Just recently, when we discussed the first quarter sales performance of the Asian carmakers in America, Hyundai and Kia got an honorable mention because, despite their daringness, things aren't exactly rosy over there.
For example, Toyota wants to steal the crown of the General Motors king, and they're not far from such an achievement with 565k sales (over 20% increase) against 594k from the Big Detroit rival, which dipped 1.5%. The American Honda division rocked a 17% increase to almost 334k units, the Nissan Group also surged 7.2% to 252,735 vehicles sold during the first three months of the year and only then came to Hyundai and Kia tucked between them and Subaru (153k, plus 6.7%), Mazda, and Mitsubishi.
Hyundai at least posted a marginal 0.3% increase compared to Q1 of 2023, but Kia unfortunately slipped to 179,621 units compared to 184,136 last year. No worries, though, as both are taking measures to end the negative streak. Hyundai has moved a little faster, and they just presented the refreshed 2025 Tucson crossover SUV and 2025 Santa Cruz unibody compact pickup truck siblings during the 2024 edition of the New York International Auto Show in March.
Now it's Kia's turn as the company has announced the all-new K4 sedan and hatchback will replace the Forte / K3 / Cerato nameplates and arrive on the US market during the second half of the year. It's not coming alone as the refreshed 2025 Kia K5 mid-size sedan will also be available with updated (higher pricing), and the latest company styling also befits the fresh Sorento family SUV as well as the Carnival minivan, one of the few MPVs left on the market which doesn't face the threat of extinction.
Anyway, that's not all, as Kia has presented the big K9 sedan to some international markets, and they also started the teasing campaign for the upcoming first-ever Tasman mid-size pickup truck. But is that enough? No, not at all, at least not for the imaginative realm of digital car content creators – and they also want to see the redesigned 2025 Kia Sportage compact crossover SUV out and about, at least in fantasy land.
As a case in point, the Halo oto channel on YouTube provides fresh automotive info corroborated with their virtual designs; now, there are new CGI ideas about the refreshed Sportage – with both exterior and interior POVs. The resident pixel master has worked hard based on the latest spy photographs and the new look of the Sportage and Carnival models – inspiration struck with a new front fascia sporting different LED daylight running lights and projectors, a distinct grille, plus a reworked bumper.
Inside, the changes aren't that subtle because the Sportage already had a modern, flush instrument cluster plus infotainment display layout – now the CUV might just get a nip and tuck for the dashboard along with a wider screen diagonal for the central touchscreen. So, what do you think?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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