(July 24, 2018) Kia Motors has revealed details of the upgraded Kia Sportage, the brand’s global best-selling vehicle. The new model boasts a refreshed exterior and interior design, as well as new safety and infotainment technologies. The mid-sized crossover utility vehicle (CUV) also offers buyers a range of new or upgraded powertrains that deliver high levels of efficiency.
 
Ho Sung Song, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Global Operations Division, commented: “The Sportage has become a major contributor to Kia’s global success as the CUV segment continues to grow. The Sportage has introduced millions of buyers around the world to the Kia brand, and it now accounts for one in six Kia cars sold globally.

"It represents everything that Kia stands for as a brand – great design, the latest technologies, and high quality and reliability. The refreshed model is more compelling than ever, with a range of new powertrain advances, an updated design, and new features to further improve safety, comfort and convenience.”
 
Total worldwide sales of the Sportage reached more than 450,000 in 2017, with one sold somewhere in the world every 69 seconds. The five-millionth Sportage was built in March 2018, three months into the car’s 25th year on sale, following its introduction in 1993. The Sportage is produced at two Kia manufacturing facilities — in Žilina, Slovakia for European customers, and Gwangju, South Korea, for most other markets.
 
Among the major upgrades is the 2.0-liter diesel engine, which is now available with Kia’s new eight-speed automatic transmission, and — in certain markets — 48-volt mild-hybrid power. The Sportage is also available with an all-new 1.6-liter diesel engine, employing the company’s new "SmartStream" efficiency technologies. These new powertrains deliver greater performance and efficiency, and sit alongside the Sportage’s extensive range of gasoline engines to offer a suitable engine for every buyer.
 
Global sales of the upgraded 2018 Kia Sportage have begun.
 
The original design of the fourth-generation Sportage CUV was led by Kia’s European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany, with input from the company’s design centers in Namyang, Korea and Irvine, Calif. The three studios have modernized the look of the Sportage, with a range of updates to its sporty exterior design. Changes extend to SX and GT Line models (depending on market — the Sportage SX is sold in North America; GT Line models in Europe, general markets and Korea), which feature a series of unique upgrades compared to other trim levels.
 
Improvements to the Sportage’s sporty exterior design include new front and rear bumpers, as well as redesigned front and rear lamps. Depending on market, new 16-, 17-, 18- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs are available, and options include chrome sill trim and metallic skid plates, and a range of new paint colors.
 
SX and GT Line models are equipped with a gloss black hot-stamped radiator grille, a gloss black and silver skid plate, and dark chrome inserts on the side sills and rear tailgate. The model’s unique 19-inch alloy wheels have been redesigned, and all models are fitted with a dual exhaust rear valance and revised ‘ice cube’ LED fog lamps.
 
While the layout of the cabin is retained, a series of upgrades further engender a sense of modernity. The upgraded model is equipped with a new steering wheel and revised driver instrument cluster, while the cabin is available with new upholstery designs. SX and GT Line models are available with new two-tone fabric and leather seats as standard, or with optional two-tone leather seats, with colors varying by market. The design of the ventilation and air conditioning controls at the centre of the dashboard has also been revised, with new bezels around the dials adding further clarity to the dashboard layout.