Better than a Toyota RAV4? 2025 Kia Sportage gets next-gen overhaul with hybrid and plug-in options and futuristic styling refresh to challenge MG HS, Hyundai Tucson and Nissan X-Trail

Kia has fully revealed its deeply facelifted Sportage mid-size SUV with significantly tweaked design to go with new powertrain options and upgraded tech throughout.

The new Sportage, revealed at the LA Motor Show, looks almost unrecognisable compared to the current car, syncing up its ‘Opposites United’ design ethos with the rest of the more recently released Kia range, including the EV9 and EV5.

Sitting alongside the EV5 in the line-up, the 2025 Sportage will continue to feature pure combustion drivetrains, alongside an upgraded plugless hybrid and a new plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

For the US market, where it will debut, this means a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine (140kW/241Nm) mated to an eight-speed torque converter automatic, a 1.6-litre turbo hybrid with an upgraded electric motor (system total 172kW) mated to a six-speed single clutch automatic, and a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid with a more powerful electric motor (system total 200kW) and the same six-speed transmission.

The ICE and HEV variants are available in either front- or all-wheel drive, while the plug-in is all-wheel-drive only.

The interior has also been significantly tweaked, now featuring Kia’s latest two-spoke steering wheel design, a completely overhauled centre console with new switchgear and hardware, and new matching 12.3-inch displays for the instrument cluster and touchscreen, featuring the brand’s latest software suite.

This software has online connectivity with over-the-air updates and a new paired smartphone app allowing for keyless operation, and there’s also a 10-inch head-up display on some variants.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants also have optional heated rear seats for the first time in the Sportage range.

On top of this, the new Sportage also gets an enhanced active safety suite which now includes pedestrian, cyclist, and oncoming traffic assist, evasive steering assist, and a tweaked driver attention system.

Additionally, the US market will also score X-Line variants (to live alongside the S-Line variants, the overseas equivalent of GT-Line) which feature a rugged overhaul.

The standard X-Line scores alternate mouldings, mirrors, window surrounds and LED DRL patterns, upgraded all-wheel drive with terrain settings, raised roof rack rails, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Meanwhile the X-Pro version gets BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres on 17-inch off-road wheels, similar tweaks to the X-Line, and a two-tone roof design.

In a comment to CarsGuide a Kia Australia representative confirmed the new Sportage will also arrive locally in the second quarter of 2025, although powertrains and variants are yet to be confirmed.

The Sportage is the Australian division’s most important and best-selling model, moving 18,231 units so far in 2024.

It has outsold its Tucson relation from Hyundai, but trails the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, and Mitsubishi Outlander for a comfortable fourth position in the mainstream mid-size SUV segment.

Next year will be a big one for Kia, with a number of new products launching, or arriving in larger volumes.

Expect the impact of the Kia Tasman ute to be revealed as buyers start receiving orders, with other significant new products including the EV3 small SUV and the K4 coming to replace the Cerato (the brand’s second most popular product) bound to make their mark.