Inovev forecasts 400,000 units per year of the new Kia Sportage
- The Kia brand (a subsidiary of the Korean group Hyundai-Kia) has unveiled the fifth generation of its C-segment SUV, the Sportage, which has completely changed its style compared to the last two generations. It is thus a little closer to the Hyundai Tucson renewed in October 2020, which shares the same platform and engines. However, the carmaker has announced that a slightly modified European version of the Kia Sportage will be presented in the coming weeks, this European version still being assembled at the Slovakian Zilinaplant.
- The new Kia Sportage competes with other C-segment SUVs from main stream brands, such as the Nissan Qashqai, Renault Kadjar, Peugeot 3008, Citroën C5 Aircross, Opel Grandland, Ford Kuga, Volkswagen Tiguan, Seat Ateca, the Skoda Karoq… and the Hyundai Tucson.
- For the first time, the Kia Sportage will be available in a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version, like the recent Hyundai Tucson. This engine is a 1,598 cm3 gasoline developing 265 hp with the electric motor. It will probably be a demanded version in Europe where plug-in hybrids tend to gradually replace diesel versions. In the first quarter of 2021, diesel cars accounted for 23% of the European PC market, down 20% compared to the same period in 2020, while plug-in hybrids reached 8% of this market, up 175%. PHEVs now represent a volume equal to one-third of diesel car sales in Europe. And this share is set to increase in the coming months, as Europe is the world market where PHEV sales are the most important, like diesel sales in the past.
- Inovev forecasts 400,000 sales per year in the world of the new Sportage, of which a third is assembled at the Zilinaplant.
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