2022 KIA Sportage reveals European Edition
Kia has revealed its top-selling Sportage SUV will get a radical redesign for the UK and Europe, with looks inspired by the EV6 electric car. For the first time in its history, the European market will also get a different version of the Sportage, with a 75mm shorter wheelbase than some other regions. It’s due early next year, costing from around £25,000.
The fifth-generation model’s design is characterised by ‘boomerang’ LED lighting, and it has been styled under Kia’s latest ‘Opposites United’ design strategy. It’s described as having ‘muscular surfaces’, and Kia’s ‘Tiger Nose’ grille has now shrunk to a single slot, sitting above an intricate 3D grille. A contrasting roof will be offered for the first time, and the Sportage has swollen rear haunches for an athletic look. It’s also the first Sportage to feature a sliver of chrome trim running along its belt line, which kicks up onto the C-pillar. Depending on specification, 17- to 19-inch alloy wheels will be fitted, in a choice of six designs, colours and finishes.
Based on the new Hyundai Group N3 platform, the latest Sportage will be 30mm longer than the outgoing model. It will also have a 10mm longer wheelbase, despite being smaller than the non-European version. The new underpinnings allow for a plug-in hybrid version for the first time, with a sizeable 13.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. This will power an electric motor, which combined with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine will offer up to 261bhp. Kia is also likely to be targeting an EV range of around 35 miles.
A broad engine line-up will also include a 227bhp petrol self-charging hybrid with a 1.49kWh battery, along with a 1.6-litre diesel engine. This ‘clean diesel’ engine will feature ‘SCR active emissions control technologies’, which cuts NOx and particulate tailpipe emissions. The 134bhp diesel engine will also get mild-hybrid hardware to further improve its efficiency.
Inside, the dashboard will be dominated by a curved digital display, placing the instruments and central infotainment screens side-by-side, and eschewing the traditional instrument binnacle. There’s a slim row of haptic controls at the bottom of the dashboard, flanked by two rotary knobs. These can be quickly set to operate either the climate control, or the media system.