The original styling of the fourth generation of the Sportage was directed by Kia's European design center in Frankfurt, Germany, with input from the company's design centers in Namyang, Korea, and Irvine, California. By 2018, the three centers have modernized the image of the Sportage, which presents a series of updates on its sporty exterior image. The changes also affect the GT Line versions, equipped with several updates that differentiate them from the other finishing versions.

The front bumper has a new image, with a different housing for the fog lights and inserts from those headlights to the lower air intake, with a glossy black or chrome finish. The Sportage will be offered with an evolved version of the "tiger-nose" grille, with a matte or shiny black frame. New LED-type light clusters with four-point LED daytime running lights and redesigned fog lamps will provide maximum visibility, enhance the light signature of this SUV and give it a more modern look.