A few days before its global debut at the 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show on the 15th, Kia Motors has taken the wraps off its fourth-generation Sportage. The all-new model promises a host of new technological features and better quality to go with the attractive design.

The 2016 Sportage features a bolder look that combines a sense of sense of style and power. The overall design is led by Kia’s European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany with inputs from the brand’s design centers in Namyang, Korea and Irvine, California.

Taking inspiration from modern fighter jets, the Sportage features a new interpretation of the hallmark tiger-nose grille. For the first time ever, the headlights and the grille have now been separated. The new headlamps are positioned higher while the lower and wider grille creates a more imposing appearance despite keeping the same 1,855-mm width. A new ‘GT Line’ in Europe adds more visual flair thanks to ice-cube LED fog lamps and aluminum skid plates. At the back, the GT Line gets dual exhaust tips. It’s longer in both overall length and wheelbase compared to the current model.


Inside, the interior is much more driver-centric with a high percentage of soft-touch materials used throughout. The focus is a clearly-defined central console with a vertical design. New horizontal lines emphasize width while giving an impression of space and sportiness. Interior volume has also grown with more headroom and legroom for both front and rear occupants. It also features a larger cargo area.

Under the hood, the 2016 Sportage offers a choice between both gasoline and diesel engines. The gasoline engines range from a 1.6-liter normally-aspirated gasoline or 1.6-liter turbocharged direct-injection GDI engine. Without the turbo, it maxes out at 132 horsepower and 161 Nm of torque while the force-induction version tops out at 177 horsepower and 265 Nm of torque. For diesels, the entry level is a 1.7-liter CRDi engine with 115 horsepower. It tops out with the R 2.0-liter CRDi in two states of tune: 136 horsepower/373 Nm and 184 horsepower/400 Nm. Paired with the 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI is a 7-speed dual clutch automatic (DCT) developed in-house by Kia.



Available as an option, the Sportage will feature a rack-mounted electric motor-driven power steering system (R-MDPS). With the motor mounted directly on the steering rack as opposed to the column, the R-MDPS provides greater steering feel and quicker response. In conjunction with this, the all-new Sportage also gets a stiffer suspension set-up for better agility and control through corners. Larger disc brakes complete the handling package.

The all-new 2016 Kia Sportage will begin sales in Europe by the first quarter of 2016.