Kia reveals Sportage powertrain options
While the North American market is reportedly about a year away from seeing the redesigned Kia Sportage, the model is almost ready to go on sale in other markets. In its home base of Korea, the brand is planning to offer two different engines at launch.
First up, and marking one of the options most likely to make it on this side of the planet, is a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine pushing about 180 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque.
This is roughly the same horsepower as the naturally aspirated 2.4-L four offered in the Sportage at Canadian dealerships, with about 25 pound-feet of extra torque.
A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission takes over from the current six speed, but don't expect the overseas manual transmission to make it here (ditto for their 2.0-L diesel engine). The Sportage remains one of the brand's most popular models in Canada, accounting for nearly one in five new Kia vehicles sold in April 2021.
Only the Seltos and Forte beat it in terms of overall volume that month.
As for the upcoming Sportage, there will be no mistaking it for anything else on the road.
A set of boomerang-shaped LED running lights bookend a new take on its “Tiger Nose” grille. The interior will be packed with the type of tech and infotainment that was solely the domain of high-dollar vehicles not that long ago. Expect a 12-inch touch screen, similarly sized digital instrument cluster and, on top trims, leather upholstery.