The Kia Sportage has been around since 1993, and for the fifth generation, it’s getting a dedicated European version for the first time. Following in on the footsteps of the global version revealed a few months ago, the new compact crossover tailored to the Old Continent will debut online on September 1 before arriving at the IAA Munich show in Germany a few days later.
Meanwhile, Kia has shared a few teaser overly styled design sketches of the Euro-spec 2022 Sportage, which is expected to be slightly shorter than the international version. You can already tell it’s a smidge smaller since it lacks the fixed glass area located aft the rear pillar where there’s now a more sloped roofline for a sportier look.
This tells us the wheelbase and rear doors will be shorter, thus making it more compact than the global model. Just to get an idea of big the European Sportage will be, the international variant is 4660 mm (183.5 in) long and features a 2755 mm (108.5 in) wheelbase. Width and height should remain the same, at 1865 mm (73.4 in) and 1660 mm (65.4 in), respectively.
Other than that, the styling inside and out should be virtually identical. Kia remains tight-lipped about technical specifications, although it does confirm a plug-in hybrid powertrain will be available. It will pair a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor good for 66.9 kilowatts and a lithium-ion polymer battery pack with a capacity of 13.8 kWh.
Chances are most of the hardware will be shared with the latest-generation Hyundai Tucson, which it too offers a PHEV option. The electrified setup is good for 265 horsepower and 350 Newton-meters (258 pound-feet) of torque in the Hyundai model, which aims to deliver 35 miles (56 kilometers) of electric range based on the WLTP cycle.
The new Sportage will share the spotlight at the upcoming auto show in Munich with the EV6, Kia’s very first dedicated electric vehicle. The zero-emissions crossover is already available to order in many important European markets, while the plug-in hybrid crossover is scheduled to go on sale before the end of 2021.
Source: Kia
