Who Made The New Kia Sportage Angry?

We’re not sure the Kia Sportage has too much reason to be angry with itself. After all, it’s so far been the UK’s second-best-selling car through 2025, having spent many, many years competing for that spot.

Maybe it’s just very mad that it’s a little behind the Ford Puma on sales figures, and those emotions are now showing. Here’s the new Kia Sportage, and it looks pretty angry about something.

As far as facelifted models go, the Sportage’s update is a pretty light one – but then why reinvent a formula that’s clearly working so well? That includes a new cross-looking face with fresh column-stacked headlights and a reworked front bumper to bring it in line with recent models like the EV9 and Picanto.

The rear light housing has remained the same, but gets a new LED layout within. Oh, and a fresh wheel design is available in 17- through to 19-inch sizes, while GT-Line models get a new exclusive set of alloys.

Bigger changes come inside the updated Kia Sportage. There’s a whole new dashboard for a start, dropping the passenger-side stacked vent for a sleeker full-dash width alternative while new bezels bring the two 12.3-inch screens closer together. You can have the Sportage with a new 10-inch heads-up display as well, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are finally supported.

Engine choices remain the same as before. That’ll be a front-diven car with a standalone 1.6-litre turbcharged four-cylinder option, while that same engine pairs up with an electric motor for a conventional hybrid. The existing plug-in hybrid option won’t be available initially, but is set for a return shortly after launch.

No word yet on how much the new Kia Sportage will cost, but expect prices to remain pretty similar to the outgoing car, currently starting at £30,170. Let’s just hope the new one calms down a bit before it lands on our shores.