Small But Rugged: Land Rover 'Baby' Defender
Land Rover has quite a few novelties that have just arrived or are on the way, and the 'baby' Defender with an all-electric powertrain is one of the major ones. For the Land Rover Defender series, which is actually the top-grossing model line ahead of the Range Rover series, the British automaker has big plans: It will push back the full-size Defender EV until the next decade, introduce the new Defender-based military vehicles collectively called the Wolf Series II and reportedly include a Land Rover Defender pickup truck as the first collaborative creation in the JLR-Stellantis deal to build its models in the US.
Meanwhile, the rumor mill and our spy photographer are also busy figuring out what to expect from the upcoming 'baby' Land Rover Defender, allegedly named the Defender Sport or Defender 80. The British carmaker initially devised the new model, a compact five-door take on the popular nameplate, as an all-electric-only model but has since changed its mind and will also launch it as a hybrid, albeit potentially later, just as it plans to do with the Range Rover GT.
The smaller version of the iconic Land Rover Defender might directly clash with the upcoming 'baby' Mercedes-Benz G-Class, so it will be interesting to see which one goes on sale first. So far, the new model has been spied testing on multiple occasions, and our latest encounter with the SUV comes courtesy of Land Rover, which is currently testing several 'baby' Defender prototypes at the Nürburgring in Germany.
The prototype wears mind-bending vinyl stickers with pride, aiming to confuse onlookers about its details. The last time the 'baby' Defender was spied, it wore a spare tire on the back, a telltale sign that the smallest Defender yet won't abandon its adventure-SUV roots anytime soon.
As for the design, the 'baby' Land Rover Defender will likely shed more of its camouflage in the coming weeks, as the company might preview it as early as spring 2027.
Bigger and More Efficient Kia Sportage
Kia is currently working on the next generation of the Sportage (NQ6), and here is a batch of photos of a spied prototype undergoing testing.
Hyundai and Kia are twin South Korean automakers, and both have been tremendously expanding their lineups, including electrified models. However, their bread and butter remain the best-selling Tucson and Sportage compact crossover SUVs.
The fifth-generation NQ5 Kia Sportage was introduced in the summer of 2021 and also received a mid-cycle refresh for the 2026 model year, which was much more pronounced than the Hyundai Tucson's. But as it turns out, our spy photographer has discovered that Kia is also working on the all-new NQ6 generation. Kia might be in a hurry to have it ready for a reveal sometime next year, potentially during the final months of the year. The best-selling Kia, a "model that enjoys immense global popularity," according to our spy shooter, will also get a completely new design, most likely in line with the latest releases, such as the second-generation Telluride and the all-new Seltos.
It's also going to be larger and more practical, judging by the boxier profile and the massive rear console. The rumor mill expects Kia to forgo pure internal combustion engine (ICE) models in favor of mild-hybrid (MHEV), hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, at least in Europe.
The next-generation Sportage could also receive Kia's latest hybrid system, which is expected to deliver significant improvements in both performance and fuel efficiency. The goal would be to boost vehicle performance through increased battery capacity and engine output. Additionally, the plug-in hybrid variant could offer an all-electric range of up to 62 miles in a bid to provide greater flexibility for both city and highway driving.
Story and photos by Andreas Conradt, Automedia
