2023 Kia Sportage is larger, more lavish and eco-friendly
If vehicles like the Kia Telluride, Sorento and Soul have proven anything, it’s that Kia is hitting its stride. If you are still put off by the brand that once sold its vehicles using rapping hamsters, your image of the brand is more than a decade old. It’s hard to overstate the transformation that has overtaken the brand in the past few years. You probably didn’t notice until the Telluride debuted, causing consumers to consider Kia for the first time. And with the launch of the all-new redesigned 2023 Kia Sportage, the queues at the Kia stores are about to get longer.
A compact SUV, the
2023 Kia Sportage plays in the heart of the current new vehicle market against a slew of mainstream competitors.
Offered in three trim levels — LX, EX and Sx-prestige — as well as an off-road X-pro model, the 2023 Sportage rides on the N3 platform used for the bigger Sorento. There’s more than 41 inches of legroom in both rows, while the cargo area has grown 28% to 39.6 cubic feet. Inside, you’ll find a mixture of hard and soft surfaces typical in this class. What proves surprising is the Sportage’s two 12.3-inch displays, one for the instrument cluster, the
other for infotainment. They’re integrated into a wide horizontal panel similar to those used by many high-end automakers. High-end tech design at a Kia price? Cue the dancing hamsters.
So, what’s it like to drive? Better than before.
Kia offers three different powertrain options, with base models getting a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission with front- or all-wheel drive. Opt for the off-road ready Sportage X-pro, and you’ll get this engine and standard all-wheel drive and an extra 1.5 inches of ground clearance.
But unless you’re going off-road, the best choice is the Sportage Hybrid, powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four mated to a single electric motor and a 1.5 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. It delivers more power than the base engine —
227 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque — while delivering superior fuel economy. Paired to a six-speed automatic with either front- or all-wheel drive, the hybrid returns a combined 43 mpg with the former, 38 mpg with the latter. Kia will also offer a plug-in hybrid, which pairs the same powertrain and a larger lithium-ion battery pack. This not only provides even more power — 261 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque — it also provides 32 miles of pure electric driving.
Sampling both the normally aspirated X-pro and the Hybrid models, the more fuel-efficient powertrain proved worth the minimal extra cost. Fuel efficiency is decent, at 25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway with front-wheel drive and 23/28 with all-wheel drive.
The Sportage delivers a more equalized driving experience, balancing agility with comfort without extracting the ride penalty of some compact SUVS. .
The Sportage has matured into a larger, more lavish vehicle. With prices starting at less than $26,000, it will have you wondering why you’d ever pay more for another SUV that delivers the Sportage’s virtues.