Photo: Kia
South Korean manufacturer Kia unwrapped on Wednesday the refreshed Sportage SUV, a facelift that combines minor visual tweaks with the addition of an entirely new powertrain to the range.
To begin selling in Europe in the third quarter of the year, the new Sportage ushers in the era of electrified models from Kia. By 2025, building on the system introduced this week, the carmaker plans to have 16 alternative powertrain vehicles on the market, including five hybrids, five plug-in hybrids, five battery-electric vehicles and a new fuel-cell electric vehicle.
The mild-hybrid system used on the Sportage is called internally EcoDynamics+. It is the result of pairing a 2.0-liter diesel engine with a 48V electric motor and a new mild-hybrid starter-generator unit.
By using a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) emissions control, CO2 output will be reduced by up to four per cent under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) and by up to seven percent under the now nearly defunct New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
Aside from the addition of the mild-hybrid, a few more changes have been made when it comes to the engine lineup. The existing 1.7-liter CRDi has been replaced with a new 1.6-liter. Kia says this one is the cleanest diesel it ever made. The new unit develops between 113 and 134 horsepower.
Visually, not much has changed for this mid-life version of the Sportage. The front and rear bumpers have been changed, while the front and rear lamps have been redesigned. New 16-, 17- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs round up the exterior modifications.
There will be GT-Line versions of the Sportage that will come with a few extras, like gloss black hot-stamped radiator grille, a gloss black and silver skid plate, and dark chrome inserts on the side sills and rear tailgate.
At the interior, a new steering wheel and revised instrument cluster are pretty much all the changes made. There are some new upholstery options available, but that’s about it.
The pricing for the new Kia Sportage has not yet been announced.
The mild-hybrid system used on the Sportage is called internally EcoDynamics+. It is the result of pairing a 2.0-liter diesel engine with a 48V electric motor and a new mild-hybrid starter-generator unit.
By using a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) emissions control, CO2 output will be reduced by up to four per cent under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) and by up to seven percent under the now nearly defunct New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
Aside from the addition of the mild-hybrid, a few more changes have been made when it comes to the engine lineup. The existing 1.7-liter CRDi has been replaced with a new 1.6-liter. Kia says this one is the cleanest diesel it ever made. The new unit develops between 113 and 134 horsepower.
Visually, not much has changed for this mid-life version of the Sportage. The front and rear bumpers have been changed, while the front and rear lamps have been redesigned. New 16-, 17- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs round up the exterior modifications.
There will be GT-Line versions of the Sportage that will come with a few extras, like gloss black hot-stamped radiator grille, a gloss black and silver skid plate, and dark chrome inserts on the side sills and rear tailgate.
At the interior, a new steering wheel and revised instrument cluster are pretty much all the changes made. There are some new upholstery options available, but that’s about it.
The pricing for the new Kia Sportage has not yet been announced.
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