Kia is shaping up a new Sportage. The Korean brand’s compact but growing crossover is due for its sixth generation in another couple of years, and testing is already underway. The sleek but aggressive shape of the current model is set to go away, replaced with something a little more angular – and a lot more familiar, but in a surprising way. Let’s take a closer look.
There’s Something Familiar About This Sportage
2029 Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
The sharp lines of this heavily disguised prototype look familiar. The shape is extremely similar to the upcoming Hyundai Tucson, and though the camouflage on both isn’t helping, it’s still a surprise. Hyundai and Kia may share some of the same designers, but the two brands have been very different when it comes to design.
That may be changing, and this isn’t the first sign of it. The upcoming Hyundai Elantra also has plenty in common with the Kia K4, at least in broad strokes.
Look closer and, just like with the sedans, the differences start to emerge. The side mirrors, for example, have a completely different shape and placement. The trim at the base of the A-pillar is also different, and the Sportage and Tucson have different rear door glass and a very different rear side window shape. The two vehicles also have different interiors, at least what we can see.
Based on those differences, we expect even more differences in the parts you can’t see. Kia’s face is different from Hyundai’s corporate face, and the lights should also be new. The wheels are also clearly a Kia design, but despite all those changes there are still similar elements. These include the same roofline and the same clamshell hood.
Expect More Similarities Inside And Under The Hood
2029 Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
According to the CarBuzz spies, Kia will no longer offer a pure combustion version. In Europe, at least. There, the vehicle will offer mild hybrid, hybrid, and PHEV variants, with the latter delivering up to an estimated 62 miles on a charge. The US will likely see similar powertrain options, though Kia may skip the mild hybrid because of different emissions requirements.
We can also spot what looks like Hyundai’s Pleos infotainment system. Hyundai, Kia, and even Genesis share infotainment systems, so it’s no surprise to see it here. Expect the new system, which has a small dashboard screen and a large center display, to receive some minor tweaks to set the two brands apart, though.
Both this new Sportage and the Hyundai Tucson are expected to get reveals next year. Most likely in the second half of 2027, before arriving on sale for model year 2029.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
2029 Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
Though Kia and Hyundai have shared a corporate head for nearly 30 years, their parts sharing has largely been of the secret kind. A shared platform, engines and transmissions, and infotainment are all areas where similarities don’t matter to consumers.
This, though, could be a sign of a new direction with reduced differentiation between brands. That’s never a good sign for an automaker. Just look at the later years of Mercury or a pre-consolidation General Motors for examples of badge-engineering gone bad. We’ll need to see the final products and more next-generation models to be sure, and to get a better idea of where the two are headed.
