2025 Kia Sportage gets new face, tech updates

Well, that didn’t take long.

After posting teaser images yesterday, Kia has quickly pulled out the wraps off the new Sportage. First revealed for the Korean market, the mid-cycle refresh done to Kia’s compact crossover features styling tweaks and tech upgrades.

The most prominent change on the exterior is found at the front fascia, where the new Sportage now aligns with the current design language of Kia. The boomerang-shaped DRLs have been replaced with inverted L-shaped units along with a new front bumper and a revised grille.

The rear end also gets some subtle tweaks with a new LED signature on the taillights that complement the rear bumpers. While the silhouette remains unchanged, the Sportage has been fitted with two-tone machine alloy wheels that have a futuristic design similar to the EV9 and the Carnival that was recently launched in the country.

Under the skin, Kia fitted a two-way damper in front for better comfort, plus additional sound-absorbing materials in the B-pillar and door trims to reduce road noise.

Inside, the new Sportage is available in Korea with three different interior color combinations – black, two-tone white and blue, or two-tone black and tan. It remains to be seen if other markets will also get these interior color options.

As for the dashboard, the new Sportage has a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen and another 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment. Much like the all-new Tasman, the Sportage has a steering wheel that comes with the Kia logo placed in a right offset.

Other tech features include the new Kia ccNC operating system that supports over-the-air updates, the Digital Key 2 feature that allows you to unlock and start the car with your smartphone or smartwatch, grip detection on the steering wheel, and Highway Driving Assist 2 – a combination of adaptive cruise, lane centering, and auto lane change assist.

For the Korean market, the Sportage is offered a choice of a gas-powered 1.6 turbo hybrid, a 1.6 turbo non-hybrid, and a 2.0-liter variant that runs on LPG. But with the Sportage sharing its bits with the Tucson, a diesel variant could be available should Kia Philippines decide to bring it here.

As previously mentioned, Korea gets first dibs on the Sportage while other markets should follow by mid-2025.