Prototype spied with drastic changes

• The next Kia Sportage looks bigger and boxier.
• It has a new interior with a larger screen.
• Some physical buttons are expected to survive.

They say never change a winning team, but Kia can’t afford to let its best-selling model stand still as the competition progresses. 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. Even though the fifth-generation model debuted in 2021, it received a mid-cycle facelift three years later.

courtesy of youtuber healer tvKia has now been spotted testing the next-generation model on its home turf. A heavily camouflaged prototype of the redesigned Sportage appears to be hiding a more upright shape. Also, we feel like the test vehicle is a bit bigger than the current model.

Eagle-eyed viewers will also notice that the turn signals are placed unusually low in the corners of the rear bumper. It is a common, albeit annoying, feature in Korean cars to separate the turn signals from the main taillights and place them lower, making them harder to see from behind.

Hyundai Ioniq 3 interior

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2027 Hyundai Ioniq 3 Interior

2027 Hyundai Grandeur Interior

2027 Hyundai Avante/Elantra Interior

Photos: Hyundai

Photos: Hyundai

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 some Hyundai models, and it looks like the next Kia Sportage will also get it. A large screen dominates the center console, but we expect some physical controls to remain. The two Korean brands have decided to keep traditional switchgear for frequently used functions like climate and audio controls.

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

The new Hyundai Tucson is likely to be revealed first

We probably won’t have to wait for the new Sportage to break cover to see its new 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 is not expected to arrive in North America until the 2028 model year. Its global launch should happen sometime next year.

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

Motor1’s Opinion: In typical Korean fashion, Kia appears to be making substantial changes with the generation change of the Sportage. It’s become a habit for the company to re-invent its vehicles when the time comes to replace them, and that appears to be the case here too.

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