Images of the upcoming 2016 Kia Sportage has leaked online ahead of its official debut. Known internally as the Kia Project QL, the fourth-generation Sportage has been spotted production-ready and without any disguise.
The new photos, which you can see above, are posted on Facebook publicly by a page called "Bobaedream" based in South Korea. They provide us with a premature view of the vehicle's front and rear fascia design.
The images show that the 2016 Kia Sportage wears a bolder face with high-mounted headlights, almost behind Kia's renowned "tiger nose" front grill, together with a pair of fog light bezels on the side. The car's center seem to have a rounder, softer design with a lower beltline, as it appear on the photos.
These leaked pictures came just one day after the same source posted designer sketches of the upcoming Sportage. The sketches include an image of the model's interior indicating that it will feature a cleaner dashboard, a large infotainment display, and less buttons on the central console.
There's also the usual Kia three-spoke steering wheel, along with the Sorento-inspired center console with triangular AC vents. Since the 2016 Kia Sportage will share much of its platform and architecture with the new Hyundai Tucson, it is also expected to be integrated with in-car connectivity options like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
If these premature glimpses are not enough for Sportage fans, then they may be pleased to know that another leak has shown up. This time, it comes in the form of a video (see below) depicting the 2016 Kia Sportage being driven along the streets of South Korea.
In the clip 21-second clip, we're only able to see the model's side and rear which unsurprisingly looks sportier than the current version. It also confirms what the earlier leaked photos suggest about the updated Sportage's design elements.
Since the 2016 Kia Sportage is inspired by the Tucson's platform, we can presume that the upcoming Kia model will come with different engines. Those include a 135 PS 1.6-liter normally aspirated unit which will also available in a 176 PS (129 kW) turbo version.
For the diesel variant, there will be a bigger 2.0-liter available with 136 PS & 184 PS as well as a 1.7-liter CRDi with 115 PS (85 kW). Gearbox options include a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic along with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic which is optional.
Like the outgoing model, the refreshed Sportage is expected to compete in one of the most competitive sectors of the automobile market, against models like the Skoda Yeti and Nissan Qashqai. However, the model's price range will most likely rise marginally due to the improved interior. That said, we will surely know more once the 2016 Kia Sportage is officially unveiled by the automaker on September 15 during the IAA 2015 event at Frankfurt, Germany.
