The 2023 Kia Sportage will take one of the smallest vehicles in the compact SUV class and turn it into one of the largest.
Riding on a wheelbase that's 3.4 inches longer than the fourth-generation Sportage, the all-new 2023 Kia Sportage stretches 7.1 inches longer than before, bumper to bumper. It's also taller and wider by roughly half an inch compared to the outgoing Sportage.
All of this adds up to best-in-class rear legroom of 41.3 inches and best-in-class cargo capacity of 39.6 cubic feet. That's 1,121 litres before you even fold down the rear seats.
The 2023 Sportage's bold design – Kia calls it Opposites United – and bigger size are only two of many reasons Kia expects the new Sportage to become one of the brand's top two sellers in Canada. Inside, it's a tech fest: multi-connection Bluetooth, personalized profiles for the Sportage to remember climate and audio preferences, artificial intelligence that links real-time maps and traffic to the driver's preferred route, and so many other elements of practical everyday technology.
The full outline of trim levels and specifications for the Canadian market haven't yet been revealed. However, there are some things we know.
- We know the new Sportage will include a 187-horsepower engine paired with a first-for-the-Sportage 8-speed automatic.
- We know Kia is deadly serious about adding capability to its SUVs (as in the Sorento X-Line) and therefore expect X-Line to be a factor in the Sportage, as well.
- We know Kia believes the new Sportage will, despite being quantifiably larger than the old model, deliver around 8% better fuel economy.
- We know that AWD 2023 Sportages offer 1.5 inches of extra ground clearance than before.
- And we know that the Sportage actually rides on the same N3 platform as the Sorento.
As for what we don't know, all will be revealed as the 2023 Sportage nears production in the new year. We can't wait.
