The new-generation Kia Sportage will arrive in Australian showrooms before the end of the year.
Kia’s critical mid-sized rival to the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, and Hyundai Tucson is expected to debut around the middle of 2021.
Like the Tucson, the Sportage will get an overhauled design inside and out, as well as the latest driver assistance and infotainment technology from the Kia stable.
A new platform will underpin the 2022 Kia Sportage, set to grow in just about every dimension other than weight. The new architecture allows for electrified drivetrains – so a hybrid and plug-in hybrid are on the cards.
Depending on market, the Sportage should also offer the same range of petrol and diesel engines (some featuring 48V mild-hybrid tech), mated to six-speed manual, six-speed auto, seven-speed dual-clutch, and eight-speed automatic transmissions.
As for the hybrids, the Sportage Hybrid and Sportage Plug-in Hybrid will almost certainly draw upon a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine mated to an electric motor and battery pack, with outputs and capacities depending on variant.
The Tucson Hybrid develops 169kW and 350Nm, while the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid outputs 195kW and 350Nm along with a larger lithium-ion battery pack allowing for 50km of all-electric motoring.
Should the Sportage go the same route as the larger Sorento in offering petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models in Australia, it could offer one of the most diverse powertrain families in our market.
It’s unclear whether Kia will follow the Hyundai Tucson and offer the Sportage in two wheelbase variants. As it stands, Australia and North America get the long-wheelbase Tucson, while markets such as Europe get a slightly shorter model.
Further details will come to hand over the coming months, once the all-new Kia Sportage is actually revealed and more Australian specifications are confirmed.
The current Sportage remains a key seller for Kia right at the end of its lifecycle, sitting as its second-best-seller as of the end of February.
In 2020, 9579 examples found Australian homes despite an ever-growing crop of new rivals and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
