The fourth-gen Kia Sportage, introduced in 2015,
will reach the mid-point of its lifespan this year. Kia is readying a facelift
of the SUV. A 2019 Kia Sportage test mule was recently spied up close in South
Korea, courtesy Motorgraph.
The Kia Sportage would receive minor exterior
changes with the mid-cycle refresh. At the front, the 2019 Kia Sportage will
likely feature tweaked headlamps, updated Tiger-nose grille, new lower air
intake, restyled bumper accentuated by a chrome strip and new fog lights. The
new headlamps are similar to those of the third-gen 2018 Kia Ceed and appear to
have four-element ‘ice- cube’ LED DRLs with the main beam in the centre.
At the rear, the spy shot shows that the 2019 Kia
Sportage will have tweaked tail lamps. Another change may include some
revisions to the bumper for a new look. Interior changes may include an upgrade
to the infotainment system and new trim and upholstery. Any changes to the
engines, if planned, are currently unknown. The pre-facelift model is available
with a variety of petrol and diesel engines with displacements ranging from
1.6- to 2.4-litre.
The 2019 Kia Sportage could debut sometime in the
second half of this year, possibly at the 2018 Paris Motor Show.
