The Upcoming Kia Sportage SUV Will Have Hybrid Variants As Well

The Korean carmaker has now revealed more information pertaining to the powertrain, dimensions and safety features of the upcoming fifth-generation Sportage SUV

• The Sportage will get both HEV (hybrid) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid) powertrains.

• ICE engines will include a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and a 2-litre diesel, both making 180PS or more.

• The petrol engine will get both manual and automatic transmission options whereas diesel will be an auto-only offering.

• Electrically controlled 4WD and suspension will be part of the package.

• Expected in India once it is launched overseas.

Having revealed limited information about the Sportage mid-size SUV a month ago, Kia has now revealed detailed specs about it. The biggest talking point is that the Sportage will be available in a hybrid avatar. 

GT-Line model

Kia has revealed that they will offer the option of both an HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) and a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle). While both systems use a battery pack and some sort of electric propulsion system, the former uses the internal combustion engine and regenerative braking to top up the batteries, whereas the latter can also make use of an external charging source to do so.

X-Line model

Further details have not yet been revealed. We do know however that Kia will offer standard internal combustion engines as well. 

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As of now, the petrol option will be a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol motor that makes 180PS and 264Nm. This engine can be had with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed DCT (dual clutch automatic transmission). 

X-line model interior

The diesel offering will be a 2-litre unit that makes 186PS and 417Nm. This engine will be available with an 8-speed automatic transmission (torque converter). While these are the only powertrain numbers that Kia has provided, more powertrain options could be revealed in the future as well. The Sportage will also get drive modes (Eco, City, Sport and Custom).

GT-Line model interior

An AWD system will be offered as well but we don’t yet know what powertrains it will be offered with. Kia is also offering adaptive suspension on the SUV.. The system is capable of controlling the damping of the shock absorbers in real time. In essence, a system like this stiffens up the suspension when the vehicle is being driven in a spirited fashion, and softens it up when it detects potholes and rough road surfaces. 

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The Sportage will also be offered with Terrain mode. It can automatically detect the type of ground underneath the SUV (mud, sand and snow), and alter its characteristics to provide the most amount of traction.

Kia has upped the safety quotient of the Sportage as well. Apart from the usual active and passive safety systems (6 airbags), it is also offering ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) on the SUV. Features like Forward Collision-Avoidance (FCA), Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) and Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM) are part of the package.

FCA warns about forward collisions, before automatically applying the brakes. HDA uses features like adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane keep assist to maintain a constant distance from the vehicle in front, and to keep the Sportage centred in its lane. NSCC makes use of navigation data and reduces speed if it detects a turn in the road, or traffic up ahead. BCA warns the driver about vehicles in the blind spot when making a lane change, and the system also intervenes if it detects that an accident is imminent. BCA also aids in parallel parking. BVM adds to this by displaying a live video feed of the vehicle’s blind spot in the instrument cluster. Finally, there is RSPA (Remote Smart Parking Assist) that allows a driver to park the SUV or exit a parking spot, remotely.

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Apart from the above, the SUV will also sport LED Matrix headlamps and LED DRLs. Buyers will be able to choose between 17-, 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels, with a total of 7 different alloy wheels being offered by Kia. On the inside, the touchscreen system and the instrument cluster are integrated into one housing, although they both sport individual 12-inch screens. The whole setup is curved, allowing it to be more driver-centric. The infotainment screen can be controlled by touch commands, or via a controller in the centre console. The Sportage will be available in X-Line and GT-Line variants, with the major difference between the two being the front bumper design, and the interior colour scheme.

Dimensions

Kia has revealed that the Sportage is built on the N3 platform, which means it shares its underpinnings with the new Hyundai Tucson. We know that the new-gen Tucson is expected to come to India in the future and we know that Kia is big on introducing SUVs in the Indian market. It then makes sense to assume that the Sportage will come to India in the future, however, we might have to wait it out a bit. It goes on sale in European markets in the coming months, and its India plans should come to light once that happens. We have previously done a story around the Sportage, detailing its exterior and interior. To check it out, head here.