The Kia Sportage is Kia's best-selling model worldwide, and its sixth generation, internally known as NQ6, is already testing on public roads in Korea and Europe. Over the past months we have followed it through spy photos, leaked images, videos and renderings. This guide collects everything we know about the next-generation Sportage so far, and we will keep it updated until its official reveal.
Kia Sportage NQ6 At A Glance
Generation: all-new sixth-generation Sportage (NQ6), replacing the current NQ5.
Powertrains: no more gasoline-only versions in Europe and Korea. Expect mild hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.
Plug-in hybrid: targeting up to 100 km (62 miles) of electric range.
Size: wheelbase grows from 2,755 mm to about 2,790 mm, with wheels up to 20 inches.
Interior: a 17-inch Pleos Connect screen and a new steering wheel.
Launch: Korea in the third quarter of 2027; the rest of the world in 2028.
Exterior Design: Bolder And More Upright
The first prototypes appeared in mid-2026 (first sighting), and a spy video showed a bigger, boxier SUV (caught on the move). A leaked photo of the uncovered headlight later confirmed the new lighting design (headlight leaked).
Pre-production prototypes have since been spotted with production lights (production lights) and with 20-inch wheels and a stretched body (production details). During hot-weather testing in Spain, the prototypes lost a good part of their camouflage (testing in Spain).
Renderings based on these photos preview a bolder, more upright design (first rendering, updated rendering, latest rendering).
Bigger Dimensions
Prototype measurements point to a wheelbase of about 2,790 mm, around 35 to 40 mm more than today's 2,755 mm. That should mean more rear legroom and cargo space. Prototypes also wear new 20-inch wheels, while the current Sportage tops out at 19 inches.
Interior: 17-Inch Pleos Connect Screen
Inside, the NQ6 debuts Kia's latest interface: a 17-inch screen running Pleos Connect, the new infotainment and connected-car platform from Hyundai Motor Group, together with a new steering wheel (first look inside, Pleos Connect screen, new steering wheel). It was also spied at Kia's European Technical Center in Germany (spied in Europe).
Powertrains: Hybrid Only
This is the biggest change. According to reports first published in 2025, the new Sportage will drop gasoline-only engines, at least in Europe and Korea (100% hybrid Sportage). The expected lineup:
Mild hybrid (MHEV): the entry point in some markets.
Hybrid (HEV): the core of the range.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV): a bigger battery and a stronger electric motor, targeting up to 100 km of electric range, enough for most daily commutes.
The US lineup has not been confirmed. Kia already builds the current Sportage Hybrid at the Hyundai Metaplant in Georgia (US production), so local production of the new hybrid looks likely.
Release Date
As usual with Kia, the new Sportage will launch in South Korea first, in the third quarter of 2027. The rest of the world, including Europe and the US, will follow in 2028.
Price
Kia has not announced pricing. With hybrid powertrains across the range, expect the starting price to rise compared with today's gasoline Sportage. For reference, the 2026 Sportage Hybrid starts at $30,290 in the US (2026 Sportage Hybrid pricing).
FAQ
What is the Kia Sportage NQ6? NQ6 is Kia's internal code for the sixth-generation Sportage, expected in 2027.
Will the new Sportage have a gasoline-only engine? Not in Europe and Korea, according to reports. The US lineup is not confirmed yet.
What is the electric range of the Sportage PHEV? Kia is targeting up to 100 km (62 miles).
When will the new Sportage be released? In South Korea in the third quarter of 2027, and in the rest of the world, including the US and Europe, in 2028.
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