SEOUL - Kia has just revealed the official images of its striking new Sportage compact SUV, which it says has been carefully crafted to inspire customers with its interior and exterior design. The outside of the vehicle challenges Kia’s design norms and moves the Sportage identity into the next generation, while paying homage to its heritage. On the inside, they say, a space has been created that is truly state-of-the-art, blending high-tech sensibilities with contemporary style.
“Reinventing the Sportage gave our talented design teams a tremendous opportunity to do something new; to take inspiration from the recent brand relaunch and introduction of EV6 to inspire customers through modern and innovative SUV design. With the all-new Sportage, we didn’t simply want to take one step forward but instead move on to a different level in the SUV class,” says Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of KIA’s Global Design Centre.
“When you see the all-new Sportage in person, with its sleek but powerfully dynamic stance, and when you sit inside the detailed-oriented cabin with its beautifully detailed interior and first-class materials, you’ll see we have achieved those goals and set new benchmarks. In the all-new Sportage, we believe you can see the future of our brand and our products,” he adds.
Kia’s new design philosophy – Opposites United – is at the core of the all-new Sportage, influencing every aspect of its appearance and character. The principles of Opposites United will influence all future Kia designs, giving them the same basic DNA.
The interior of the all-new Sportage plays with boldness in character, offering intuitive and innovative in technology, to create a driver-orientated space that is truly state-of-the-art. A sculpted integrated curved display with a slim crush touchscreen pad and finely detailed air vents forms the nucleus of the all-new Sportage’s cabin. The curved display sweeps across the front of the Sportage, giving the cockpit great width and depth.
The high-tech touchscreen pad along with the advanced integrated controller act as the nerve centre for driver and passenger connectivity, functionality and usability needs. Both systems have been created to be easy-to-use, highly intuitive and soft to touch. Optimally positioned for the driver and front passenger is an ergonomic centre console that combines convenience with luxury.
Finished with a high-end gloss, the console provides storage, operating system configuration, cupholders and soft-touch switches, the latter sitting on a raised profile alongside the shift-by-wire transmission dial.
Due for global market launch later this year, more information on the all-new Sportage will be made available in the coming months. South African introduction is dependent on production capacity however we don’t foresee Hyundai and KIA being affected by the planet-wide semiconductor chip crisis.
