Kia reveals official sketches of 2016 Sportage crossover

Kia is set to reveal the all-new Sportage crossover at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

A series of official sketches have given the first indication of the styling of the new car, which was designed at the brand’s European centre in Frankfurt.

The car has taken inspiration from the KX3 concept in 2013 and looks set to feature the new large ‘Tiger Nose’ grille. At the back it will get a significantly redesigned set of tail-lights and a re-profiled rear bumper.

Inside, the sketches show a much cleaner dashboard, with a large infotainment screen and a reduced number of buttons on the central console. Kia also says the cabin is set to take a step upmarket, saying it will marry “simple, modern style with rich material quality” and will be the most refined and highest-quality interior the company has made to date.

Kia's SUV will move upmarket to fight rivals including the Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V and Ford Kuga. These spy images show the car's cockpit for the first time, revealing its redesigned centre console. Kia is also expected to fit a larger central infotainment screen, as well as using more high-quality materials inside.

Under the bonnet, Kia has only confirmed that a new powertrain will be offered in the Sportage. This is unlikely to be a plug-in hybrid model, but could allude to either a pure EV version (along the lines of the Soul EV) or to a downsized three-cylinder motor. Elsewhere, expect the current 1.6-litre petrol and 1.7 and 2.0-litre diesel options to be refined, increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions.

Test mules for the new Sportage have already been spotted ahead of the car's launch. The Sportage is set to go on sale in early 2016.