The Kia Sportage is a compact SUV that has been severely underrated here in the U.S. despite its impressive pricing, numerous features, and attractive styling. Perhaps what it's missing is the radical design of its relative from Hyundai, the Tucson. With Kia hiring some of the best talents in the automotive industry to help out with its new direction in design, the South Korean brand has no shortage of skills in its workforce. But thanks to a new render by Korean YouTuber and designer, Kitekro, we can't help but wonder if the next generation of the Kia Sportage may be pushing the limits a little too far.

Working off of a recent spy shot of a lightly camouflaged 2022 Sportage prototype, he's given us a render that looks pretty fair based on what the source material reveals. We've already seen a series of renders that certainly didn't make the new Sportage look boring, but this design is certainly more extreme. Clearly drawing influence from the similarly radical Kia K5, the new Sportage will look unlike any other SUV on the road if this render proves to be true. As eye-catching as the overall look is, there are some cool details that we like too. The integration of the Tiger Nose grille is one such detail, although the jury is still out on those headlights.

As unconventional as that front end may turn out to be, it appears that the profile will be relatively normal, with no unusual creases or accent lines apparently hiding beneath the Sportage's camo. However, if the front does turn out to be pretty out of the ordinary, we suspect that the rear will follow the same path.

At this point, everything is just speculation, but we'll have our answers soon enough when Kia reveals the new model. We expect that the new model will share much with the Hyundai Tucson, including its 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 190 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque. Along with a 1.6-liter turbo and a new AWD plug-in version, it will be a compelling option in the segment - no matter how it looks.