According to Korean Car Blog posting these two spy photos of the next-generation Kia Sportage, the SUV gain in both size and comfort compared to its previous design iteration, but won’t go all-electric. It should premiere in the second half of 2027.
Thick camo prevents us from seeing the smaller details, but it’s already clear that that the new Sportage is considerably bulkier and boxier than the current generation (see video). It may be too early to speculate about the powertrains, but rumors insist that Kia wants to make it a plug-in hybrid with at least 100 kilometers (62 miles) of electric range. Since Europe is listed under the primary destinations for the model, it makes good sense.
At the same time, Korean Car Blog doesn’t expect a fully electric Sportage to grace the showrooms any time soon. Kia and Hyundai managed to boost their hybrid sales by nearly 50% in North America last year, while sustaining a 10% hit to their EV sales. Similar dynamics were observed in Europe as well, where EVs tend to perform better than anywhere else but hybrids remain the safest option to invest in.