- Facelifted Kia Sportage spied during transit on a flatbed truck in India
- Gets fresh mechanical, cosmetic and feature upgrades over its predecessor
- Likely to be one of the six Kia cars to be launched in 2019
Kia had showcased the Sportage SUV earlier this year in February at the biennial Auto Expo motor show. Later in May, the Korean car manufacturer had showcased the updated version for the international market. This time around, the updated version has been spotted while being transported over a flatbed truck in India. The new model gets fresh mechanical, cosmetic and feature upgrades over its predecessor. The Sportage is likely to be one of the six new cars to be launched in 2019 by Kia Motors, as it makes a grand debut in India.
Based on what can be seen, the 2019 Kia Sportage gets a redesigned bumper with fog lamp pods and a silver skid plate. The rear bumper now features a chrome strip along with fog lamps placed on either ends. The wraparound taillamps featured red reflector strip in between them, however, this seems unlikely to be introduced in the production model. Moreover, the 2019 model is expected to be offered with the dual-tone alloy wheel for freshness.
Under the hood, the international spec Kia Sportage is powered by a new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine with a mild-hybrid system which has a 48 V battery. Moreover, the 1.7-litre diesel engine has been replaced with a new 1.6-litre unit. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission powers all four wheels. As for the interior, the new model features a revised instrument cluster and a twin-dial setup with a large MID in the centre. The dashboard looks more or less similar to the older model and this time around it gets a touchscreen infotainment system.
Photo Source: T-BHP
