Updated family favourite spied: 2025 Kia Sportage facelift draws closer as European version of Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander spotted testing - report

The facelifted Kia Sportage has been spied testing in Germany this week.

Expected for 2025 release, the updated Sportage was spotted just outside Germany's Nurburgring Nordschleife race circuit by SH Proshots, with images shared by The Korean Car Blog.

It is a heavily camouflaged mule but we can just about spot some changes in line with the updated Kia Sorento large SUV and the render image below.

The 'Starmap Lighting System', first seen on the EV9 and latterly EV3, is said to be coming to the mid-life Sportage enhancement. Padded camouflage you see on the bonnet may also hide a slightly re-profiled panel beneath.

Expect a broader, squarer grille in line with Sorento and even more aggressively angular tail-light designs at the back.

Inside, the Sportage is expected to get a three-screen set up for the multimedia display and driving information.

Kia Sportage (image: SH Proshots/Korean Car Blog)

The vehicle pictured here is the short wheelbase version sold in Europe, though. In the same way the models look similar now, we can expect a comparable set of upgrades for Australian examples.

Within the report there is mention of hybrid and even battery electric (BEV) powertrains for the Product Enhancement (PE in official Kia speak) of the 'NQ5' Sportage.

It seems unlikely a BEV would arrive given the similar size and pricing to the soon-to-release electric-only EV5.

Kia Sportage render (image: NYMammoth)

Current powertrains include a hybrid based around a 1.6-litre petrol engine developing 169kW and 350Nm rated at 4.9L/100km in the combined cycle.

Additionally, an ageing 2.0-litre petrol (115kW/192Nm), torquey 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (137kW/416Nm) and 1.6-litre turbo-petrol (132kW/265Nm) are all currently available.

As a mid-size SUV, the Sportage plays in one of Australia's most hotly contested segments against the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail and Toyota RAV4.

Current Kia Sportage SX hybrid

With 10,474 sales in the first half of this year, the Sportage is the 13th best selling car in Australia.

Kia Australia declined to provide timing or any further details on the updated Sportage. Following Kia's typical seven-year product cycle, though, it's safe to predict we will see the updated Sportage in the flesh come 2025.