Could the Kia Sportage be coming to the PH sooner than we think?

Last month, we were lucky enough to be behind the wheel of the current-generation Kia Sportage, which was confirmed to be returning to the Philippines, although with no specified date, by Kia Philippines itself. You can watch or read more about our behind-the-wheel impressions below:

However, thanks to the available public information, we now know that we might be seeing the Sportage a lot sooner than we think. For one, it will be available in two variants: the EX and SX, meaning that we won’t be seeing the XLine variant that we tested out in Korea, sadly.

The compact crossover measures 4,685mm long, 1,865mm wide, and 1,660mm tall, and the parallel hybrid system uses a 1.6-liter Smartstream G turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired to an electric motor and 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery.

In total, it produces 235 horsepower and 367Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This is shared with the hybrid variants of the Kia Sorento and Carnival, as well as the Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe.

The Sportage also features Kia’s current Opposites United design language, with a higher-end interior that features two 12.3-inch screens, leather upholstery, and a whole lot of tech that also includes the Kia DriveWise advanced driver assistance suite system.

READ: Is the Kia Sportage coming too late or just at the right time?

We don’t know when Kia Philippines will introduce the Sportage, nor are we sure if it will be shown off at the upcoming Philippine International Motor Show this coming June 4 to 7 at the World Trade Center. One thing we can say is that at least the crossover is arriving, and it’s better late than never.

^{Photos by Julian Panlilio}