New 2022 Kia Sportage Detailed In Thorough Walkaround Video

There’s quite a difference in design between the fourth-generation Kia Sportage and the fifth-generation one that debuted a few months ago. The model has transformed from a cutesy crossover into an upscale offering wrapped in a sleek-looking package. A new Asian Petrolhead YouTube video provides a thorough overview of the new Sportage, exploring its controversial exterior styling and well-appointed interior.

One of the Sportage’s most striking features is the front-end design. The Tiger Nose grille has gone digital, and it’s not really a grille anymore. It’s a three-piece styling feature the combines the hood, black trim, and silver garnish into a design element that now sits above the actual grille. Kia calls it the Digital Tiger Face. Kia flanks it with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. The rear has flair, though its design is more conventional than the front, with an aggressive bumper and curvy taillights.

The aggressive exterior wraps around an elegant interior. The tester in this video is a higher-trim model featuring three-mode heated and ventilated front seats, two-mode heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a host of tech upgrades. However, the car lacks physical controls for media and climate controls, with Kia instead using a small digital screen below the 12.3-inch infotainment display. Another dislike was the expansive use of grossly piano black trim on the center console, which will get quite dirty with use.

Kia is expected to launch the 2022 Sportage globally later this year, alongside the shorter wheelbase version. Kia is offering the Sportage with a variety of powertrains, but they won’t be available in every market. The turbocharged 1.6-liter makes 177 horsepower (131 kilowatts) and 195 pound-feet (265 Newton-meters) of torque, while a 2.0-liter diesel produces 183 hp (136 kW) and 308 lb-ft (417 Nm) of torque. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains will also be available.