There’s quite a difference in design between the fourth-generation Kia Sportage and the fifth-generation one that debuted a few months ago. The model has transformed from a cutesy crossover into an upscale offering wrapped in a sleek-looking package. A new Asian Petrolhead YouTube video provides a thorough overview of the new Sportage, exploring its controversial exterior styling and well-appointed interior.
One of the Sportage’s most striking features is the front-end design. The Tiger Nose grille has gone digital, and it’s not really a grille anymore. It’s a three-piece styling feature the combines the hood, black trim, and silver garnish into a design element that now sits above the actual grille. Kia calls it the Digital Tiger Face. Kia flanks it with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. The rear has flair, though its design is more conventional than the front, with an aggressive bumper and curvy taillights.
Gallery: 2022 Kia Sportage Global Debut
The aggressive exterior wraps around an elegant interior. The tester in this video is a higher-trim model featuring three-mode heated and ventilated front seats, two-mode heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a host of tech upgrades. However, the car lacks physical controls for media and climate controls, with Kia instead using a small digital screen below the 12.3-inch infotainment display. Another dislike was the expansive use of grossly piano black trim on the center console, which will get quite dirty with use.
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Kia is expected to launch the 2022 Sportage globally later this year, alongside the shorter wheelbase version. Kia is offering the Sportage with a variety of powertrains, but they won’t be available in every market. The turbocharged 1.6-liter makes 177 horsepower (131 kilowatts) and 195 pound-feet (265 Newton-meters) of torque, while a 2.0-liter diesel produces 183 hp (136 kW) and 308 lb-ft (417 Nm) of torque. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains will also be available.
Source: Asian Petrolhead / YouTube