Just a few days ago, Kia Philippines distributor ACMobility launched the all-new Sportage. Now on its fifth generation, the crossover SUV made a comeback in the Philippine market after several years of dormancy. Not only that, but the vehicle now comes with a turbo-hybrid powertrain, which translates to more power and better fuel efficiency compared to regular internal combustion (ICE) models.

But did you know the fifth-generation Kia Sportage was first launched way back in 2021? What Kia recently launched in the Philippines is actually the refreshed model, which came out in 2024. Yes, it took some time, but at least the Sportage name made its return.

However, Kia is already busy testing the next-generation Sportage, and our spies were able to take pictures of a heavily camouflaged prototype somewhere in Europe. While we can't exactly see the overall design just yet, we did notice that the sixth-generation Sportage will get bigger dimensions. From the front end all the way to the back, it's quite noticeable that the new-generation crossover SUV will receive a growth spurt.

Also worth mentioning is what looks to be a boxier exterior. Sure, there are still false panels and heavy camouflage hiding the Sportage's brand new look, but based on Kia's recent vehicles, the Korean automaker has been quite busy with boxy yet striking designs. And like the current designs of Kia and Hyundai, the all-new Sportage may feature a new two-tier headlight design, a clamshell hood, and perhaps a sleek set of LED taillights.

In Europe, the next-generation Kia Sportage (codenamed NQ6) will reportedly forgo pure internal combustion in favor of electrified powertrains. This means the Euro-spec Sportage may come with mild-hybrid (MHEV) engines, hybrid electric (HEV) powertrains, and even a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant. In fact, the all-new Sportage PHEV is expected to have up to 100 km of range on battery power alone.

The all-new sixth-generation Kia Sportage is expected to make its debut sometime in Q3 2027. This means it might still take a long while before the latest compact crossover SUV makes its way here.