2025 Kia Sportage facelift revealed in full

The 2025 Kia Sportage has been unwrapped in South Korea, giving us our first look at the updated medium SUV ahead of its Australian launch in the second quarter of 2025.

As per the bigger Sorento, the new Kia Sportage gains restyled LED headlamps, revised bumpers and tweaked tail-lamps that help narrow the stylistic gap between it and the Kia EV9 electric flagship.

Other exterior changes include new 17-, 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels and the introduction of a new X-Line trim that adds a more rugged front bumper, black badging, black 19-inch rims, a two-tone steering wheel and a new suede headlining.

Within, the refreshed Sportage still sports dual 12.3-inch screens but now runs the latest ccNC software that has over-the-air updates capability as well as wireless smartphone mirroring and fingerprint recognition.

Other enhancements include sleeker air vents, a redesigned and touch-sensitive steering wheel, the addition of lane change assist and driver monitoring system, upgraded autonomous emergency braking system, virtual key compatibility, augmented reality sat-nav and auto-dipping wing mirrors.

Under the bonnet, the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol continues to develop 132kW/265Nm but dumps the old seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in favour of a smoother eight-speed torque converter automatic.

The turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol-electric hybrid system meantime has been updated with a new (more powerful) electric motor to boost combined outputs from 169kW to 172kW in line with the latest Hyundai Tucson, however a combined torque figure is TBC – ‘Baby Mode’ is also included.

What hasn’t been revealed, however, is what will happen to both the naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder or the popular 2.0-litre turbo-diesel in the Australian market.

Both are expected to be carried over untouched, despite Hyundai opting to axe the latter from its Tucson line-up.

Kia Australia might also bring over the plug-in hybrid version of the 1.6-litre turbo already offered in Korea.

The facelifted Sportage is said to be quieter and more refined than its predecessor across the board thanks to its new two-way front dampers and sound-deadening pads in the door pillars and panels.

Already spotted testing,?Kia will once again offer a short-wheelbase?(Europe) and a longer-wheel base version, the latter of which is currently offered in Australia, Korea and North America – it’s expected we’ll miss out on the shorty.

Kia Australia has yet to reveal full pricing and specification for the 2025 Kia Sportage, with both announcements expected to be made early next year.

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