The 2023 Kia Sportage has launched, and the company is calling it the most significant update that the model line has yet seen. That’s certainly the case physically, both in dimensions and in styling.
Riding on Kia and Hyundai’s shared N3 platform, the 2023 Sportage has a 3.4-inch longer wheelbase and is a full 7.1-inches longer than its predecessor. Kia says the new chassis—shared with the new Sorento—makes for a Sportage half an inch taller and wider than its predecessor. According to the manufacturer, all of that stretching allows the Sportage to claim some titles: best-in-class rear legroom, at 41.3 inches, and best-in-class rear cargo capacity of 39.6 cu-ft. Though the growth spurt is nice for consumers, it’s hardly coincidental, serving to distance Sportage from an increasingly crowded SUV lineup that now includes the compact Seltos.
Viewed from the side, the new Sportage has your standard modern CUV silhouette, but it differentiates itself in both front and rear design. Unfortunately, the front end conveys a very “by committee” look; if we were rude, we’d say the new Sportage looks something like two cars grafted right atop one another. By contrast, the rear manages to look at once unique but also quite good – a tricky stunt in a segment utterly defined by sameness.
Compared to the outgoing model’s four-trim lineup, the new Sportage will add three “adventure-ready” trims (think Subaru “Wilderness” without the lift kit) for a total of seven offerings.
The Sportage X-Line is the entry point into the rugged look, offering unique bumpers with a satin surround and a side garnish, raised roof rack rails, gloss black exterior highlights, and—bizarrely—19-inch wheels. The version you’d actually take off-road is called the Sportage X-Pro, which takes those wheels down to 17-inches (and in matte black) and fits them with BF-Goodrich all-terrain rubber. The version also adds a heated windshield and wiper washer nozzles, optional LED head- and fog-lights, and multi-terrain drive modes with Normal, Sport, Smart, and Snow modes.
Powertrains are largely unchanged for the time being; the outgoing 2.4-liter inline-4 is enlarged to 2.5-liters with a resulting slight bump in power, from 181 horsepower to 187, and fuel economy is expected to benefit nevertheless, thanks to a new 8-speed transmission (six ratios in the previous car). There is no news as yet whether the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine of the previous Sportage SX Turbo will see changes, but it’s safe to assume it will be offered in some higher trims. More important is the fact that the new platform will support electrified versions in the future. As before, the Sportage will be available in front- or all-wheel drive; this time, all-wheel drive models gain 1.5-inches of ground clearance.
As has been the case with Kia vehicles, the real story is in the technology. In the 2023 Sportage, that’s highlighted by an optional dual-panoramic curved digital display that pairs two 12.3-inch panoramic screens for a Mercedes-Benz-like feel, at a significant discount. Screens or not, though, the new Sportage offers an otherwise modern and attractive cockpit.
Like other manufacturers, Kia is following suit in reducing physical buttons and switchgear where possible (though from photos, it appears not to an annoying extent—many frequently accessed features are still tactile). A new touchscreen sits below the central infotainment screen, and some of the physical knobs change function depending on the menu selected, from controlling temperature to adjusting the volume.
The safety and driver assistance tech has been upgraded, too, to include upscale features like a surround-view monitor with a 3D view and a blind-spot monitor right in the instrument cluster. That’s in addition to a very competitive—and long—list of other features. No word yet on pricing, but we expect a number in line with the previous car that maybe pushes Sportage a bit further away from Seltos.
For partnership inquiries please reach out to us at partnerships@forbeswheels.com