Author: Radomskyi Maksym VasyliovychAs of the end of September 2026, the sixth-generation Kia Sportage (factory code NQ6) has not been officially unveiled: Kia has shown neither photos nor specifications. What is known is different — prototypes are already being tested in Europe, the body will become boxier and larger, and the Korean press writes that the new generation will be left without “pure” petrol versions and will get only hybrids. We sort out what is confirmed and what is still rumor, and what will happen to accessories for the current Sportage NQ5.
Illustrations for the article are renders: this is what the new Sportage could look like based on spy photos. There are no official images of the model yet.
When Kia will show the new Sportage
Kia has not named a premiere date. Back on March 24, 2025, the Korean business outlet ETNews, citing sources within the company, wrote that sales of the NQ6 on Korea’s domestic market are planned for the third quarter of 2027. For the USA, the press expects the new model as the 2028 model-year Sportage, and Australia’s CarExpert expects a launch on its market in 2027.
Officially, Kia talks about the Sportage only in the figures of its business plan. At CEO Investor Day on April 9, 2026, the company set a goal of making the Sportage its first model to sell more than 200,000 units per year, and of increasing hybrid sales from 690,000 in 2026 to 1.1 million per year by 2030. The new generation is being developed with exactly this calculation in mind.
The benchmark is its platform “relative” — the fifth-generation Hyundai Tucson. Hyundai unveiled it in Korea on September 18, 2026, and at the Paris Motor Show in October announced the European premiere of a new C-segment crossover — the press believes this is the Tucson. We have already written about it separately: new Hyundai Tucson NX5 — what is known. The Sportage usually follows the Tucson, so many technical solutions will most likely be shared — but this is an assumption, not a statement from Kia.
What the Sportage NQ6 will look like based on spy photos
The first camouflaged prototypes were photographed in Europe in July 2026, and in September photos appeared of cars with the wrap partially removed. From the shots published by Carscoops and CarExpert, the following changes can be seen:
- Body. Instead of the streamlined shapes of the NQ5 — straight surfaces, a flatter window line, and a more vertical “nose.” Carscoops compares the new model to a scaled-down Kia Telluride crossover.
- Front end. A wide horizontal grille, vertical headlamp blocks at the edges, and at the bottom a rectangular air intake with a sensor module in the center. The hood covers the fenders like a “clamshell.”
- Side profile. Thicker wheel-arch extensions, more pronounced side-sill cladding, two-tone wheels.
- Rear. Vertical split taillights, a large spoiler above the glass, and the license-plate recess has moved from the tailgate to the bumper.
There is no exact data on dimensions. Carscoops, based on the new Tucson, expects the body to grow by about 60 mm, and the wheelbase by about 30 mm. For comparison: for the fifth-generation Tucson, Hyundai officially stated a length of 4,700 mm and a wheelbase of 2,785 mm.
What engines are expected in the new Sportage
The most important rumor concerns the powertrains. According to ETNews, in Korea the NQ6 will be offered only in two versions — hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV), with no petrol, diesel, or gas (LPG) versions. For the plug-in hybrid, the target is up to 100 km on electric power. For Europe, CarExpert expects a broader lineup: mild hybrid (MHEV), full hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and possibly a version with an engine-generator (EREV). Diesel, in the outlet’s assessment, will drop off the list.
The base hybrid will most likely be a 1.6-liter turbo engine with an electric motor, as on the new Tucson. Hyundai has officially stated a combined 245 hp for the Korean Tucson (the current Sportage HEV has 231 hp in the USA 2026 model-year version). Whether the Sportage will get the same output has not been confirmed by Kia.
| Parameter | Sportage NQ5 (now) | Sportage NQ6 (expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Premiere | 2021, facelift — at the end of 2024 | not officially announced; sales in Korea — Q3 2027 (ETNews) |
| Engines | petrol, diesel (Europe), LPG (Korea), hybrid, plug-in hybrid | only hybrids in Korea; in Europe — MHEV, HEV, PHEV (press) |
| PHEV electric range | — | target — up to 100 km (ETNews) |
| Multimedia | up to two 12.3″ screens | Pleos Connect, 12.9″, 14.6″ or 17″ screens (press) |
| Design | streamlined body, “boomerang” headlights | boxier body, vertical headlights, plate in the bumper |
What will change in the interior
In the interior of the prototypes, a large central screen and a new steering wheel are visible. According to the press, the Sportage NQ6 will get the Pleos Connect multimedia system based on Android Automotive — the same one Hyundai is already installing in the new Tucson. The screens, according to Carscoops, will come in three sizes: 12.9, 14.6, and 17 inches. There are no official equipment lists yet. For comparison: on the current Sportage NQ5, top versions have two 12.3-inch screens combined into one curved panel.
What will happen to accessories for the current Sportage NQ5
Even if everything goes to plan, in Europe the new generation will appear no earlier than 2027, and the Sportage NQ5 will remain the main car on the roads for many years. Therefore the main practical question is which of its accessories will carry over to the new model.
As expected — almost nothing that is tied to the body. The new Sportage gets different headlights, bumpers, doors, and tailgate, which means window deflectors, a hood deflector, rear-bumper protectors, and Sportage 2021+ side steps are designed only for the NQ5. Model-specific mats for Sportage 2021+ also follow the floor of a specific body, and they will not fit the longer wheelbase of the NQ6. Crossbars for integrated roof rails are the only area where compatibility is, in principle, possible — if Kia keeps the same roof-rail design, but it is impossible to promise this before the premiere.
Another trap already exists: the fifth generation has two body lengths. The European version is shorter — 4,515 mm and a 2,680 mm wheelbase; the global version (sold, among other places, in Korea and Australia) — 4,660 mm and a 2,755 mm wheelbase. Because of this, window deflectors, mats, and side steps for the NQ5 are available separately for the short (SWB) and long (LWB) versions. Before ordering, check your car against the product description — the entire range is collected in the Kia Sportage 2021+ tuning section, and we wrote about the model itself in our review of the 2024 facelifted Sportage.
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