Divisive, distinctive… label it whatever you want but you’ve got to hand it to the Koreans, they sure do know how to stand out in a crowd with striking designs. Having done its job though, Kia will be redesigning the refreshed 2024 Sportage’s face with something that’s a little more conventional and packing it with more tech.

We say conventional but what we really mean is taking after its EV3, EV6 and EV9 siblings. That’s a larger grille that’s now flanked by column headlights and vertical DRLs. Below, the front bumper has squared off intakes. Kia will deliver the rugged X-Line trim with a different grille mesh, more angular design elements and fog lights.

The dash itself has been updated and houses a new 12.3-inch curved panoramic display running on an updated infotainment software that serves as the control centre. The new software supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as over-the-air updates.

We especially like the new twin-spoke steering with flat edges at the top and bottom. Leading the charge on the tech front includes fingerprint-authentication, a head-up display, Highway Driving Assist 2 with a lane-changing and remote parking assist.

Completing the interior touches though might be the least technological work on the new 2024 Kia Sportage: more sound-deadening material around the B-pillars and door cards to bump up rolling refinement.

Under the hood is the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine but the mild-hybrid variant gets a new eight-speed automatic to replace the previous seven-speed dual-clutch box.

The full-hybrid model of the new 2024 Kia Sportage will retain its six-speed automatic , but the Korean carmaker states the electric motor has been bumped up by 5 hp – but more importantly, it now delivers smoother acceleration. Drivers can adjust the level of regenerative braking with the paddle shifters.

Lastly, a new ‘Infant’ mode has been introduced that smoothens power delivery to reduce car sickness for children in the back.