Kia Sportage gets mid-cycle update with changes both inside and out

The Kia Sportage has minimal changes for 2025 in the US, but a facelift is coming in South Korea. It effectively serves as a mid-cycle update, bringing tweaks inside and out along with mechanical upgrades and more customization options.

The most noticeable difference is up front, where the 2025 Sportage gets redesigned headlights for the Korean market. Gone are the boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights, but the new extra-long lighting signature of more vertically oriented clusters is just as quirky. The grille is also fresh, with a different pattern depending on the trim level. The same goes for the updated front bumper, which is available in different designs.

The taillights have retained their size and shape, but the inner graphics are new. The bumper has been revised, but not significantly. The exterior changes are rounded off by Wolf Gray and Heritage Blue paint finishes and a range of alloy wheels up to 19 inches.

More substantial changes have occurred inside, where the Sportage has a revised 12.3-inch curved infotainment system and a digital instrument cluster of the same size. The air vents have been completely redesigned and there's more ambient lighting than before. There are still physical controls, and the images don't show piano black trim.

A new head-up display is offered, along with a steering wheel-mounted camera that monitors whether the driver is paying attention to the road. Sensors in the steering wheel detect whether your hands are where they should be. As in other models, a fingerprint authentication system is available.

Taking a cue from the mechanically related 2025 Hyundai Tucson, the latest Kia Sportage for Korea has a Baby & Toddler mode. 

When activated, it automatically softens the acceleration so that the little ones in the back won't be bothered. For extra comfort, there are fancy dampers on the front axle and extra sound-absorbing material in the B-pillars and door panels.

Elsewhere, the turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine ditches the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in favor of an eight-speed automatic. Kia is making the hybrid model slightly more powerful than before to reflect the electrified 2025 Tucson.

Expect these changes to be adopted by the Sportage outside of Korea in the coming months. Americans will likely have to wait for the 2026MY to get the facelifted version.

Source: Motor1