HARD on the heels of the reveal of its new Optima saloon, Kia has released the first official exterior images of the all-new fourth generation Sportage mid-sized SUV which, like the Optima, will be given its first public outing at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September.

Like its predecessor, the latest Sportage features a bold, progressive design, with what the company calls "the contrast of smooth and sharp shapes found on some of the most iconic modern fighter jets".

The ‘face' of the all-new Sportage represents the biggest change to the car's design, with the car's headlamps no longer integrated with the grille for the new model, instead sweeping back along the outer edges of the more sharply-detailed bonnet and bolder wheel arches.

Immediately recognisable as a Kia, the Sportage's lower, wider ‘tiger-nose' grille provides a more imposing appearance and a more stable-looking stance.

The all-new Sportage is characterised by its sportier, more raked profile. From the side, it retains the swept-back silhouette of the outgoing model, with a roofline that tapers slightly towards the rear of the car, longer front overhangs, shorter rear overhangs and a longer wheelbase. Smooth bodywork, bolder wheel arches and sharp lines endow the Sportage with a more dynamic, muscular look.

Inspired by the 2013 Kia Provo concept car, the slim rear combination lamps are joined by a strip that runs the width of the car, while turn signals and reversing lights are separated, relocated lower down to add more visual weight and a greater sense of stability to the lower half of the car.

The design of the new Sportage has been led by Kia's European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany, with input from the brand's Namyang, Korea and Irvine, California design centres.