First Impressions

In the crowded realm of compact SUV’s, it can be challenging for automakers to stand out among the competition. So for 2023, Kia thought it was the perfect opportunity to give the Sportage a complete overhaul inside and out. We recently had the opportunity to fly out to Palm Springs, California for an on and off-road experience to see what the redesigned Sportage is all about. 

The Sportage is Kia’s longest running nameplate since its inception in the mid 90’s. Now in its 5th generation, the Sportage is driven to be more practical, comfortable, and connected than ever!

Speaking of connected, there is a nearly 25 inches of digital display at your fingertips. 12.3 inches for the digital gauge cluster, and 12.3 inches for the infotainment system. There's also an asymmetrical console that puts controls within very short reach, and USB ports within the seatbacks.

Powering this compact utility is a new 2.5-liter I-4 mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, putting out 187 horsepower, which is six more than the previous generation. That’s adequate power, but not overwhelming. And for the first time ever, the Sportage is available as a hybrid as well as a plug-in hybrid.

The foundation of the Sportage is Kia’s N3 platform. Its overall length is 7.1 inches longer than the previous generation, with a 3.4-inch longer wheelbase. This allows an excellent rear cargo capacity of 39.6 cubic feet of storage, as well as spacious rear leg room of 41.3 inches.

There are seven trims available to choose from, ranging from LX to X-Pro Prestige, I got to spend the majority of my time in the trail ready X-Pro Prestige.

"So it actually makes a lot of sense that we’re out here carving up the desert roads of Palm Springs, because Kia is bringing the heat with the revamped Sportage. So this vehicle actually shares the same chassis as the Sorento. It is stronger, it is lighter, and overall you can really feel it through the twists and turns. Another thing to note is just how quiet it is on the inside of the cabin, Kia added a lot more sound deadening materials, making for a quiet and comfortable ride."

With our trail ready tester in hand, our off-road portion of the drive featured a mild off road course to find the limits of the X-Pro. Aiding us in the process are BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, a multi terrain all-wheel-drive system tuned to reduce wheel slip, maximize traction and downhill braking control, and an increased ground clearance of one and a half inches. 17-inch matte black offroad wheels are exclusive to the X-Pro.

Exterior styling includes new boomerang style daytime running lights, angular fenders, a tiger nose grille, and muscular rear shoulders that flow into the futuristic notch shaped tail lights.

Pricing for the 2023 Kia Sportage starts around $25,990 for the LX, and tops out around $36,790 for the X-Pro Prestige.

And for more details on the all-new Kia Sportage, stay tuned, we will have much more in a future road test, right here, on MotorWeek.