The Kia Sportage will be all-new for the 2017 model year, and ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, Kia has released a trio of teaser images to preview the fourth-generation crossover.
While the current iteration looks essentially like a smaller Sorento, the new version appears to sport a distinctly German face in the style of the Porsche Macan or Cayenne. The brand’s trademark “tiger-nose” grill is prominently featured on the smooth renderings, as are sleek taillights, LED headlights, and massive alloy wheels. According to the manufacturer, the bold styling “represents the future face of Kia.”
Kia has also circulated sketches of the interior, which the automaker promises will be its most “refined high-quality cabin yet.” The stylish renderings show a flat-bottom steering wheel, bucket-style front seats, and a high-contrast color scheme, but as we all know, conceptual drawings are conceptual drawings, so many of these elements are unlikely to make it to the production line.
Thankfully, we’ve gotten ahold of some spy shots of an undisguised prototype (below), courtesy of the Bobaedream Facebook page. Taken in Korea, the images show a front end that’s very similar to the teaser photos, but the proportions and body contours are much more conventional.
As for the bits underneath the skin, the 2017 Sportage will share its platform with the Hyundai Tucson and is expected to offer several powertrain options. The current model gives buyers a choice between a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder with 182 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque and a turbocharged 2.0-liter with 260 hp and 268 lb-ft. As with the Tucson, the naturally aspirated four-banger will likely be replaced with a boosted 1.6-liter with around 175 and 195 lb-ft.
More details are on the way, so stay tuned as we inch closer to the crossover’s public debut on September 17.
