2022 Kia Sportage Shows Next-Gen SUV Design

Edgy 2022 Kia Sportage Shows Next-Gen SUV Design in Accurate Rendering
Pretty soon, people are going to suffer from Korean car envy, as the 2022 Hyundai Tucson will burst onto the scene, looking like a computer-generated design that you can afford. Fortunately for fans of the Kia brand, it too will add a new model, the 2022 Sportage.

To be honest, we're quite happy with how the current Sportage turned out. Sure, the taillights look a little cheap, but that front end is pretty close to a Porsche Cayenne look on a budget. And it seems that the replacement model will continue the tradition of European inspiration.

This time, it's shaped a little bit like the Lamborghini Urus, sporting a pointy nose and headlights forming a Y-shaped symbol together with the main grille, similar to the Sian's. We haven't featured that many spy shots of the SUV, but there's a steady stream of renderings coming from Korean YouTuber Gotcha Cars.

He's got a trademark style of working with inverted colors and overlaying the features on top of an existing design, which in this case is the Sorento. It's amazing how realistic this Photoshop creation looks. Or is that Paint Tool SAI?

With this sporty front end, it would be a shame not to have a performance model or at least a Sportage GT powered by the 2.5-liter turbo engine. The segment is becoming increasingly competitive, and we see potent turbo engines not just on premium CUVs like the BMW X3, but also the Mazda CX-5 and even the smaller CX-30.

Sadly, the main engines for the Sorento are going to offer less than 200 horsepower. We're talking about the new 2.5-liter and its 1.6-liter turbo counterpart, which could be offered as an "Eco" option. Even the European models are likely to drop the diesel act and adopt hybrid powertrains instead, as seen in rivals from Honda or Toyota.


2022 Kia Sportage Shows Next-Gen SUV Design in Accurate Rendering

IS THIS ACTUALLY THE NEW 2022 KIA SPORTAGE?

The current-generation Kia Sportage is four years old and a brand new model is coming for 2022. Similar to its cousin, the Hyundai Tucson, it will receive a complete makeover. And we finally have a preview of what it will look like.

Following spy shots of camouflaged prototypes being tested on the road in recent weeks,

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The new Sportage on these images appears completely exposed for the first time.


As expected, styling marks a radical departure from the Sportage sold at Kia dealerships right now. The front fascia is somewhat reminiscent of the Korean automaker’s latest SUVs including the Seltos and Sorento, with a large and boldly designed grille and headlight combination. In the rear, the taillights mimic those on the Sorento, while the name of the vehicle appears in block letters across the liftgate just like other Kia SUVs.

The bumpers are totally new, as well, and there’s an orange strip around the lower body, kind of like the Subaru Forester. But what’s up with those off-road tires? Is Kia preparing a hardcore variant of the Sportage to rival the Jeep Cherokee and Ford Bronco Sport?

In any case, let’s not get too carried away because there are considerable differences between our Kia Sportage and its Chinese counterpart (known as KX5). Maybe the same will apply for the new generation.

The next few months should provide good, solid answers.