Photo: Youtube Screenshot | Nitro Nation
Does it look like a complete facelift? Well, it isn’t, because the 2026 Kia Sportage is nothing more than a facelift of the three-year-old fifth-generation model. As the scoops have revealed, it will have a new front end, with its new grille, vertical headlights with DRLs on the outer edges, and a new bumper. It also gets revised taillight graphics and a new rear bumper.
Our spy photographers recently caught the 2026 Kia Sportage on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. So, it was the standard-wheelbase model sold in the Old Continent, and logic tells us that the automaker will apply the same changes to the long-wheelbase variant that we have here in the States. This is pure speculation and we should find out whether or not that is the case in a few months.
The same goes for the interior, which looks far from outdated compared to the current family. However, it will likely feature some software tweaks for the main screens, if not entirely new units. The steering wheel should also be new, as it is common for automakers to replace this component in refreshed iterations, and it is also common to see tweaked center consoles and the occasional upgraded tech and safety gadget.
Photo: Youtube Screenshot | Nitro Nation
Normally, it would be too early to talk about the engine family. However, this is a mid-cycle update, so it is likely that the entire range will carry over, with little or no changes. The 1.6-liter turbo unit with 48V technology boasts 148 hp (150 ps/110 kW), and the 1.6-litre hybrid engine brings 226 hp (229 ps/169 kW) to the party. Hybrid electric vehicle boasts a combined output of 261 hp (265 ps/195 kW) and has an electric range of 43 miles (69 km) with the 13.8 kWh battery fully charged.
The Sportage is in model year 2025 in the U.S., with a starting price of $27,190 for the regular model, $28,590 for the hybrid, and $39,690 for the plug-in hybrid. So, it’s only natural that the refreshed iteration would arrive for model year 2026. It’ll likely get a bit more expensive, and if nothing else, it won’t look like the one Nitro Nation recently sketched out and shared on YouTube.
That’s an unrealistic approach to imagining the next generation, sending Toyota vibes from certain angles. Don’t expect the 2026 Kia Sportage to look anything like this. However, if you had to choose between the real thing and this CGI proposal, which would you take? I’d probably stick with the latter, because it looks better.
