Kia Motors has taken the wraps-off of the Sportage SUV at the 2018 Auto Expo. The SUV will pounce with the likes of VW Tiguan, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Compass. The SUV is expected to fall in a range of 18 lakh to 25 lakh (Ex Showroom).
Checkout the Kia Stinger GT at the 2018 Auto Expo!
Exterior wise, the Sportage SUV will dominate the viewer by Kia’s signature ‘tiger nose’ main grille with high-gloss black diamond mesh in it and surrounded by chrome strip. The two raised ribs on the hood gives it a sense of boldness to the model. Going to the side, the hood sweeps up to cover the elongated headlamps which extend along the sides. The headlight unit gets bi-xenon adaptive units that would be available on top spec variants. The steeply angled windscreen sweeps seamlessly into the low roofline and the top edge is again castellated. It gets an increased overall length, extended wheelbase and shorter rear overhang than its predecessor that gives it a more sporty profile. Moving to the rear, the SUV looks chiselled and more voluminous, featuring a a mixture of concave and convex surfaces and horizontal lines which emphasise the wide and stable stance. The taillamps are again LED units.
In terms of equipment, the SUV would come packed with touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, USB and AUX connectivity, 12-volt power outlet in the front and rear, Trailer Stability Assist, Hill-start Assist, Downhill Brake Control and cruise control with speed limiter, to name a few. Under the hood, the Sportage SUV is expected to come packed with the same set of powertrain as seen on Hyundai Tucson – a 2.0-litre engine cylinder turbo diesel engine with 185PS with some off-roading capabilities or we can also say an all-wheel drive could be on offer as well. In many international markets, Kia Sportage has been a proven SUV for the brand and can be the same in the Indian passenger car market too.
