In addition to the Soul crossover and Forte sedan, Kia Motors America will soon be bringing the facelifted version of its Sportage SUV to the States. With the mid-cycle refresh, Kia is hoping to renew the interest in its compact SUV and hold the sales decline Sportage has experienced lately.
As these latest spy images suggest, the new model is expected to receive a host of changes in front, including more aggressive, chrome surrounding, grille and larger angular front lights. The front bumper gets retouched too and now features larger air intakes and rounded fog-lights. Black camouflage fitted to the rear of the Sportage indicates subtle changes were also made to the tail lamps and rear bumper.
Several improvements were also made to the interior of the 2009 Kia Sportage to create an even more pleasant and driver/passenger friendly space. Inside, you can find a new radio unit and USB port for iPods and similar MP3 devices.
The 2009 Kia Sportage is slated to go on sale early next month after it makes an official world debut at the British International Auto Show commencing on July 23rd. [Source: Thecarconnection]
IMPORTANT UPDATE: 2009 Kia Sportage images
Click image to enlarge!
July 7th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
the new thing these spy shots show me is that the sportage will have USB and AUX jacks.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
its been selling in china and korea since the 4th quater of last year. why does it still need to be in camo?
July 7th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
OK. now I’ve read the original article on ‘Thecarconnection’ and it seems that it will debut later this month which I feel is possible cuz I’m seeing more and more 2009 sportages and the UAE HKAG yard everytime. Today, I saw a newer batch of em which had my favorite black sportages in it and i also red ones.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
We have had the 2009 Sportage at our dealership for over a month now. I am wondering how Canada got it before the US. I find that very unusual??
July 7th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Also check out http://www.kia.ca/cars/details/sportage. for more info
July 7th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
what I find unusual is that its still in camoflauge covers! how is this possible? its selling in canada, Korea, China, Philipines and they are sitting in the UAE holding yard, just weeks from its launch and its still in camo covers?Please tell me these pix are many months old!
July 8th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Already on sale in Canada
July 8th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Next week for sale in Belgium, KMB is discussing the price of it with KME
July 8th, 2008 at 2:31 am
I see in one of the photos the Sportage is sitting next to a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Were they testing it out against this vehicle, or was it just by chance it was sitting there.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Great! They have finally they have colour coded the all the dark grey bits on the side and I assume the front too.
July 8th, 2008 at 8:15 am
—colour coded the all the dark grey bits on the side and I assume the front too.—
yup the bumpers are now body coloured and have a two tone affect. type the following in the search box to see pix: “2008 Kia Sportage (China)”.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:15 am
D,
I’ve been told it we would only have it as of september… However a friend of mine (auto-journalist) also said KMB told him halfway july!
Furthermore internal memo’s mentioned that there wouldn’t be any changes on the outside (we’ve had those in November 07) but all the changes would have been on the inside….
Strange…
To be continued!
July 8th, 2008 at 11:50 am
there seems to be only 4 changes inside namely, AUX/USB jacks, gauge cluster, stereo conts and A/C conts. And most of the changes are on the outside. Head lights, grille, bumpers, tail lights, fog lights, wheels and lower grille. I hope this one will have the 2-tone interior option. I just love that. sadly, the engines will be the same. no changes in power, torque or mileage.
. I think Sportage will be completely redesigned for 2010 cuz its design hasnt changed much since 2005.
July 8th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
We’ve been told Torque would improve, therefor having better mileage and CO2 emisions…
July 8th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Bornloser,
At the dealer convention in july KMB showed the pictures inside and outside of the facelift Sportage, the release of it. they also showed pictures of the Soul and the possibility’s for personalising the soul. The Diva, Burner and the searcher come also with other names. There was info about the new engines for the futures, when de facelift of the cee’d is comming, when the new Sorento, Carnival, Carens, Sportage, Picanto, Rio is comming, the eco_cee’d is also comming such as a new engine with more than 200 BHP for the cee’d. they also gave a tip about the small MPV that is comming in 2010 based on the Soul. KIA will also be the first after BMW that will use new green technologies.
KIA has a nice future.
July 8th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
—We’ve been told Torque would improve, therefor having better mileage and CO2 emisions…—
but the torque rating is the smae as before. just check out the canada site. [www.kia.ca]
July 8th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
The changes on the facelift are no technical changes, the torque and mileage and co2 are changed with the facelift of september 2007. The changes are a few changes interior and in exterior but they are no BIG changes it stil stays subtile
July 8th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
THE BORREGO IS ON THE CANADA SITE WITH PRICES!!
July 8th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
They say it is a mid cycle refresh!!!! It has been launch in canada in 2004 as a 2005 model it is more an end sycle refresh to me.
July 8th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Our Borrego is about 3 weeks away from arriving at the dealership. Should you need pictures let me know where to send. Also if you want pictures of the 09 Sportage let me know where to send
July 8th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
——They say it is a mid cycle refresh!!!! It has been launch in canada in 2004 as a 2005 model it is more an end sycle refresh to me——
you’re talking about the 2005 sportage. that was not a mid-cycle refresh. it was a complete redesign. It was the third gen. Now the 2009 model, shown in this spy-shot is a mid cycle refresh of this third generation.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
BTW, the launch of the mohave in UAE is just 12 days away.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:55 am
you’re talking about the 2005 sportage. that was not a mid-cycle refresh. it was a complete redesign. It was the third gen. Now the 2009 model, shown in this spy-shot is a mid cycle refresh of this third generation.
midcycle to me means middle of th cycle. If 2009 is middle of the cycle we shoul expect next gen by 2013 wich is a little ridiculous. Fcalift like this should have occured in 2008 and the next gen should have been for 2010. But we will probably have next gen by 2011. Cycles are way to long( SPORTAGE,SORENTO) facelift are too minimal sometimes ( 2007 SORENTO, 2009 SPORTAGE,2007 SPECTRA )
July 10th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Kia will usually redesign the models once they complete 5 -6 years on the market, regardless of when they facelift it. so a next gen sportage will arrive in 2010 for China and Korea and the rest of the world will get it as a 2011 model.
September 7th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I want a Champagne Metallic Kia EX 2009 right away. Where are the salesmen. I have to have one.