Kia today revealed the official images of the stunning all-new Sportage mid-sized SUV before a market launch later this year.
The exterior challenges design norms and moves the Sportage identity into the next generation, while paying homage to its rich heritage. Tense and crisp lines ripple along the refined body, amplifying dramatic styling tensions. At the same time, clean but muscular surfaces join forces with intricate graphics to give the SUV a dynamic and assertive road presence. On the inside, a space has been created that is truly state-of-the-art, fusing high-tech sensibilities into contemporary style.
The new Sportage is the second model after the new EV6 to be designed under Kia’s new design philosophy – Opposites United. The principles of Opposites United will influence all future Kia designs, giving them the same basic DNA. The thought-provoking and daring philosophy strengthens the connection between design and Kia’s new brand direction, ‘Movement that inspires’.
Opposites United is formed of five pillars: Joy for Reason, Power to Progress, Technology for Life, Tension for Serenity and Bold for Nature. The last pillar – Bold for Nature – has profoundly influenced the design creation of the all-new Sportage, embodying the natural world and creating a design identity that takes a daring, emotional, modern but organic form.
The all-new Sportage is the result of a collaborative effort between Kia’s main global design network in Korea, Germany, the US, and China.
Kia has yet to detail any of the Sportage’s available powertrains, but we expect it is likely offer hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and 48-volt mild hybrid options based around a 1.6-litre petrol engine like its closely related Hyundai Tucson. Due for global market launch later this year, more information on the all-new Sportage will be made available in due course.
New benchmarks for exterior SUV design
The front of the all-new Sportage creates an instant impact and thought-provoking design statement with a detailed-orientated black grille graphic stretching across the width of the face. Like an intricate web, the technical graphic pulls together the main frontal features of the all-new Sportage, crafting an imposing front volume. The elongated grille links Kia’s modern signature Tiger Nose grille – that acts as the visual focal point of the car – to the distinctive futuristic-styled boomerang-shaped DRLs (daytime running lamps), which in turn create solid boundary lines for the striking head lamps. Such intricate and technical design complexity of the front facia is delicately balanced by the simplicity of the main surfaces at the front, including the pronounced bumper.
The side profile of the all-new Sportage stays true to its sports utility DNA, with taut lines cutting across pure, clean but refined body surfaces that seamlessly blends the contrasting volumes together. Representing a first for the Sportage range, a black roof – a different color paint option to the vehicle’s body – is now available with the new model, helping to accentuate the sporting profile and highlight the architecturally dynamic C-pillar that encompasses a deconstructed look. The addition of a chrome beltline kicks up onto the rear of the all-new Sportage and into the D-pillar, creating harmonious lines with the rear spoiler that further adds to the sporting pedigree of the car.
At the rear, the all-new Sportage maintains its strong road presence with its powerful broad shoulders, allowing the SUV to personify strength and stability. The muscular swooping fastback flows into the rear lamps, which have been crafted to give the impression that they cut into the body with fine precision, forming the outline of the rear lamp graphic and the main section of the tailgate. The razor rear lamps are connected by a slim horizontal design, giving the all-new Sportage a stunningly wide impression from the back.
Completing the design journey, a large lower graphic bumper casing at the rear uses the same philosophy as the frontal technical black grille, connecting the all-new Sportage’s rear design elements and resulting in lightness in both appearance and touch.
State-of-the-art interior
The interior of the all-new Sportage plays with boldness in character, offering intuitive and innovative in technology, to create a driver-orientated space that is truly state-of-the-art.
A sculpted integrated curved display with a slim crush touchscreen pad and finely detailed air vents forms the nucleus of the all-new Sportage’s spectacular cabin. The arresting curved display sweeps across the front of the Sportage, giving the cockpit great width and depth. Like the air passing through it, the three-dimensional air vents flow within the integrated curved display, reinforcing the Sportage’s contemporary and exquisitely slim cockpit feel.
The high-tech touchscreen pad along with the advanced integrated controller act as the nerve center for driver and passenger connectivity, functionality and usability needs. Both systems have been created to be easy-to-use, highly intuitive and soft to touch.
Optimally positioned for the driver and front passenger is an ergonomic center console that combines convenience with luxury. Finished with a high-end gloss, the console provides storage, operating system configuration, cupholders and soft-touch switches, the latter sitting on a raised profile alongside the shift-by-wire transmission dial.
The highest quality materials that are sumptuous to touch, dynamic and vibrant color options and additional energizing finishing techniques that includes chrome and pad print ensure that the interior of the all-new Sportage is a special place to spend time while on the move. The driver and front passenger seats combine high-tech with high comfort in sporting slim shell design.
Further enhancing passenger convenience, at the rear of the driver and front passenger seats are integrated hanger-type designs within the slim headrests, allowing clothing and handbags to be easily and conveniently hooked into place.
The all-new Sportage’s intelligent interior space is shrouded in a clever combination of practicality, functionality and versatility.
For the first time in the Sportage’s history, a bolder model has been specifically designed to convey a more confident, vigorous and versatile character. The all-new Sportage X-Line features a unique bumper, side sill and curved roof rack. On the inside, customers can choose between a signature sage green or black seating, as well as bold quilting and black metal wood to further bring to life the model’s confident persona.
