Prototype Spied With Huge Changes

They say never change a winning team, but Kia can’t let its best-selling model stand still while the competition moves forward. With nearly 570,000 units delivered last year, the Sportage was the company’s most popular product, accounting for just over 18 percent of total deliveries. That’s even though the fifth-generation model debuted back in 2021, though it did receive a mid-cycle facelift three years later.

Courtesy of YouTuber Healer TV, Kia has now been spotted testing the next-generation model on its home turf. A heavily camouflaged prototype of the redesigned Sportage appears to conceal a more upright shape. At the same time, we get the impression the test vehicle is slightly larger than the current model.

Eagle-eyed viewers will also notice the turn signals are mounted unusually low in the corners of the rear bumper. It’s a common, albeit annoying, trait among Korean cars to separate the turn signals from the main taillights and position them low, making them harder to see from behind.

2027 Hyundai Ioniq 3 interior

2027 Hyundai Grandeur interior

2027 Hyundai Avante/Elantra interior

Photos by: Hyundai

Even more significant changes are expected inside with the addition of the new Android-powered Pleos Connect system. The next-generation infotainment setup has already appeared in a handful of Hyundai models, and it looks as though the next Kia Sportage will get it as well. A large screen dominates the center console, but we’re hopeful some physical controls will survive. The two Korean brands have made a point of keeping conventional switchgear for frequently used functions such as climate and audio controls.

As shown above, new entries like Elantra, Ioniq 3, and Grandeur feature a physical row of buttons below the supersized central screen. If the next Sportage follows suit, it should adopt a similar layout, including a rectangular digital instrument cluster mounted deep into the dashboard while remaining within the driver’s line of sight.

The New Hyundai Tucson Is Likely Coming Out First

We likely won’t have to wait for the new Sportage to break cover to see its overhauled interior. Its sister model, the Hyundai Tucson, is expected to lead the way, with reports pointing to a world premiere later this year. Since the Sportage has already entered the 2027 model year in the United States, the next generation isn’t expected to reach North America before the 2028 model year. Its global debut should occur sometime next year.

Naturally, there will be some differences in interior design between the Tucson and Sportage. Still, the screens and physical controls are likely to be shared between the two compact crossovers because that’s how automakers achieve economies of scale. Beyond their completely rethought cabins, both popular models are expected to adopt bolder styling and place greater emphasis on hybrid powertrains.

Motor1’s Take: In typical Korean fashion, Kia appears to be making substantial changes with the Sportage’s generational transition. It has become a company habit to reinvent its vehicles when they’re due for replacement, and that seems to be the case here.

While that may seem like a risky strategy, it has clearly paid off for both Kia and Hyundai, given their meteoric rise over the past few decades.