Here are the very first spy shots of the next-generation Kia Sportage, code-named "SL", undergoing testing on South Korean soil. Purported spy shots in the past of the Sportage's successor on the web, such as the ones found here, were debunked as images of the upcoming C200 crossover by Ssangyong. With the shots we bring you today, we can confirm its veracity as through close examination, the prototype bears manufacturing plates from Kia's Hwasung plant. The distinctive taillights and rear window shape also suggest that it is not the upcoming Hyundai Tucson (LM).From the images, the new Sportage is ostensibly larger in size compared to its predecessor. There are scant details about the upcoming Sportage. Confirmed features include the incorporation of a 6-speed automatic transmission and the addition of the newly introduced R turbodiesel engine, which debuted in the 2010 Sorento and was co-developed between Hyundai and Kia. Also, the 2.7L 6-cylinder powertrain will be canned in favor of a more potent 4-cylinder unit.
According to Kia's future product timeline, the redesigned Sportage will go on sale in February 2010 for the South Korean market. Stay tuned for more information and spy shots.
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