Kia continues to renew its lineup with the scheduled October 27th presentation of the new 2022 Sportage, which will finally make its North American debut. For the moment, Kia is sticking to a single darkened photo of the front fascia, even though the two variants of the SUV were already shown earlier this year.
Indeed, it was last June that the new design was unveiled, the Sportage which, like its cousin the Hyundai Tucson, will be offered with two different wheelbases: regular and extended. However, we should expect to see the Sportage with a longer wheelbase for North America, where consumers who prefer interior volume to driving a more agile vehicle.
In fact, in the photo released by the North American wing, you can see the front bumper in an X-Line livery, a badge that actually made an appearance on the recent Sorento. Kia obviously wants to follow the trend of adventure-dressed versions.
It’s too early to confirm the powertrains Kia is considering for the U.S. and Canada, but we do know that the automaker intends to offer a variety of powerful and fuel-efficient engines.
Expect to see the 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder block used in all manner of ways under the hood of the brand’s products, the mill delivering 177 horsepower and a peak torque of 195 lb-ft, while hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants are also to be expected.
It will be interesting to see what Kia Canada’s strategy will be for this other popular SUV. The new Sportage is expected to gain market share with an expanded lineup, longer wheelbase and a design that’s sure to get people talking. See you on October 27th for all the details.
