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show, but we can bring you the first official sketch of the newcomer which is set to go on sale in Scotland in early 2016.
Designed at the brand’s European centre in Frankfurt, the new Sportage looks like featuring the new large ‘Tiger Nose’ grille and takes inspiration from the KX3 concept in 2013. The rear of the car displays a significantly redesigned set of tail-lights and a reprofiled rear bumper.
The interior of the car boasts a much cleaner dashboard, dominated by a large infotainment screen but with a reduced number of buttons on the central console.
Related: Roadtest — Kia Sportage
Pleasingly, Kia say the new Sportage will boast a more upmarket cabin focusing on a “simple, modern style with rich material quality” as it guns for rivals including the Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V and Ford Kuga.
Kia bosses are remaining tight-lipped regarding engines, but it has confirmed that a new powertrain will be offered in the Sportage. Though a full-blown plug-in hybrid model remains unlikely, it's natural to believe the new powertrain could be a downsized three-cylinder motor or a pure EV version (along the lines of the Soul EV).
Traditional powerplants are likely to include more refined versions of the current 1.6-litre petrol and 1.7 and 2.0-litre diesel engines all increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions.
Related: Kia Cee'd GT Line gets new engine
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Jim McGill