Kia Unveils New Sportage Ready For Every Adventure And Lifestyle

The new Kia Sportage, the latest iteration of Kia’s best-selling vehicle has been revealed in Europe today in its latest iteration.

With over 7 million units sold globally to-date, the new model features extensive enhancements in design, innovation, technology and convenience, and sets new standards in the competitive compact SUV segment.

As part of Kia’s continued push towards responsible mobility, the new Sportage offers both petrol and hybrid (HEV) powertrains from launch, giving customers the power to choose the vehicle that best suits their needs. The shortened wheelbase has been developed to meet the preferences of European SUV customers without compromising on interior space.

“With a fully upgraded package, ready for every adventure, the most refined Sportage ever appeals to a wide variety of consumers, including our legacy customers, as it offers new levels of versatility, convenience and comfort,” said Sjoerd Knipping, COO at Kia Europe.

Design - bold exterior and luxury interior

Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy gives the Sportage a striking new look. Smooth, soft surfaces are combined with rugged forms and a powerful stance, making the Sportage equally ready for urban exploring and off-road adventure. The new front and rear bumpers create a strong silhouette, with eye-catching LED Star Map lighting and Kia’s distinctive tiger nose grille. The new wheel design is available as 17-inch, 18-inch, and 19-inch, with exclusive 18-inch and 19-inch versions for ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ models.

The interior offers a luxurious space with ample room for everyone on board. The steering wheel features a new two-spoke design, while the updated crash pad and hidden air vents create a sleek, minimalist finish. New seat covers add further comfort, with ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ variants offering a stylish black and white interior in artificial leather and suede.

Together with Dinamica®, Kia has integrated a responsible fabric in the interior of the Sportage. Dinamica’s premium non-woven microfibre suede is featured in the door and seat insert in the ‘GT-Line’ as standard and in the door inserts and seat boosters as an option. The water-based production process and high percentages of recycled material underline Kia's commitment to sustainable products throughout its vehicles.

In nearly 30 years of existence, Dinamica, together with Japanese parent company Asahi Kasei, has managed to significantly increase the percentage of recycled polyester, ranging from 73 to 75% in Kia’s vehicles. For the future, Dinamica will also be available in a mono-material version with nearly 100% recycled polyester content.

The Sportage continues to offer a spacious interior and flexible cargo room, with more than one metre of rear legroom for passengers in the second row. Rear cargo capacity up to 587 litres, and up to 1,776 litres with the second-row seats folded, enables customers to take everything they need for day trips and longer journeys. The dual-level cargo floor available on the HEV provides flexible cargo carrying capabilities.

Technology - connectivity, comfort and convenience

Central to the enhanced driving experience in the Sportage is the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (CCnC), featuring dual 12.3-inch curved panoramic displays and a new 10-inch head-up display (HUD). All functions and information are placed within easy access and viewing for the driver, including driver assistance systems, infotainment and turn-by-turn directions.

Connectivity and in-car options are further enhanced with wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. Kia Connect and OTA updates can access specific features and services, check the vehicle lock status, plan routes and more. The Sportage’s Feature-on-Demand (FOD) platform allows drivers to add arcade games, YouTube, and other video streaming services via the WebOS, as well as new display themes to the infotainment system.

Through Kia In-Car Payment, drivers can conveniently pay for on-street parking directly from their car, while the available Wi-Fi Hotspot connects up to five devices to 4G LTE-based internet. Connected Routing calculates the optimal route using live and predicted traffic based on historical information to learn the preferred routes of customers. The available Digital Key 2.0 offers the ability to access the vehicle using smart devices without needing to carry a physical key, while it’s also possible to share the digital key with family and friends. In addition, the vehicle features a Harman Kardon premium audio system.

The Sportage also features a range of technologies to assist drivers on every journey. The multi-mode audio/climate touchpad is located beneath the multimedia screen. Switching between functions is now more natural and intuitive, for changing the preferred temperature setting or adjusting the volume. In addition, 360-degree Surround View Monitor with a 3D view provides a bird’s-eye view of the vehicle’s surroundings. Finally, a wireless charging pad is located inside the upper tray.

Driving - electrified powertrains and assistance systems

The enhanced Sportage offers a choice of petrol and hybrid (HEV) powertrains from launch, giving customers a choice of hybrid powertrains that best suits their needs. Sportage offers more dynamic driving thanks to a powerful turbo hybrid powertrain, a new generation transmission, the vehicle’s aerodynamic design and a low centre of gravity.

As with all vehicles across the Kia product portfolio, the Sportage features a full suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems:

Standard Auto Emergency Braking with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Car Detection are designed to use sensors and a camera to scan the road ahead for potential hazards and to automatically apply the brakes when a potential collision is detected.

Highway Driving Assist 2 employs a forward-facing camera, radar sensors and navigation data to assist with maintaining a predetermined speed and distance from the vehicle detected ahead of you in certain circumstances. The system can also assist with steering wheel control when changing lanes (activated by the turn signal) and evasive steering assistance.

The new Sportage will be produced at the company’s plant in Žilina, Slovakia, with models expected to arrive in Kia showrooms in the third quarter of 2025. Full UK pricing and specifications will be announced closer to its on-sale date.