Kia releases first photos of new Sportage
Thu, Aug 27 2015
The company says they drew inspiration for the production model from the Provo Concept, shown at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, although we see quite a lot more inspiration from the Niro Concept, originally introduced at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, particularly around the front fascia. In fact, when we originally covered the Niro, commenter sp33dklz went as far as saying, "So, by the time this gets to us it will be a new four-door Sportage?" Gold star to you, sir.
The front end is a rather busy place, although the rest of the design appears far cleaner. In front, you have almost top-mounted headlights that remind us a bit of the original Subaru B9 Tribeca. Kia's Tiger Grille is there, and it's flanked by four-unit LED running lights, like those used on the Sorento and Optima. While there's a bit too much going on up front, the rear end is a much cleaner affair. A chrome strip ties together the flattop taillights, while a pair of oval exhaust poke out of the silver-colored diffuser/bumper guard. The greenhouse gets an aggressive shape and a thick D-pillar, while meaty wheel arches and large alloy wheels – we're betting they're at least 18s – add some spice to the two-box profile.
Check out the trio of images of the new Sportage at the top of the page. Then scroll down for the official press release and register your opinion in Comments. We'll have much more on the all-new Sportage when we make the trek to the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
FIRST EXTERIOR IMAGES OF ALL-NEW SPORTAGE
All-new Sportage to be unveiled at IAA Frankfurt
New "face" is biggest design change
European Design Centre led styling
Kia Motors has today revealed the first official exterior images of the all-new Kia Sportage, featuring a dynamic and strong new design. The all-new Sportage will make its global debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 15 September 2015.
Entering its fourth-generation, the all-new Kia Sportage features a bold, progressive design, with the vehicle's designers creating a sense of power and agility from every angle. Echoing the contrast of smooth and sharp shapes found on some of the most iconic modern fighter jets, the Sportage creates visual harmony out of the tension between sharp, defined feature lines and smooth surfacing.
The 'face' of the all-new Sportage represents the biggest change to the car's design, with the car's headlamps no longer integrated with the grille for the new model, instead sweeping back along the outer edges of the more sharply-detailed bonnet and bolder wheel arches. Immediately recognisable as a Kia, the Sportage's lower, wider 'tiger-nose' grille adds more volume to the lower half of the Sportage's face, resulting in a more imposing appearance and a more stable-looking stance.
The all-new Sportage is characterised by its sportier, more raked profile. From the side, the all-new Sportage retains the swept-back silhouette of the outgoing model, with a roofline that tapers slightly towards the rear of the car, longer front overhangs, shorter rear overhangs and longer wheelbase. Smooth bodywork, bolder wheel arches and sharp lines endow the Sportage with a more dynamic, muscular look.
At the rear, the horizontal forms and surface volume emphasise the car's width and give the compact SUV a more stable appearance. Inspired by the 2013 Kia Provo concept car, the slim combination lamps are joined by a strip that runs the width of the rear, while turn signals and reversing lights are separated, relocated lower down to add more visual weight and a greater sense of stability to the lower half of the car.
The design of the new Sportage has been led by Kia's European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany, with input from the brand's Namyang, Korea and Irvine, California design centres.
All-new Sportage to be unveiled at IAA Frankfurt
New "face" is biggest design change
European Design Centre led styling
Kia Motors has today revealed the first official exterior images of the all-new Kia Sportage, featuring a dynamic and strong new design. The all-new Sportage will make its global debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 15 September 2015.
Entering its fourth-generation, the all-new Kia Sportage features a bold, progressive design, with the vehicle's designers creating a sense of power and agility from every angle. Echoing the contrast of smooth and sharp shapes found on some of the most iconic modern fighter jets, the Sportage creates visual harmony out of the tension between sharp, defined feature lines and smooth surfacing.
The 'face' of the all-new Sportage represents the biggest change to the car's design, with the car's headlamps no longer integrated with the grille for the new model, instead sweeping back along the outer edges of the more sharply-detailed bonnet and bolder wheel arches. Immediately recognisable as a Kia, the Sportage's lower, wider 'tiger-nose' grille adds more volume to the lower half of the Sportage's face, resulting in a more imposing appearance and a more stable-looking stance.
The all-new Sportage is characterised by its sportier, more raked profile. From the side, the all-new Sportage retains the swept-back silhouette of the outgoing model, with a roofline that tapers slightly towards the rear of the car, longer front overhangs, shorter rear overhangs and longer wheelbase. Smooth bodywork, bolder wheel arches and sharp lines endow the Sportage with a more dynamic, muscular look.
At the rear, the horizontal forms and surface volume emphasise the car's width and give the compact SUV a more stable appearance. Inspired by the 2013 Kia Provo concept car, the slim combination lamps are joined by a strip that runs the width of the rear, while turn signals and reversing lights are separated, relocated lower down to add more visual weight and a greater sense of stability to the lower half of the car.
The design of the new Sportage has been led by Kia's European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany, with input from the brand's Namyang, Korea and Irvine, California design centres.
By Brandon Turkus
See also: 10 automakers sued over keyless ignitions, Next-gen Kia Sportage teased in sketches, Hyundai, Kia launching dedicated hybrids in 2017.