► 2025 Sportage facelift revealed
► Given distinctive new look
► Extra power and tech
The latest, facelifted Kia Sportage has been unveiled at the LA Auto Show, featuring distinctive new front-end styling and an injection of extra tech. It’s actually quite a quick turnaround for a facelift as the current, fourth-generation Sportage was only launched in 2021.
Immediately obvious is the Sportage’s new face, with a near-full-width grille and stacked headlights – a look already seen on the latest Sorento and Picanto. That necessitates a new front bumper, as well. There’s a new bumper design at the back, plus a new signature pattern for the back lights.
Inside, there’s a new two-spoke steering wheel design and the option of a 10.0-inch head-up display that connects to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and keyless entry using your phone.
Other features available include a wireless phone charging pad, 360-degree surround-view system and a Harmon Kardon stereo. Kia has only announced the specs for US-market models; we’ll find out what features UK cars have in due course.
Similarly, specs have been released for the engines available in the US, but not for the UK’s options. The US hybrid and plug-in hybrid models – both powered by a 1.6 T-GDi petrol engine – have received a slight power boost from a level that was already higher than the UK equivalents. The US HEV goes from 223 to 227bhp, while the PHEV is lifted from 255 to 264bhp. For comparison, in the UK the current HEV and PHEV have 212bhp and 248bhp respectively.
It’s notable that the press release for the US-market Sportage makes great play of various safety features being added, including automatic emergency braking and hands-on detection. UK cars have had those since the current Sportage was first launched here. Goes to show the different standards various markets work to.
The current Sportage is a permanent fixture among the UK top five best-selling cars. We’ll see if this new one does anything to change that. A launch date hasn’t been announced yet, but we’ll keep you posted.