Kia released pictures Thursday of its 2017 Sportage ahead of the car’s public debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.
The all-new Sportage sports a new face with dramatically redesigned headlight and fog light clusters and a swept windshield. The headlights don’t connect to the grille anymore, but rather sweep further back above the front wheel arches. (The new Sportage’s grille also borrows heavily from the last-generation Optima, in my opinion.)
According to Kia, the new Sportage will have longer front overhangs, shorter rear overhangs and longer wheelbase than the current model.
Kia says the new Sportage’s rear end borrows heavily from its Provo concept, which it showed off in Geneva in 2013.
I’ll let you be the judge.
The automaker says the new Kia was developed primarily in Europe, with Korean and U.S.-based design studio help.
The Frankfurt Auto Show begins Sept. 15.
The current Sportage has been on my short list for a long time, and I think it looks better than most CUVs, as well as this newer model. Maybe I’ll snag a 2016 before the 2017s are the only ones available.
But I’d consider this 2017 if it appears with a hybrid option.
A Sportage equipped with an e-AWD system is likely, but probably not by the ’17MY.
The door handles look very Volkswagen-esque and the front end has that whole frog-like “headlights above, grille below” style that the Porsche Cayenne uses…neither of which is a surprise given designer Peter Schreyer’s origins. But I think he went a little busy on the light clusters. They’ve got too many design elements within them.
Also, the angry-unibrow rear-fascia motif is used on the K900, and looks much closer to this Sportage than does the Provo concept
I’d get a Sorento, anyway, but I’m curious as to the interior, because that’s what I don’t like about the outgoing Sportage.
The rear (esp. the tailight shape with the chrome accent) is pretty much taken off the K900.
The front would look better if they had gone with more of a Cayman-shaped headlights (don’t particularly care for the Macan or Cayenne’s (esp. the older Cayenne) or heck, just have gone with a production version of the Provo concept’s front clip.
Is no one else noticing how butt ugly this thing is?
Yes, the author clearly states: “dramatically redesigned headlight and fog light clusters”…
No
It looks VERY feminine at the front to me.
Hideous.
Rear is sharp. But front is a bit Jukish
Well at least they are trying to keep the design language evolving. It makes me think of the front end of the new Cherokee.
“It makes me think of the front end of the new Cherokee.”
Them’s fightin’ words.
I think it’s a decent looking little CUV, but I simply cannot get past the gun-slit windows. I hate being in a cave. I hate any car with door-sills above my armpit level. The backseat in this thing is definitely designed to induce claustrophobia.
The current Sportage has a very roomy back seat. Since this one is getting more wheelbase, I imagine it could become even roomier.
slance66,
Everything you said, I’m part of the choir. But I don’t see any hope for airy greenhouses ever again. The entire industry is against us and has the mute acceptance if not active approval of the public. They simply want caves.
Fortunately I have only 15-ish years left to drive.
You want an airy greenhouse and good visibility in all directions? Check out the Subaru Forester. Too boxy? It goes with the territory. Form or function? One has to decide about one’s priorities.
I kind of like this. Looks like a poor man’s Cayenne, at least in the front clip. If this has a decent interior and the 2.0T as an option it might make the short list for wifey’s next ride.
I love the new Sedona and Sorento styling, but this is slightly off. I think the grill is a little too small or something. The new Optima is a little off too.
It looks like the guys from South Park redesigned it the same way they gave the Mr. Garrison the Caitlyn Jenner treatment.
yep, this
its sorta like a way less successful version of the cherokee and that is already a bit of a mess
the subaru tribeca type high headlights
the grille which is a straight corporate lift without any thought to appropriate sizing
the landing lights off a Kia Proceed
its trying to marry three different ideas and its as about as acceptable as caitlyn jenner
wait for the Hyundai ix35/tucson version
The Hyundai ix35/Tucson version is already out. Hyundai got the makeover first for the 2016 models. The Kia is a 2017.
Current KIAs, including the Sportage are quite attractive IMO.
This thing is just odd looking.
If they pull that skin any tighter, the headlights will disappear
Would look a lot better if the designers had gone with a different headlight shape – presently, just looks ungainly (esp. at certain angles/heights; might look better in the flesh at the right angle).
The rear is nicely done tho.
Seems like the Tucson and Sportage have switched places with the Tucson now being the better looking of the 2.