It’s time to play a little game we like to call, ‘spot the difference.’ Pictured above is a facelifted 2014 Kia Sportage and below is the current Kia Sportage. Can you spot the difference? Okay, good, we thought we were the only ones who needed a visit to the optometrist.
Since Peter Schreyer has been brought in to coordinate the different design languages of both Hyundai and Kia as the Design Chief of both, both Korean manufacturers have launched a new plan to refresh its cars on a two year cycle rather than every four years, and in so doing they’re trimming the fat on the specification and available drivetrains too.
Kia say you can spot the differences on the new Slovakian-sourced Series II Sportage courtesy of its new front grille, redesigned fog lights, HID headlights and LED taillights. As for the interior, the affordable Korean crossover gains a tilt and reach telescopic steering column, rear ventilation and a revised infotainment system.
Under the bonnet, there’s the new 2.4-litre GDI four-cylinder engine we’ve sampled in the Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata before. Except now it produces 135 kW and 239 Nm of torque – an increase of 4 kW and 12 Nm respectively and this is connected to a six-speed automatic gearbox. We expect the lightly tweaked Kia Sportage to land in local Kia showrooms by the middle of 2014.
