The CarBuzz spy team has spotted the upcoming new Kia Sportage and this time it’s doing something we don’t think owners will ever do. The test mule is in Spain where the sun is still hot, and it is towing a trailer for durability testing.
A very heavy trailer, at least by the look of it.
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
We’ve spotted the new Sportage a few times before, and so the basics aren’t much different. The new Sportage will trade the curvy look of the one on sale now for a shape that’s much more angular and much more upright. The chill vibe of the current SUV will be gone, replaced by a K4-like model that looks like it punches holes in doors on the weekend.
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
Why is Kia making such a big change? The Korean brand always makes big changes, but this? It seems to bring the Sportage more inline with the Telluride, but really it goes well beyond its bigger sibling in terms of boxiness.
Hyundai, with the new Tucson and Santa Fe, is going in the same direction. It’s a strange convergence of the brands.
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
Back to the trailer. We can’t tell quite how heavy the rig behind this Sportage is, but it clearly has some mass. The rear end of the Sportage is slammed to the ground, with the tops of the rear tires disappearing into the arches.
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
In the US, the current Kia Sportage has a tow rating of 2,500 pounds if the trailer has its own brakes. In Europe, that maximum is much higher at around 3,600 pounds. This Sportage appears to be at that second limit, and it might need to have some weight moved around to ease up on the trailer tongue.
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
You can expect Kia to lean into hybrid electrification with the new Sportage. The group’s new two-motor hybrid system is almost guaranteed. The system launched with a 2.5-liter turbo-four in the Hyundai Telluride, but a 1.6-liter engine version is coming. That’s the one you’ll find here, and the group says the system delivers 45% better fuel economy than gas alone.
The Sportage has offered a plug-in hybrid system for years, and this one probably will too. Our spies have hinted that it will deliver more range, with closer to 60 miles on the WLTP cycle than the 34 miles EPA estimate of the current model.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
The compact crossover market remains hot, but it is also seeing a shakeup. The RAV4 is set to fall out of the top spot for the first time in more than 10 years because of a lack of supply, and that leaves the door open for competitors.
Kia Sportage spy photoCarBuzz/Valnet
With Hyundai Group’s new Pleos infotainment and improved fuel economy, the Sportage is going to be a hot ticket. The question, then, is if the new styling will win buyers or push them away. It looks strange to us so far, but the brand has a strong track record of successful designs.
The full reveal of the all-new Sportage should happen in mid-2027, with the SUV on sale at dealers not long after. Which is probably not soon enough to capitalize on Toyota’s stumble.
