Neither Mud, nor Snow, nor Sand Is Going to Stop Kia's New Sportage Concepts

Aptly dubbed the Sportage Mud Mode, Sportage Snow Mode, and Sportage Sand Mode, each bespoke compact crossover was dressed in a specific livery and features a host of accessories available in the Korean company’s portfolio.

Matched with the pro bike carrier and steel crossbars, and equipped with side steps to load and unload bikes easier, the Kia Sportage Mud Mode also gets mudflaps, all-weather floor mats, and bumper flap. It was designed to put the hypothetical spotlight on the ‘Mud Mode’ of the Terrain Mode system, which helps maintain momentum in the muck, delivers torque smoothly through the all-wheel drive system, and stronger braking forces via the traction control system (TCS).

Said to be “ideal for drivers who enjoy getting outdoors in the mountains in the winter,” the Kia Sportage Snow Mode has a ski and snowboard carrier, as well as steel crossbars, side steps, all-weather floor mats, and trunk liner. Damp items can be secured in a tidy bag in the trunk. Winter tires, and in-car winter kit, with wind-up torch, traction mats, de-icer, screenwash top-ups, ice scraper, and snowshoe grippers are also included.

As for activating the 'Snow Mode,' it optimizes the powertrain to keep momentum in icy conditions, while limiting the torque output and spreading it as equally as possible between all four wheels. Low levels of braking are applied by the TCS, and the transmission uses shorter shifts to prevent slip.

A roof rack that can carry a surfboard or body board, as well as all-weather mats, trunk liner, trunk organizer, and special decals, are the highlights of the Kia Sportage Sand Mode. Activating this dedicated driving mode distributes the thrust throughout the AWD system as evenly as possible, and allows the TCS to provide higher levels of braking force whenever it is needed. The 'Sand Mode' matches the higher levels of torque with delayed up-shifts too, preventing the vehicle from getting stuck.